Phoenix Gold Mine - Idaho Springs, Colorado

David A.

This was the last stop on our 8 day trip through Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado and I must say it was one of the best, unexpected stops we had!

We purchased our tickets in advance, online. We only picked up the one tour because we were worried how tired we would be after 8 days of caves, parks, and museums. I will say I really wish we would have made more time for Phoenix Gold Mine.

We arrived at 9:30 am for our 10 am tour. We were a little worried we were in the wrong location because no one was around, but signage and another group assured us we were in the right place. I'd totally recommend showing up early. The area is beautiful, with a creek, and extremely adorable wildlife.

The gift shop is so much fun. It's in an old bus. You enter through the rear door. Watch your head when entering. You will check in here if you purchased your tickets online or purchase your tickets if you didn't reserve a place. There are tables set up on both sides with multiple items found or made right there on site, many of which are unique and one off. I'm a collector of key chains, and my wife, a collector of post cards. They had both! Everything is very fairly priced. Make sure to pick up a vial kit for the end of your tour. If you're a rock hound or want to take home some of your own panned gold it's well worth the couple of dollars. And most importantly. BUY A BAG OF SUNFLOWER SEEDS TO FEED THE CHIPMUNKS! This made my wife's entire trip getting to feed chipmunks by hand.

The main tour was fantastic! It was very informative. You get to learn how the miners worked from the old days all the way up to the current away the mine removes gold. We had an issue with the lights but our tour guide made the best of it. We went by flashlight instead of using the wired lights overhead. So much fun. I'd love to see this added as part of the regular tour!

After a 45 minute tour of the mind we were shown how to pan for gold. It's so much harder than they make it look but they're the professionals. 😂 We moved across the road to the creek. My wife is a total rock hound. She found SO MANY cool looking rocks. I was able to find some little pieces of gold and mixed it in with the small vials she was filling with rocks.

All in all this was well worth every penny. If your trying to decide on rather or not to stop here I'd recommend if you enjoy the outdoors, rocks, and fun little day trips, this is the perfect place to spend half a day. We originally only planned on making this a quick stop but it turned into a 3 hour rock hunt.

Laura G.

I planned a field trip for our homeschool group and would definitely go again. We had all ages from 2-17 years and every to one had fun. We got to feed chipmunks, pan for gold and explore the mine. All the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. One of the best experiences for our group.

Shaunta

We had so much fun on the tours! Both of our tour guides were great. They were very interactive and knew what they were talking about. I would definitely recommend the cart ride/cave tour and the other cave tour.

Caleb L.

The ghost tour does not disappoint. Seeing the mine by “lantern” light really adds to the spooky ambiance. The staff even provided us with a few pieces of ghost detecting gear! Great tour for advanced ghost hunters or people with a more casual relationship with the mystical world. The staff seem to be a tight knit group who really care about this place.

Amanda I.

A lot of fun just getting there. The mine tour was educational and still pretty warm compared to the freezing temperatures outside. Great for kids and families! The tour guide was super nice.
Also, the two paydirt bags we bought for $13 were loaded with flour gold. Couldn't believe it!

Meredith M.

Such a fun experience. The kids really enjoyed it. It was very interactive and our tour guide made it super fun and informative.

Morgan D.

We had a great experience today at Phoenix Gold Mine! It was only my husband and I during the reservation time, and our tour guide Pete was amazing! It was like a private tour. He was so kind and knowledgeable about the history of the mine. Highly recommend if you can ask for him!

There were chipmunks to feed as well, which was such a neat experience, and the panning for gold in the nearby creek was fun! Everyone was so nice and will be back next time!

Patrick S.

Great time, no shuttle to another location. Really cool drive to the mine itself. Ruth is our favorite person in Colorado. Passion for Geology and a student, very impressed.