Empire Mine State Historic Park


Atop 367 miles of mine shafts tunneling almost a vertical mile beneath the surface, Gold Country’s best-preserved gold-quartz-mining operation is worth a solid half-day’s exploration. From 1850 to 1956 the miners here, mostly Cornish, produced 5.8 million troy ounces of gold (worth about $8 billion today). The visitor center has maps and leads guided tours (schedules vary). See the website for events.

It's very well worth paying to enter the mine yard, littered with mining equipment and buildings constructed from waste rock, and to view the main shaft's claustrophobic entry, next to the former site of the head frame (a tall structure used to haul ore and people from underground). Nearby is the English-manor-style summer cottage and 13 acres of gardens belonging to the Bourn family, who originally owned the mine; though this now appears incongruously idyllic, the noise of the mining activity must have been deafening.

Hiking backcountry trails that meander past abandoned mines and equipment is free. Trailheads are located at the parking lots behind the visitor center and Penn Gate to its west.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. North Star Mining Museum

1.5 MILES

A museum for those who ache when they see machinery set aside to rust. The engineering-minded docents here have polished and oiled their extensive…

2. Nevada City Winery

4.05 MILES

This popular winery excels with Syrah and Zinfandel varietals, which you can savor while touring the production facility in the old Miners' Foundry Garage…

3. Firehouse No 1 Museum

4.17 MILES

This small, painstakingly curated museum is run by the Nevada County Historical Society from a unique white wooden building with a tall bell tower. From…

4. South Yuba River State Park

10.06 MILES

Cool off with a dip at South Yuba River State Park, which has popular swimming holes and hiking trails. It's near Bridgeport, which has the USA’s longest…

5. Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park

13.32 MILES

An otherworldly testament to the mechanical determination of the gold hunt, Malakoff Diggins is a place to get lost on fern-lined trails and take in the…

6. Auburn State Recreation Area

20.99 MILES

This is a park of deep gorges cut by the rushing waters of the North and Middle Forks of the American River, which converge below a bridge on Hwy 49, 4…

7. Placer County Museum

21.43 MILES

The 1st floor of the domed 1898 Placer County Courthouse has Native American artifacts and displays of Auburn’s transportation heritage, including a…

8. Joss House

21.57 MILES

Built by the Yue family in the 1920s, this clapboard residence stands on 'Chinese Hill,' one of many Chinese communities established during the gold rush…