Overview | Nelson Abandoned Mines | Eldorado Wilderness, Nevada

Video, Narrative and Slide Guides will appear in 2025

The mines in the Nelson, Nevada area are part of the Colorado-Eldorado Mining District which includes:

• 3679 nearby claims
  • 94 active: Most have clearly marked boundaries or have obvious work in progress.
  • 3541 closed: Many under BLM management and considered public use land.
• 54 nearby mines

Mockingbird Mill served as a processing plant for mining operations in the region.

Listed below in alphabetic order are a few of the abandoned mines near the ghost town of Nelson, Nevada. You can locate them using the map on this page. Though many of the mines are abandoned and now on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, some mines are active. Active mines are on private property with signs typically posted. You can visit the abandoned mines on public property, but not the mines on private property.

Unless you are experienced and skilled with proper equipment, it’s highly recommended that you NOT enter any abandoned mines. Feel free to take pictures of the openings. Please consult the safety page on VegasUnderworld.com for important information, warnings and to find the expert guidance of a community dedicated to exploring mines. 

Blackhawk Mine

The Blackhawk mine is privately owned, not open to the public. It primarily produced gold, secondary silver. There’s a large ore hopper and a 50ft deep portal. The nearby collar shaft has loose rock sides making it unsafe for entry.
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/blackhawk.html

Carnation Mine

The Carnation Silver Mine is not operational and there are no known plans to resume mining operations at this site. The mine is under BLM management and considered public use land. The nearby Eldorado Gold Property is an active mining operation. The mine follows a wide underground fault and is very unstable, on the verge of collapse.
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/carnation.html
https://thediggings.com/mines/usgs10197589

Eldorado Crown Mine

The Eldorado Crown Mine was primarily a gold producer; silver was tertiary. The mine is currently under BLM administration. It is currently abandoned and has many fall hazards awaiting those who enter.

https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10294375/
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/eldorado-crown.html

Eldorado Empire Mine

The Eldorado Empire Mine is owned by the Eldorado Empire Mining Company. Primarily commodities  include gold and silver; lead, zinc and copper are secondary. There are several different claim areas, privately owned by C. E. L. Gresh. The host rock is quartz monzonite from the Pliocene period and is between 5.33 and 2.58 million years old. There’s a 2,000ft long shaft extending 200ft deep and one collapsed building structure. The collar shafts are not safe and the mine is closed with no plans to reopen.
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/eldorado-empire.html
https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10037160/
https://thediggings.com/mines/12717

Jenko Mine & Mill

Gold was the primary commodity of the Jenko Mine; Silver tertiary. The owner is unknown.
https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10246666/

Jubilee Mine

Jubilee mine was a small gold producer with copper as a secondary commodity. The mine is currently abandoned and under private ownership with no plans for reopening. The base rock is quartz monzonite, formed 5.3 – 2.58 million years ago during the Pliocene period. Due to its proximity to Hwy 165, the mine’s entrance is scarred with graffiti. It’s possible to hike into a number of the mine’s inviting large shafts and chambers, but follow best safety precautions. There are ledges and fall hazards within and the deepest levels are often flooded with water.
https://www.intrepidlife.com/jubilee-mine/
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/jubilee.html
https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10037162/
https://thediggings.com/mines/12719

Morning Star Mine

It’s thought that Morning Star was primarily a gold mine. Tailings are rich in galena, which may have provided the base rock for gold. It is unsafe to enter the open portals.

http://www.vegasunderworld.com/morning-star.html

Nugget of Gold Mine

The primary commodity was Gold; silver was secondary. The Nugget Of Gold Mine is not operational with no future plans for its reopening. There are about half a dozen small prospect portals in the valley and one larger collar shaft that is partially covered by a concrete slab that has shifted leaving it only partially sealed.
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/nugget-of-gold.html
https://thediggings.com/mines/usgs10149344

Oro Plata Mine

The land on which the Oro Plata Mine sits is under BLM administration. The mine, now abandoned and non-operational, once produced silver (primary), gold, led and copper (tertiary). The opening to the mine is closed off for safety. There are abandoned mining camps nearby with the remains of buildings and rusting equipment.
https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10135662/
https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/trails/us/nevada/oro-plata-mine
https://www.trailsoffroad.com/US/nevada/trails/1646-oro-plata-mine

Quaker City Mine

The Quaker City Mine primarily produced gold, secondarily silver, and is now under BLM administration. Every portal collar to this mine is back-filled and foamed shut.
https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10270304/
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/quaker-city.html

Rand Mine

The Rand Mine has 5 open portals and primarily produced gold; silver, copper and lead were secondary commodities. Soft gypsum sandwiched between hard rock layers makes the mine unstable. The mine is under BLM administration, owned by Du-Zi Partners, Ltd.
https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10246479/
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/eldorado-rand.html
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/rand.html

Rich Hill Mine

The Rich Hill Mine, currently under BLM administration, was primarily a gold producer with zinc, silver and lead as tertiary commodities. The mine is inactive with no plans to resume operations.  There is one vertical collar shaft unsafe due to its loose rock edges.

http://www.vegasunderworld.com/rich-hill.html
https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10221921/

Silver Legion Mine

The Silver Legion Mine is part of the Nob Hill Group of mines including Rich Hill Mine, Combination Mine, and Silver Legion Mine. The primary commodity was gold, with copper, lead and silver as tertiary. The mine is closed with are no plans for reopening. The complex includes gated portals and collar shaft, an incline shaft and winch cabin. It’s possible to access the winch cabin.

https://www.mindat.org/loc-61381.html
https://thediggings.com/mines/usgs10149146
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/silver-legion.html

Solar Mine

The Solar Mine was a gold and silver producer. It’s actually a series of mines in a valley, most appearing to be prospecting that never came into production. The mines are currently under BLM administration.

https://westernmininghistory.com/mine-detail/10149599/
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/solar.html

Techatticup Mine

The Techatticup Mine at the ghost town of Nelson, Nevada, was historically the most profitable and longest-lived mines in Nevada. It ran from 1861 until 1942.
Techatticup Mine, Wall Street Mine and Queen City Mine in 1872 alone, produced $25.2 million of gold and silver. Montana, on the other hand, only produced $4.4 million in the same year during the gold boom.

The Techatticup Mine runs along Salvage Vein, a rich vein of gold on the side of the canyon. The name, Techatticup comes from the two Southern Paiute Indian words for ‘hungry’ and ‘bread’. The native Paiutes often came to the nearby mining camps of Alturas and Louisville seeking food.

The mining camps were abandoned for nearly 50 years until the ghost town of Nelson, Nevada, the Techatticup Mine and camps were purchased by Tony and Bobbie Werly in 1994. The Werly’s and their family resurrected the town, mine and camps as a tourist destination. They restored many of the buildings, including some from the Wall Street Mine. Today, they offer historic tours through Nelson and the nearby hills including hundreds of feet into the Techatticup Mine where unmined veins of gold and silver are visible in the surrounding rock.

Techatticup Mine Tours:

Techatticcup Mine tours are offered daily at 9am, 12pm and 2pm by reservation with Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours, call (702) 291-0026. As of 2024 the cost is $20 for adults; $12.50 for children.

https://www.eldoradocanyonminetours.com/mine-tours.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techatticup_Mine
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/techatticup-mine
https://neverquitelost.com/2017/07/08/the-golden-days-of-the-techatticup-mine/

VegasUnderworld.com has gone to great length to explore, describe and photo-document each mine in the Nelson area. Email: [email protected] Here are links to their research and onsite exploration for further study, along with images:

• Blackhawk Mine
• Carnation Mine
• Eldorado Crown Mine
• Eldorado Empire Mine
• Eldorado Rand Mine
• Honest Miner Mine
• Jenko Mine
• Jubilee Mine
• Morning Star Mine
• Nugget of Gold Mine
• Quaker City Mine
• Rand Mine
• Rich Hill Mine
• Silver Legion Mine
• Solar Mine

Directions | Nelson Abandoned Mines | Eldorado Wilderness, Nevada

Start your adventure in or near the town of Nelson, South of Las Vegas. Take Interstate 11 South toward Hoover Dam. Just after the Railroad Pass exit, take a right onto exit 14 to Hwy 95 toward Searchlight. Then, take a left onto Hwy 165. Continue about 20 miles on Highway 165 to the town of Nelson. Address: 16880 State Highway 165, Nelson, NV 89046. Call for town and mine tours, photography permission and wedding destination information: 702-291-0026

Narrative Guide | Nelson Abandoned Mines | Eldorado Wilderness, Nevada

Video, Narrative and Slide Guides will appear in 2025