Gold Cliff Mine
circa 1850
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GOLD CLIFF MINE

SEASON & HOURS
The Gold Cliff Mine Adventure Trip is available by reservation only: 866-762-2837.


MAP & DIRECTIONS
A map & directions will be mailed to you when you make your reservations for the Gold Cliff Mine Adventure Trip.


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expedition preparation

The Gold Cliff Mine Adventure Trip is available by reservation only: 866-762-2837.

Step back in time as you explore the historic Gold Cliff Mine located in the heart of the Mother Lode. The “Gold Cliff Adventure Trip” is a truly unique experience, combining challenging exploration with Gold Rush era history and folklore. These trips are by pre-paid reservation only. Call 209-736-2708.

Visitors meet their guide at the Gold Cliff parking area, where they sign the necessary waivers and get their gear (helmets and gloves). The expedition begins with a brief surface tour that includes historical information about the mine with visual aids including pictures, maps and gold artifacts. In its heyday, between 1899 and 1920, the Gold Cliff Mine reached a depth of about 2,000 feet beneath the surface and produced almost 6 tons of gold.

From there the group goes below ground where knowledgeable guides navigate visitors through the mine's deeper passages and chambers. Here, visitors experience first hand what it was like to be a hard rock miner climbing through several "stopes" using knotted hand lines, belay harnesses, ladders and a raft.

The tour features fascinating stories of the miners who worked underground and some geological marvels including massive "ore bodies" that were blasted open over a century ago. Some areas have been unseen since the early 1900s like the beautiful veins of quartz lined with pyrite, mica, garnet and iron.

The tour includes rafting across a 270 foot deep flooded stope with crystal clear water, and there is a possibility of seeing bats and other creatures underground. The total distance traveled is approximately one mile including a surface tour of the mill site.

Watch KCRA's Brian Hickey's experience at Gold Cliff Mine in the video below:



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FACTS AT A GLANCE Gold Cliff Mine Adventure Trip
Adventure Scale: 4.5 adventure scale 4.5
Minimum age 12 years if accompanied by parent
16 years if NOT accompanied by parent
Price per person
$99
Length of trip 3-1/2 to 5  hours
Group size 2 - 10  people
Underground temperature 65°F to 70°F
Equipment provided Hardhat with lights, gloves
Making reservations Call toll free any day of the week: 866-762-2837. Reservations are REQUIRED for this activity.
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