Adventurous mine tours are fun for kids and the kid in you! Strap on a hard hat and dive into the depths of the best mine tour for your underground explorations. Whether you are a history enthusiast, geology geek or wanna-be spelunker, this list has the perfect mine tour waiting just for you!
I was surprised how much my husband and I enjoyed many of these mine tours! The others are now on my bucket list of authentic travel experiences.
Summary
If you don’t have time to read this whole story about the best mine tours around, here’s a quick summary:
- Adventurous and educational underground copper mine tour in Bisbee, AZ
- Go half a mile into the Earth’s crust on a crazy Minnesota mine tour
- Experience three copper mine tours in one place: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
- Explore the mine where diamonds for some of Britain’s Crown Jewels were unearthed
- Last but not least, you’ll get UNSTOPPABLE Stacey’s picks for three of the best coal mine tours.
Read the whole article and get the full mine tour scoop on where you can explore above and underground.
Take Your Pick: The Best Diamond, Gold, Copper or Iron Ore Mine Tour
First, I’ll describe diamond, gold, copper and iron ore mine tours, many of which I’ve personally experienced. If you stick around to the end of the story, we’ll even cover coal mine tours.
Hatcher Pass, Alaska | Independence Mine State Historical Park Tour
Explore the historic buildings and trails around the abandoned Independence Mine to glimpse Alaska’s past. Or take a guided tour of Independence Mine State Historical Park to bask in the area’s gold mining history.
Three buildings from Alaska’s gold mining era are open daily, 10 am – 6 pm, from mid-June to Labor Day. Keep your eyes open as the buildings whisper stories. Or reserve a town mine tour to hear local guides interpret the site.
Trek trails leading up the towering mountains. I delighted in the 1.7-mile/ 2.7 km out-and-back Gold Cord Lake Trail led by Revel Treks and Tours guides, which offers excellent views of the mining town below.
Bisbee, Arizona | The Underground Queen Mine Tour
Escape the heat of the Arizona desert when you climb aboard an authentic miner’s railcar and descend into the dark, underground copper mine.
The Queen Mine Tour will take you back in history to a time when this mining area produced some of the world’s largest production valuations.
Riding atop the open cars of the mine train as it click-clacks through the first tight tunnel might kick in the claustrophobia. But don’t worry – the mine starts to open up the further down you go. Our guide, a retired Phelps-Dodge miner, talked the lingo and painted a colorful picture of life in the mines for us. Check out all the things to do in Bisbee, AZ!
Soudan, Minnesota | Underground Iron Ore Mine Tour
Enter the “cage” and drop almost half a mile / 805 meters on a journey to the deepest part of the excavation at Soudan Underground Mine State Park.
After the quick, three-minute descent, get out of the metal elevator cage and onto an underground mining train. See the cars once loaded with iron ore and the state-of-the-art high-energy physics lab that now inhabits the depths.
Professional interpreters bring the stories of the National Historic Landmark to life. After your underground mine tour, experience the surrounding open-pit iron mines on five miles / eight kilometers of hiking trails.
Keweenaw Peninsula, MI | 3-in-1 Copper Mine Tour
When you visit the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan, you’ll be stepping into the heart of America’s copper mining history.
Your journey should begin at the Delaware Mine, where you’ll explore a prehistoric mine site that predates even Native American mining activities. This mine tour includes an ancient site that offers a unique glimpse into the earliest copper extraction methods, connecting you with the region’s geological past.
Next, make your way to the Quincy Mine, aptly nicknamed “Old Reliable,” which provides the most comprehensive mine tour experience.
Here, you’ll ride a cog-rail tram down to the mine entrance, immersing yourself in the daily life of miners from the area’s boom years.
To complete your copper mining adventure, head to the Painesdale Mine tour.
This site is remarkable for its well-preserved state, appearing as if the miners just left for the day. You’ll see original coats still hanging on racks, creating an eerie yet fascinating atmosphere that brings history to life.
As you explore these three mines, remember that during the US copper boom, the Keweenaw Peninsula produced up to 50% of the nation’s copper, making it a crucial center of industry. Check out Viator’s self-guided audio tour.
Cripple Creek, Colorado | Gold Mine Tour
You won’t get the shaft when you choose the historic Mollie Kathleen Mine tour.
The only 1000-foot / 305-metre vertical shaft gold mine tour in North America lets you watch underground mining equipment demonstrations, ride an air-powered tram and take home a free gold ore specimen.
In 1891, Mollie Kathleen Gortner was the first woman to strike a gold claim at the famous Gold Camp outside Colorado Springs. One hundred years later, I lived on Gold Camp Road near the mine.
Cullinan, South Africa | Diamond Mine Tour
Only 25 miles / 40 km east of Pretoria is the Cullinan Diamond Underground Mine Tour of a working diamond mine. Deck yourself out in the commercial safety gear provided and descend half a mile / 763 meters below the surface.
The nearby Premier Mine was the source of the 3106-carat Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond ever found.
Licensed tour guides have the know-how to help you fully experience the mine, which produced some of the British crown jewels. After the mine tour, stop at the gift shop and buy your diamond to commemorate your adventure. Get the details.
3 of the Best Coal Mine Tours
The best coal mine tours offer immersive experiences that combine education, history and adventure, allowing you to connect with the lives of those who worked in the mines.
Well-designed coal mine tours will take you deep underground, often in a mine car, where you can explore authentic tunnels and see various coal veins firsthand.
Knowledgeable guides, usually former miners themselves, share captivating stories about mining techniques, the challenges faced and the impact of coal mining on local communities.
Additionally, engaging exhibits and artifacts enhance your understanding of the mining culture, making these three coal mining tours not just journies into the depths of the earth but a meaningful exploration of the region’s industrial heritage.
1.) Staffordshire, UK | Coal Mine Tours
Go underground to encounter a coalmine that was the workshop for hundreds of mineworkers.
At Apedale Coal Mine, you’ll walk down a steep incline wearing pit gear and a hard hat with a Davy lamp that does not ignite deadly methane gases found in coal mines.
Many of the tour guides are ex-miners, and so deliver a daring experience.
2.) Crowsnest Pass, Alberta | Coal Mine Tour
Pull on authentic mining gear and explore 300 meters of underground corridors during Bellevue Underground Mine Tours. This is the real deal!
Interpreters at the only underground coalmine tour in Western Canada describe the turn-of-the-century mining operation, which supplied the Canadian Pacific Railroad with coal to fuel its steam engines.
This highly rated ecomuseum is a must-do for Calgary road trippers.
3.) Scranton, PA | Coal Mine Tours
Visiting the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour offers you a glimpse into Pennsylvania’s rich history of coal mining.
As you descend 300 feet / 91 meters into the earth aboard mine cars, you’ll explore the winding tunnels that miners navigated daily, immersing yourself in the stories of the resilient men and women who powered the Industrial Revolution.
Your guide—often a former miner or descendant of miners—will share fascinating insights about d the challenging conditions faced underground. This experience is not just an adventure; it’s a chance to connect with the heritage of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where the coal industry shaped countless lives and communities.
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Hi, I’m Stacey
UNSTOPPABLE Stacey Travel is a travel blog focused on immersive travel that highlights food, wine and the spirituality of place. You can count on me for accurate reports and insightful analysis as your trusted travel writer since 2008.
As the author of several spiritual and walking guides, I occasionally write about life as a Camino de Santiago pilgrim. See my Amazon author page here. You may review my credentials as a professional travel writer on LinkedIn.
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We’ve secured exclusive UNSTOPPABLE travel discounts on select vacations and cruises. Our partners at Dunhill Travel Deals update the list almost daily! So be sure to check out today’s top travel deals.
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