Entry No. 222 — the Denver file — filed under: historic-mine
Sallie Barber Mine
Established in the 1880s, the Sallie Barber Mine was a prominent zinc and lead producer that operated intermittently until its final closure in the 1940s. Today, the high-altitude site features a stabilized wooden ore bin, a grate-covered deep shaft, and remnants of a steam plant and air compressor. Visitors can reach the ruins via a scenic 3-mile round-trip hike or snowshoe trail from French Gulch.
The story
While most 1880s miners around Breckenridge were panning icy streams for gold or hacking into rock for silver, the crew behind the Sallie Barber went after zinc and lead. That unglamorous pivot paid off. As national manufacturing demand for zinc surged, the operation punched a 365-foot vertical shaft into the ridge above French Gulch and dug three working levels underground. When World War II erupted and the federal government issued Order L-208—effectively shuttering gold mines across the country as nonessential to the war effort—the Sallie Barber kept right on running, pulling industrial zinc out of the mountain into the 1940s.
The site sat exposed to harsh timberline winters for decades until local open space preservationists stepped in to keep the remaining structures from collapsing. In 2022, crews stabilized the towering timber ore bin and restored the heavy hardware on-site. Walk around the clearing today and you'll spot remnants of a steam plant, a belt-driven air compressor, and an antique rock drill overlooking a valley that was thoroughly chewed up by early-20th-century gold dredges.
The real draw is the mine shaft itself. It's capped with a heavy steel safety grate today, but if you stand over the bars and drop a pebble down the center, you'll count several seconds before hearing it splash into the flooded bottom 365 feet down. Standing on that grate looking straight into the black void makes the brutal reality of high-altitude 19th-century hardrock mining immediately concrete.
What it's like
Expect a gradual 3-mile round-trip walk along an abandoned dirt mining road with under 400 feet of elevation gain, topping out near 10,400 feet. The small dirt pullout roughly 3.8 miles up French Gulch Road holds barely a dozen cars and packs out fast on weekend mornings, so get there before 8:00 AM or go on a weekday. In summer, you'll share the wide trail with mountain bikers and families; in winter, the county plows the road up to the trailhead, making this a go-to beginner snowshoe and cross-country ski track. Keep your distance from the stabilized wooden ore bin and stick strictly to viewing the shaft through the steel grate.
The move: Hike or snowshoe the scenic 3-mile trail up to the mine, read the interpretive signs together, and take in the panoramic mountain views of the surrounding Summit County peaks.
📍 Before you go The site is located on public open space and accessible via a designated hiking trail, but the mine ruins and grate-covered shaft themselves should only be viewed from the outside for safety.
- 📍 Sally Barber Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Sally Barber Mine, Colorado 80424, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- The Jessie Mine and Mill — Continue down French Gulch to compare this zinc site with the sprawling wooden ruins and stamp mill of one of the district's largest gold and silver complexes.
- Isak Heartstone — Head toward town afterward to swap 19th-century industrial ruins for a 15-foot troll crafted from recycled wood on a nearby forest trail.
- Bread Bar — Drive through the canyon to Silver Plume to grab a cocktail inside a preserved 1890s bakery after your mountain trek.
- The Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon — Head over the pass to Leadville to drink in an 1879 saloon where hardrock miners spent their wages off shift.
Good to know
How long and difficult is the hike to Sallie Barber Mine?
It's roughly a 2.7 to 3-mile round-trip hike on a wide, closed dirt mining road with around 390 feet of elevation gain. The gradient is wide and gentle, making it an accessible high-altitude walk.
Can you go inside the mine buildings or down into the shaft?
No. The main shaft is sealed with a heavy metal grate for safety, and the surrounding wooden ore bin and machinery remnants are historic artifacts that must be viewed from the outside.
Is there a parking fee or permit required?
No permits or entry fees are required. You can park for free at the dirt pullout 3.8 miles up French Gulch Road, though space is limited to roughly 10 to 12 vehicles.
Is the trail accessible during the winter?
Yes. French Gulch Road is plowed to the trailhead year-round, turning the snow-packed mining road into a popular route for snowshoeing, winter hiking, and fat-tire biking.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: breckhistory.org · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-20