Entry No. 85 — the Durango file — filed under: ruins
Frisco Mill at Bagley Tunnel
Constructed in 1912, the Frisco-Bagley Mill is a rare example of a prefabricated concentration mill whose timber components were pre-cut and coded in Silverton before being assembled on-site. The mill operated until the economic crash of 1921, utilizing electricity to process gold, silver, and copper. Today, the skeletal, partially collapsed wooden superstructure stands near the sealed portal of the 7,500-foot Bagley Tunnel, from which a small stream now flows.
The story
In 1912, someone effectively built an early 20th-century flat-pack mine plant high in the San Juans. Rather than milling raw lumber on-site at 11,000 feet, the timber components for the Frisco Mill were pre-cut, notched, and letter-coded down in Silverton before being hauled up the gulch and assembled like a massive puzzle. Driven by electric power, the concentration mill spent nine years grinding out gold, silver, and copper ore until the economic crash of 1921 cut the power for good.
What remains today is a staggering piece of slow-motion timber collapse. The skeletal timber frame hangs precariously over the mountain slope, right beside the sealed entrance of the 7,500-foot Bagley Tunnel. The miners abandoned the works a century ago, but the mountain hasn't finished with it: a persistent stream of groundwater continuously bleeds out from under the sealed tunnel portal, cutting across the tailing slopes.
What it's like
You will find the mill towering beside County Road 9 (the Alpine Loop) just before reaching the Animas Forks ghost town. Do not cross the fence line or try to climb into the frame—the structure sits on private land and looks like a stiff alpine gust could reconfigure it at any moment. Pull over in a wide spot along the public road with a camera or a set of binoculars; the view of the weathered timber skeleton framed against the high mountain peaks is entirely legal and unblocked right from the road.
The move: Drive along the scenic Alpine Loop (County Road 9) past Animas Forks to safely view and photograph the towering, weathered wooden skeleton of the mill and the surrounding mountain peaks from the road.
📍 Before you go The mill is located on private property and is structurally unstable, but it can be safely and legally viewed and photographed from the public County Road 9 (Alpine Loop).
- 📍 Silverton
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Silverton, CO 81433, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Animas Forks Mine and Ghost Town — Just half a mile up County Road 9, follow up the mill view with a walk through this remarkably preserved 11,200-foot alpine ghost town.
- Gold Prince Mill at Animas Forks - building foundation — Compare Frisco's standing wooden skeleton with the massive concrete tiered pads of this 1905 ore-processing giant less than a mile away.
- Sunnyside Mill foundation & ruins — Continue back down the valley toward Eureka to trace another massive structural footprint from the region's hardrock mining heyday.
Good to know
Can you go inside or touch the mill frame?
No. The mill is located on private property and is structurally unstable. You can safely and legally view and photograph it directly from public County Road 9.
What was the Bagley Tunnel used for?
It was a 7,500-foot haulage and drainage tunnel cut into the mountain to reach underground mineral veins and transport ore straight to the Frisco Mill.
Where is the stream coming from at the base?
Even though the portal of the 7,500-foot tunnel has been sealed shut, water continuously collects deep inside the mountain and flows out from underneath the barrier.
How do you reach the viewing spot?
Drive north out of Silverton along County Road 9 toward Animas Forks along the Alpine Loop. The mill sits right off the road shortly before you hit the main ghost town site.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: historycolorado.org · legendsofamerica.com
last checked: 2026-07-20