Entry No. 95 — the Durango file — filed under: abandoned-mine
Old Man Mine
Located in the rugged San Miguel Canyon near Sawpit, the Old Man Mine is a historic, defunct underground mining site that once produced zinc and gold. Dating back to Colorado's historic mining boom, the site has long since been abandoned and reclaimed by the surrounding wilderness. Today, no prominent above-ground structures remain, leaving only geological traces of its active past.
The story
During Colorado's historic mining boom, prospectors bored into the San Miguel Canyon rock faces near Sawpit, carving out the subterranean shafts of the Old Man Mine to pull zinc and gold out of the earth. While nearby camps grew into proper towns or left behind iconic timber headframes, Old Man Mine simply ran its course, fell silent, and let the elements take over.
Today, virtually no prominent above-ground structures remain. Mountain winters and wilderness reclamation have ground the site back down to raw earth, leaving the Old Man Mine as little more than a set of geological scars on the canyon wall and an entry on old mining maps. It is the kind of site that exists almost entirely in archived geological surveys rather than tourist brochures.
What it's like
Do not pull up expecting a gift shop, a boardwalk, or even a standing cabin to photograph. Experiencing the Old Man Mine is really about the drive through San Miguel Canyon along Highway 145 (the San Juan Skyway) near Sawpit. Pull over at safe turnouts to scan the steep canyon walls, where subtle cuts and tailings mark where underground shafts once honeycombed the mountain. Stick to the road—the site has no public infrastructure, unmaintained underground hazards, and unverified modern property boundaries.
The move: Take a scenic drive along the San Juan Skyway (Highway 145) near Sawpit to admire the dramatic canyon walls and rugged mountain landscapes where historic prospectors once sought their fortunes.
📍 Before you go The mine is a defunct underground site with no managed public access, and its exact modern property boundaries and physical safety conditions are unverified.
- 📍 Old Man Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Old Man Mine, Colorado 81435, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Alta Ghost Town — Contrast the swallowed, structureless footprint of the Old Man Mine with the standing high-alpine timber ruins at Alta.
- Ames Hydroelectric Generating Station — Pair the obscure geological traces of Sawpit mining with the nearby river powerhouse where L.L. Nunn pioneered industrial AC power.
- Telluride Historical Museum — Visit the 1896 miners' hospital in Telluride to inspect actual regional mining equipment and hard-rock history.
Good to know
Can you go inside the Old Man Mine?
No. The site is a defunct underground mine with no public access infrastructure, unverified modern property lines, and high potential physical hazards inside abandoned shafts.
What metals were mined here?
Historic Colorado geological survey records list the primary output of the Old Man Mine as zinc and gold.
Where is the best place to view the site?
From public turnouts along Highway 145 (San Juan Skyway) near Sawpit, looking up into the San Miguel Canyon terrain.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: westernmininghistory.com · realty.com · coloradogeologicalsurvey.org
last checked: 2026-07-20