Entry No. 55 — the Helena file — filed under: ghost town
Alta Mine
Discovered in 1869, the Alta Mine was once one of Montana's most prolific silver and lead producers, anchoring the historic mining camps of Wickes and Corbin. After yielding tens of millions of dollars in ore, the mine closed in 1896, leaving behind a scarred landscape of tailings, collapsed structures, and stone foundations. Today, the surrounding area features the ruins of old smelters, charcoal kilns, and the nearby abandoned Wickes railroad tunnel.
The story
In 1869, prospectors struck a massive silver-and-lead lode in Jefferson County's Colorado Mining District. The strike anchored the boomtowns of Wickes—named after New York investor W.W. Wickes—and neighboring Corbin. By the 1880s, the Helena Mining and Reduction Company took over operations, running an extensive underground network that extracted tens of millions of dollars in silver, lead, zinc, and trace amounts of antimony.
The primary ore bodies were largely depleted by 1896, though underground workings were tapped sporadically up through the mid-20th century. What remains today isn't a manicured open-air museum. It's an industrial graveyard spread across the hillsides: dry-stacked stone smelter foundations, ruined charcoal kilns, grey tailing dumps, and the abandoned Wickes railroad tunnel cut into the rock.
What it's like
Drive the dirt roads threading through the historic Corbin-Wickes district with your eyes open and your boundaries clear. Do not trespass past fence lines or private property markers—the historic mine workings, shafts, and adits are treacherous collapse hazards. Pull over safely along the public right-of-way to scan the hillsides with binoculars or a long camera lens to catch the stone kiln walls and timber ruins.
The move: Take a scenic drive through the historic Corbin-Wickes mining district to photograph the remaining stone foundations, old charcoal kilns, and the rugged mountain landscape from the safety of public roads.
📍 Before you go The mine shafts and underground workings are extremely dangerous and situated on private property, though the historic ruins of the surrounding ghost towns can be safely viewed from public roads.
- 📍 Alta Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Alta Mine, Montana 59634, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Comet/Rumley Mine — Continue down the district's dirt roads to another heavy-metal 1880s silver and lead operation nearby.
- Elkhorn State Park (Elkhorn Ghost Town) — Head south toward Boulder to see preserved 1890s wooden architecture that contrasts with the raw industrial foundations at Wickes.
- Boulder Hot Springs Inn & Spa — Shake off the Jefferson County dust with a soak in geothermal pools tapped during the same 1860s prospector boom.
Good to know
Can you go inside the mine workings or shafts?
No. The underground workings and immediate ruins are on private property and are extremely hazardous. You must view the district entirely from public roads.
What metals were extracted from the Alta Mine?
The lode primarily produced millions in silver and lead, with secondary yields of zinc, gold, and trace antimony.
What visible ruins remain in the area?
From public roads in the Corbin and Wickes area, you can photograph remaining stone smelter foundations, old charcoal kilns, tailing mounds, and the timber-framed remnants of the ghost towns.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · thetreasurestate.com · westernmininghistory.com · thediggings.com
last checked: 2026-07-20