Entry No. 53 — the Phoenix file — filed under: ruins
Belmont Mine
Discovered in 1899 and developed by the Arizona Belmont Mining Company, the Belmont Mine was a copper and silver producer that operated primarily during the 1920s. Today, the site lies abandoned in a rugged canyon south of Apache Leap, featuring concrete foundations, tailings piles, and a dangerous, open vertical shaft plunging hundreds of feet. The historic Belmont Hotel on Superior's Main Street was originally built to house the mine's visiting executives.
The story
Discovered in 1899 and hauled into profitability during the 1920s by the Arizona Belmont Mining Company, this copper and silver claim sat tucked into the rugged canyon draw below Apache Leap. Mining execs visiting from out of town weren't roughing it in tents, either—the company went so far as to build the historic Belmont Hotel on Superior's Main Street just to house visiting suits during site inspections.
Today, the company is long defunct and the ground belongs to Resolution Copper, who inherited the parcel from Magma Copper Co. All that remains in the canyon bottom are the heavy-duty concrete machinery pads, washed-out tailings piles, and a sheer, open vertical shaft that drops hundreds of feet straight into the dark with no safety net.
What it's like
You cannot—and should not—walk up to the shaft itself. The mine sits on posted private land, and an open drop of several hundred feet is not where you want to test your footing. The smart play is keeping to the public Tonto National Forest trails framing Apache Leap. Drive out toward Superior, stick to public land, and bring a set of binoculars or a long lens to spot the concrete foundations and grey tailings sitting down in the canyon shadows.
The move: Take a scenic drive to Superior and hike the nearby public trails of the Tonto National Forest to photograph the dramatic cliffs of Apache Leap, which overlook the canyon where the historic mine is situated.
📍 Before you go The mine is located on private property owned by Resolution Copper (formerly Magma Copper Co.) and contains an extremely hazardous, open vertical shaft that drops hundreds of feet.
- 📍 Belmont Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Belmont Mine, Arizona 85173, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Critter Crawl Night Tour, Boyce Thompson Arboretum — Pair a morning hike overlooking Apache Leap's canyon history with an after-dark guided desert walk down the road at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
- Ajax Mine — Double down on early-20th-century mining history by comparing Belmont's canyon overlook with the nearby Ajax Mine ruins.
- Queen Valley Overlook Ruins — Swap 1920s copper production ruins for ancient hilltop stonework perched above Queen Creek.
Good to know
Can you go up to the mine shaft?
No. The site is private property owned by Resolution Copper and holds a hazardous, uncapped vertical shaft plunging hundreds of feet down.
Where is the mine located?
It sits in a canyon directly south of Apache Leap near Superior, Arizona (ZIP 85173).
What history is still visible in Superior itself?
The historic Belmont Hotel on Main Street in downtown Superior, which was originally built to house visiting executives from the Arizona Belmont Mining Company.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · westernmininghistory.com
last checked: 2026-07-20