Entry No. 51 — the Phoenix file — filed under: ghost town
Del Pasco Mine
Discovered on July 4, 1870, the Del Pasco Mine was one of the earliest and richest gold strikes in the Bradshaw Mountains. Active sporadically into the mid-20th century, the site now features a collection of fascinating relics including a rusted 1950s dump truck, a derelict school bus, and collapsed wooden structures. The surrounding 15-acre area is currently managed by the Prescott National Forest, which has initiated environmental cleanup efforts to address heavy metal tailings.
The story
On July 4, 1870, prospectors hit the first massive gold strike in the Bradshaw Mountains and named it Del Pasco. The strike triggered an immediate scramble high above Crown King, eventually drawing big-time Gilded Age capital like "Diamond" Jo Reynolds—a prominent mine investor who held stakes in both Del Pasco and the famous Congress Mine. While early miners picked the richest veins clean, work dragged along sporadically all the way into the mid-20th century before the mountain swallowed the operation whole.
What makes Del Pasco deeply weird isn't just another pile of collapsed timbers; it's the strange mid-century vehicle graveyard left rotting among the pine and chaparral. Sitting beside broken wooden ore structures is a rusted 1950s dump truck and a derelict yellow school bus—hauled up switchbacks that barely fit a modern jeep, likely dragged there to serve as cheap shelter or equipment storage. The Prescott National Forest now oversees the 15-acre site, attempting to manage historical ruins while dealing with the toxic heavy metal tailings left behind.
What it's like
Reaching the ruins requires navigating the Towers Mountain/Del Pasco Loop trail—a steep dirt route rated a technical '5' that demands a high-clearance 4WD vehicle or a tough mountain hike. The trail rewards you with ridgeline views stretching clear to Phoenix and Wickenburg, but the mine site itself requires caution. Treat the ruins purely as a look-don't-touch photo op from outside the perimeter; the ground is peppered with unsealed open shafts, rotten floors, and toxic heavy metal tailings undergoing Forest Service environmental remediation.
The move: Embark on the Towers Mountain/Del Pasco Mine Loop trail via a high-clearance 4WD vehicle or a scenic hike, stopping safely outside the mine perimeter to photograph the iconic decaying yellow school bus and vintage mining equipment.
📍 Before you go The mine is located within the Prescott National Forest and is accessible via a public off-road trail, but the physical site contains hazardous open shafts, unstable collapsed buildings, and toxic heavy metal tailings undergoing environmental cleanup.
- 📍 Crown King
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Crown King, AZ 86343, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Rock Springs Cafe — Hit this former 1880s stagecoach water stop in Black Canyon City on your way back down the mountain for a cold drink and a slab of pie.
- Arcosanti — Trade the decay of Del Pasco's 1870s gold boom for Paolo Soleri's half-built poured-concrete utopian arcology off I-17.
- Oro Grande Mine — Compare Del Pasco's high-altitude mountain forest site with another early 1900s gold strike buried in the desert scrub.
Good to know
What vehicle do I need to drive to Del Pasco Mine?
You need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. The trail includes rough off-road sections near the mine site rated a 5 out of 10 in difficulty.
Can I explore inside the mine buildings or shafts?
No. The 15-acre site contains unstable collapsed structures, open shafts, and toxic heavy metal tailings undergoing Forest Service cleanup. Stay safely outside the perimeter.
Why is there a school bus parked at an old gold mine?
Miners working the site sporadically through the 1950s hauled heavy machinery and old vehicles—including a yellow school bus—up the trail to use as equipment and field shelter.
Who was 'Diamond' Jo Reynolds?
He was a prominent 19th-century mining investor who held major financial stakes in the Del Pasco Mine as well as the Congress Mine.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: azoffroad.net · knau.org · ghosttowns.com · tucson.com
last checked: 2026-07-20