Entry No. 38 — the Salt Lake City file — filed under: abandoned-mine
Maxfield Mine
Discovered in 1872 in Big Cottonwood Canyon, the Maxfield Mine was a highly productive lead and silver operation that yielded over $1 million in ore by the early 20th century. Today, the mine's tunnels are completely caved in and blasted shut, leaving only a water-flowing portal and extensive tailings piles along Mill A Gulch. The site is now a popular destination for rockhounds searching for quartz and pyrite crystals among the historic debris.
The story
Discovered in 1872 in Big Cottonwood Canyon, the Maxfield Mine was one of the heavy hitters of the district's boom era. Before operations ground to a halt in the early 20th century, miners hauled out over $1 million worth of lead and silver ore from deep inside the Wasatch range.
If you are expecting an open cavern or subterranean adit, lower your expectations: federal authorities and nature have thoroughly sealed the subterranean works. The tunnels are blasted shut, completely collapsed, and extremely dangerous. What remains at the surface along Mill A Gulch is a dark water-flowing portal draining into the creek and a massive mountain of historic tailings—the leftover rock discarded by men hunting fortunes 150 years ago.
What it's like
Park at the Mill A trailhead off Big Cottonwood Canyon Road and take the short trail up the gulch. You will see gray, gravelly tailings slopes spilling down the hillside where the mine once operated. The vibe is low-key rockhounding: bring a small rock hammer or just turn over stones by hand in the afternoon sun. The loose rock is packed with milky quartz crystals and metallic veins of pyrite (fool's gold). Note that heavy snowfall buries the tailings in winter, so hold off until the snowpack clears in late spring or summer.
The move: Park at the Mill A trailhead and take a short, scenic hike up the gulch to search for quartz and pyrite crystals in the historic tailings piles.
📍 Before you go The mine tunnels themselves are completely caved in, blasted shut, and extremely dangerous, but the surrounding tailings piles are legally accessible for hiking and rockhounding.
- 📍 Salt Lake City
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Salt Lake City, UT 84121, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Wasatch Mine — A short drive further along Big Cottonwood Canyon leads to another historic late 19th-century silver relic.
- Mule Hollow Mine — Pair these two canyon hikes to double up on Big Cottonwood's old mining boom ruins in a single trip.
- Silver Fork Lodge & Restaurant — Head further up the canyon road after scrambling through the mine tailings for sourdough pancakes at a historic 1947 lodge.
Good to know
Can you go inside the mine shafts?
No. The tunnels are completely caved in, blasted shut, and dangerously unstable. Exploration is strictly restricted to the exterior tailings piles.
What minerals can you find in the tailings?
The site is well known among local rockhounds for small quartz crystal clusters and brilliant specs of pyrite.
Where do I park to visit Maxfield Mine?
Park at the Mill A trailhead along Big Cottonwood Canyon Road and hike up Mill A Gulch to reach the tailings area.
Is collecting rocks at Maxfield Mine legal?
The surface tailings piles along the gulch trail are legally accessible for casual, non-commercial rockhounding and hiking.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: westernmininghistory.com · pocketmags.com · mindat.org · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-20