Entry No. 44 — the Salt Lake City file — filed under: abandoned-mine
Old Mayflower Mine
The Old Mayflower Mine is an abandoned lead and zinc mine located in the upper reaches of West Canyon in Utah County. Dating back to the late 19th or early 20th century, the underground workings were already reported as largely caved-in by 1927. Today, the site lies on gated, privately owned mountain land, leaving only historical traces and geological remnants of its brief mining era.
The story
Deep in the upper reaches of West Canyon, tucked into the southern flank of the Oquirrh Mountains, sits the ghost of the Old Mayflower Mine. Around the turn of the 20th century, prospectors chewed into bleached hornfels and quartz monzonite dikes in search of lead and zinc. It wasn't one of the booming mega-mines that made barons rich overnight; it was a gritty, short-lived gamble carved straight out of brittle mountain rock.
The Oquirrhs didn't hold up their end of the bargain for long. By 1927—nearly a century ago—geologists cataloging the district reported that the underground workings were already extensively caved-in. The mountain effectively swallowed the operation back up before the ink on its claim papers had even faded.
You won't be picking through old timber or shining a flashlight down open shafts today. The entire site rests inside private land locked down tight behind canyon gates, leaving the mine's brief industrial blast to quiet decay far out of public reach.
What it's like
Do not attempt to hike up West Canyon or break past the locked gate at the canyon entrance—the entire property is strictly private and guarded, and the collapsed underground shafts are an absolute death trap. Instead, treat this as a ghost-chasing scenic drive. Take Highway 73 down past Cedar Fort, pull over, and use binoculars to scan the rugged southern Oquirrh ridgelines where West Canyon cuts into the mountain.
The move: Since the mine is located on gated private property and the underground tunnels are collapsed, couples should skip trying to visit the physical site and instead enjoy a scenic drive along Highway 73 near Cedar Fort to view the rugged southern Oquirrh Mountains from a safe distance.
📍 Before you go The mine is located in West Canyon, which is entirely private property protected by a locked gate at the canyon entrance, and the underground workings themselves are completely caved-in and highly dangerous.
- 📍 Old Mayflower Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Old Mayflower Mine, Utah 84013, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Ben Harrison Mine Shaft — Continue your ghost-mining trek by heading around the western shoulder of the Oquirrhs toward Tooele.
- John Hutchings Museum of Natural History — Pair distant views of collapsed shafts with real Utah mineral specimens and frontier relics down in Lehi.
- Holdman Studios — Balance the remote, off-limits ruins of West Canyon with a live glassblowing session inside Thanksgiving Point.
Good to know
Can I hike to the Old Mayflower Mine site?
No. The site is located on gated private land in West Canyon, and public access is strictly prohibited.
Are the underground tunnels intact?
No. Reports as far back as 1927 documented that the tunnels were largely caved-in. Today, the workings are completely collapsed and unsafe.
What did they mine at Old Mayflower?
Miners extracted lead and zinc from ore veins running through bleached hornfels and igneous dikes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
What is the best way to view the area?
Take a drive along Highway 73 near Cedar Fort to view the rugged canyon mouth and southern Oquirrh range from a safe distance.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: westernmininghistory.com · scholarsarchive.byu.edu · hciutah.com · geology.utah.gov · ugspub.nr.utah.gov
last checked: 2026-07-20