Entry No. 10 — the Spokane file — filed under: haunted
Sierra Silver Mine Tour
About 80 miles east of Spokane off I-90, Wallace sits in the richest silver district on earth, and this tour sends you underground into the main drift of a real mine led by a retired miner. A classic narrated trolley carries you through historic Wallace, a mining town founded in 1884 and riddled with dangerous, often deadly labor history, before you descend into the rock. The entire town is listed on the National Register, and the dark history of cave-ins and labor wars is woven through the guides' stories.
The story
Eighty miles east of Spokane off I-90, Wallace sits squarely in the middle of the richest silver district on earth. Founded in 1884, the entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but its picturesque brick facade sits on a volatile foundation of cave-ins, dark underground drifts, and deadly turn-of-the-century labor wars. You don't just walk up to the mine entrance—you start at the depot on Cedar Street and board an open-air trolley that rattles through town, setting up the history of hard-rock mining before delivering you to the mountainside.
What keeps this subterranean dive from feeling like a sanitized roadside trap is the crew running it. You are guided through the main drift of a real silver mine by retired miners who spent decades working underground in the Silver Valley. They walk you into the cold dampness, demonstrate vintage pneumatic gear, explain how timbering holds back tons of granite, and detail the grim mechanics of drilling into rock when one bad air pocket or missed charge meant you didn't come up for shift change.
What it's like
Expect a sharp drop in temperature the second you step off the trolley and pass through the mine portal, so bring a jacket even if Wallace is sweltering above ground. The tours run seasonally from roughly May 1 to October 15, departing every 30 minutes from downtown. Inside, the vibe is practical and gritty rather than theatrical; you are walking a real timbered tunnel alongside someone who actually drilled rock for a living, hearing firsthand how men worked in pitch darkness with heavy steel tools and cold water dripping down their necks.
The move: Drive out for the day, ride the trolley into the silver mine with a retired miner, then explore the old brick mining town above ground.
📍 Before you go Seasonal: roughly May 1-Oct 15, with tours every 30 minutes; bring a jacket as the mine is cold year-round.
- 📍 Wallace, Idaho
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 509 Cedar St, Wallace, ID 83873
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Bird Aviation Museum & Invention Center — Pair your deep-underground mining trip with a detour north to Hayden to check out life-saving aviation and medical technology.
- Famous Joe's Vendor Emporium — Stop off I-90 on your drive back west to comb through 160-plus vendor booths crammed with collectibles, oddities, and vintage gear.
- Dishman Hills Natural Area - Enchanted Ravine — Swap man-made underground drifts for a walk through exposed 1.5-billion-year-old metamorphic bedrock back near Spokane Valley.
Good to know
When is the tour open?
The tour operates seasonally, roughly from May 1 through October 15, with trolley departures every 30 minutes.
How cold does it get inside the mine?
The mine stays damp and cold year-round regardless of summer weather outside, so bringing a sweater or jacket is mandatory if you want to stay comfortable.
Where does the tour start?
Tours depart from the main office at 509 Cedar St in downtown Wallace, where you board a trolley for a historic town ride before arriving at the mine portal.
Who leads the underground walk?
Tours are led by retired hard-rock miners who bring direct personal experience, practical safety knowledge, and real operational stories to the experience.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · visitidaho.org · westernmininghistory.com · Yelp · visitnorthidaho.com · on-walkabout.net
last checked: 2026-06-24