Visiting Empire Mine State Historic Park on a Friday afternoon made for a fascinating glimpse into the area's rich mining history. The various on-site museums do a fantastic job showcasing what daily life was like in an active gold mine. The absolute highlight was touring the historic Cottage on the grounds, which is stunning and full of character. Just be sure to check the tour schedule before you go, as Cottage access runs on a limited timetable. read more

See all

Absolutely lovely grounds to explore, specifically the cottage house. A fun little glimpse into a different time of long ago. The mine shaft was obviously the highlight, which we were able to go down into without paying for a tour. Very cool with just the right element of spooky as you imagine being a miner at the turn of the century, traveling thousands of feet underground, by candlelight! We also checked out the surrounding buildings which have buttons you press that give you a synopsis of what you're looking at. We popped into the blacksmiths building where a couple blacksmiths were putting on demonstrations of skills required to work this job for the miners. There was also a quaint gift shop in the museum section where we got our kiddo a vile of gold as a fun little souvenir. read more

See all

Such beautiful grounds! The text on the info boards felt just right for me - not too much text but also not lacking detail. Such a wonderful experience and learning about historic technology and operations. Timothy the blacksmith was wonderful and so pleasant to chat with. Only suggestion for improvement is to be more transparent about tours - several daily tours are advertised on the website and no tours were available the day we were there because 'tour guides didn't show up because they've been busy with various events'. read more

See all

Visited with family who actually Mine. Really interesting, great place to Walk about. Lots of history and things to see. Something for everyone. Neat gift shop With reasonable Prices. Clean restrooms and grounds. This is a must. read more

See all

Despite the 95 deg weather, we really enjoyed the beautiful grounds and gardens. We still can't get over all the photos from that period and what the men had to endure. The park is very well maintained and such a bargain read more

See all

Stop right there! If you're vacationing in Gold Country this park is an absolute must see. The grounds are beautiful, the artifacts are interesting and the history is priceless. You could easily spend an entire day here, but even in an hour you can see a lot. There are guided tours, which I would have loved to take, but I had two small toddlers with me so it wasn't an option. A self guided tour of the grounds is totally doable, though I will warn you that there are many buildings you cannot enter if you're not on an official tour. The mine shaft on display is humbling in so many ways, and it really makes you think about what humans have had to accomplish to extract resources from the land. They often have blacksmiths on site as well, and we absolutely loved our blacksmith Timothy's demonstration! He was so kind to give some souvenirs to the kids in my party while teaching them the art of black smithing. The museum there is also impressive, and I was awestruck by the 3D model of the mines on display. There's even a ton of gold on display, showing how valuable the mine was. Absolutely incredible, and worth every penny of the $5 per person charge. read more

See all

If you haven't visited Empire Mine State Historic Park, it's truly a wonderful experience--educational, historical, beautiful, and peaceful all at once. There is a $5 entry fee, but parking is free. The free mine and garden tours offer a fascinating glimpse back into the Gold Rush era of the 1850s. Whether you enjoy exploring the mining equipment, watching blacksmith demonstrations, touring the living and office quarters, browsing the gift shop, or simply taking in the breathtaking gardens, there's truly something for everyone. read more

See all

This place did not disappoint. We went through the museum and then through all the grounds. It was such a gorgeous day and many people were there just to take pictures or with a blanket on the ground to read a book or enjoy each other's company. We looked at each place and I enjoyed pushing the buttons to hear the information. We went down into the old mineshaft and man was this neat. The blacksmith was in today. Entrance was only $5 a person and it was well worth it. After we closed down the park, we went for a long hike which is outside the gates. The hiking part is free. It was so beautiful and romantic especially with all the foliage. If you have not been here definitely worth the visit. read more

See all

Ken is the best tour guide. He is very informative, kind and fun! Definitely recommend this tour. read more

Super nice spot. Lots of parking and very nice staff. We went in the winter so it was very green and a lil chilly. Amazing to see how well history is preserved here. The rooms of the buildings are full of historical items and show what it was like when the mine was running. Kind of feels like you have been transported back in time. Was super cool that there were blacksmiths working too. They made a variety of items and told the story of their significance. You can also go down into the mine, but we just saw the entrance since we weren't on a tour. The buildings were beautiful, cool to see on the stairs inside their wear since they have been used so many times. The cottage was lovely too great for photos. Was only $5 per person to get into the park which is well worth it. There are a good amount of bathrooms inside and out and lots of trails around the area. Very nice spot will come back. read more

See all

Just a minute from downtown ! What a great way to spend a few hours to learn about the mining and gold history. The grounds are gorgeous and the tour was so informative. I learned a ton about the area ---and I'm relatively local. Restrooms are also very clean ---a plus when running around all day! read more

See all

Had a memorable hike here recently. The old mine remnants are slowly being taken over by the vegetation and land. It was poignant. Beautiful wildflowers. Several trails to follow, none too challenging, I had to stop a few times on a few of the inclines. read more

See all

I forgot to take photos because this place was so fascinating! We had a great time learning about the history of this mine. Admission is so inexpensive. We learned a lot and had a great time. read more

A must when in this area. Property is SO beautiful and the history is so well preserved. Make sure to not be in a rush and able to spend time here to take it all in as there is a lot to see. Worthwhile and highly recommend. read more

One of California's oldest, largest, deepest, longest, and richest (say THAT 10x fast!) gold mines, Empire Mine State Historic Park was an excellent pit stop on our way back home from Tahoe. Having operated for over 100 years before it finally shut down in 1956, over 5.8 million ounces of gold have been extracted from this mine during its operation. Consisting of over 367 miles of now abandoned and flooded mine shafts, this complex and sophisticated network of tunnels is fully mapped out with a scale model of the mine that was utilized by the former mine managers and hidden in a secret room. This secret, complex and elaborate model can now be viewed clearly in the Visitor's Center. And includes an audio and visual explanation with a push of a button. The grounds itself consist of the gardens, the estate, and the mine yards, which contain many of the mine's original buildings. One of our favorite stops in the mine yard was the blacksmith shop, in which volunteer blacksmiths would do actual live demonstrations of metal working and provide a brief presentation of the history of the blacksmith shop at the mine. The presentation was very educational, and we even got to see the blacksmith make a salt spoon out of an old railroad nail. We were told the volunteers only stay until 2:30pm, so make sure to arrive earlier in the day if you want to check this out. Free parking is available in a private lot, and entrance fee for self-guided tours is $5/pp. Operating hours during the summer is daily from 10am-5pm. Private tours are available with advanced reservations. For those just looking for some easy hiking through this rugged area, the park also offers fourteen miles of trails with free access to explore to your hearts content. We didn't have enough time to check out the entire park as we needed to head off. But definitely look forward to doing a private tour of the rest of the grounds the next time we find ourselves passing through Grass Valley! read more

See all

Such a beautiful place! We've gone a few times and always enjoy it. The grounds are gorgeous and the history is really interesting. Definitely take a tour if you can -- it makes the experience so much better. Highly recommend for families, visitors, or anyone who enjoys history and nature. read more

Empire Mine State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Grass Valley, California

While visiting family in Auburn one of the ideas of going to this State Park was brought up. I said why not and off we went. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The grounds were pretty big and we learned a lot about gold and the work it took just to get just a small amount of gold. The tour guide was full of information and we all enjoyed the tour and then the blacksmith area was also interesting. They also are full of interesting history . The main house was beautiful and the pool was a bit gross but you can tell that it was beautiful in its day. I'm totally bummed I missed the store they have there. They said it was volunteer ran and by the time I finished our tour the volunteer had to leave early. I'll have to make a quick return one day. Totally worth the trip if you love history. read more

See all

This was such a cool experience. Shout out to the blacksmith Hal that made all three of us the amazing rings from a nail. Enjoyed a hike also. Lots to see and do. Could probably visit at least a half a dozen times and still not see all the hiking trails. There are places to park that are not at the "official" state park but I think it's important to pay the park fees to support the land use. Plus, the bathrooms here were decent. There are porta potties aroun read more

See all

We did the mine tour on 7/20/25 and the docents were absolutely fantastic. This is a beautiful property, great for a picnic and getting your historical knowledge on! read more

Lovely & educational... good family fun. Lots of mining exhibits, grounds and home are beautiful. read more

Went on a last minute excursion to Empire Mine!! It was such a beautiful day and the grounds were absolutely stunning! It was like a walk into history. It gives soo much Poldark and Jane Austin vibes. I highly recommend going on both their tours. The cottage was stunning and we loved going down the mine shaft. You are only allowed inside the cottage and get the mine shaft simulation during the tours. It is incredible just how much gold they mined during that time period! The only downside is I wish they would give a 30 minute break between the 2 tours so we could take a lunch and potty break. Their museum was really good and highly informative AND I was incredibly impressed how clean their restrooms were for a park. Definitely go, if you haven't been. read more

See all

We came to the Empire Mine the day before Thanksgiving after going to Filoli Gardens and Mansion a couple months ago. While at Filoli Gardens, we earned about the Empire Mine and the Bourn Family. It was not super busy here on the day before Thanksgiving, but I was surprised how many people were present during the docent guided tours. The park opens at 10:30am and the tour of the cottages starts at 11am-12pm and the mine tour starts at 12pm-1pm. There is a $5 entrance fee per person to enter the park. You are free to roam around the grounds, but I highly recommend taking the docent guided tours if you want to learn about the history of gold mining in the area as well as the history of the Bourn Family who were the most successful owners of the mine. Whether you visit the Empire Mine first or Filoli Gardens, I recommend you tour both! read more

See all

Adding photos of this amazing site. There is so much history, we loved it. If you go there make sure that you visit the gentleman in the mining shed area. He is awesome. read more

Totally taken by surprise at what a cool place for all members of the family! Grounds are beautiful and picnic ready, historic buildings and mine operations are worth seeing. I want to spend more time next visit! Take the family you won't regret it! Even Right Brain had a good time! Blacksmith shop is worth it, even sell hand wrought items. Grass Valley has wonderful shops, scenery and do much history ! read more

A bit of a trip from the East Bay but very worth it for the fall colors and historical aspect of this park. Way up near Grass Valley, the grounds of this state park feature hiking trails, historical grounds and a small museum. Parking is free and it's free to visit the trails and picnic areas and museum. However if you do want to see the historic grounds, mining area and old estate, there's a $5 per person fee. I happily paid that and was transported to lovely area of fall colors, the old estate (outdoors only,) with its pool and fountains as well as the old mining area. You can even go partway down one of the shafts. Very cool little area and I'd definitely want to come back next fall and try some of their hiking trails. They do docent led tours as well as host various events so check out their website for the latest. If you're driving from further away, it's easy to make a day out of it and head in to Nevada City afterwards for shopping and lunch. read more

See all

Empire Mine is one of my favorite historic sites. My son and I were just there yesterday and took the estate tour and the mine tour, both of which were given by husband and wife teams and absolutely fascinating. Very informative and lots of fun stories about the mining days (Apparently the mules were addicted to chewing tobacco). People had lots of questions that the guides were glad to answer. The cottage and the clubhouse were still decorated for Christmas as well and they looked gorgeous. And like other reviewers have mentioned, the blacksmith is awesome. He was hard at work when we went in the shop and gave a lively demonstration. The mine shaft is also quite the sight--it's fun to stand there and contemplate what used to go on almost a mile below the surface. Watch out for animal poop, though--a lot of people come to the park to walk their dogs and a few deposits get overlooked, plus it's surrounded by nature so wildlife wander through now and then. Other than that, this is a great place and not to be missed. read more

Empire Mine State Park is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Grass Valley, California, and transports lucky visitors back in time to the gold rush days. It is one of the oldest, deepest, and richest gold mines in California! A $5 entrance fee will get you into the 856-acre park that showcases much of the original mining operations and buildings. One of my favorite parts of the park is that you actually can go down into the main mine shaft entrance, which gives you a glimpse into the brazen job of a gold miner. It's very sobering! If you take a 15-minute stroll away from the mining operation area, you'll see a stunning English manor home, designed in 1897 by architect Willis Polk. It's called a cottage but is a historic mansion by today's standards, boasting beautiful manicured lawns, gardens, and fountains. You'll instantly see why so many people hope to host their weddings at this magical manor. I recommend bringing picnic supplies with you and enjoying lunch on the main lawn.  What I really love about this state park, is that it has something for everyone. History buffs and kids will love interacting with the mining area while nature lovers will enjoy the multiple hiking trails and gardens. read more

See all

We made a last-minute decision on a Sunday morning to drive up to Nevada City, about a two and one half hours drive from our house. On the way up, I looked up visiting the mine. I had been there a very long time ago as a young teenager and had fond memories of that visit. Unfortunately, we were not going to make it in time for one of the docent tours, but you can do self guided tours for the grand price of $5 per person. Now that is a deal. Upon arriving there is plenty of parking and a decent bathroom. We paid our $5 and made our way in. This was a very very hot day! That being said, we found plenty of places to rest in the shade. The buildings are beautiful and there are several you can walk into and there are signs explaining what things are. The grounds are excellently maintained and beautiful. There is even a lawn you can sit or lay on if you feel so inclined. Even without a decent tour we felt it was definitely worth visiting. read more

See all

3 stars, based on a first time visit and taking the tour. Yep - I feel like the odd one out amongst all the stellar reviews. We decided to cut through Grass Valley on our way to Lake Tahoe and thought this would be a cool place to stop by. Signed up for the next tours (separate estate & mine tours - $7 total per person), but it wasn't happening for a few hours. Burned time by doing some light lunch grubbing at one of their picnic tables and did a brisk 30 minute hike on the trail next to the visitor's center. Downtown Grass Valley is conveniently a 5 to 10 minute drive away, so we used the remaining time to walk around their quaint downtown area. Each tour lasts about an hour. The estate tour was first and we had roughly 20 people in the group. We checked out the clubhouse and also the main home on the property. I was a little disappointed - was hoping to see more when in reality we made 5 or 6 stops during the entire tour and each stop wasn't necessarily seeing anything special. A lot of the material the guide covered was history, which is good, but I wanted to see a little bit more connection of the content to what was visible on the tour. Or perhaps even less content and being able to see more of the estate. Similar thoughts to the mine tour - wished we got to see more during the tour. We also had a group of 20 on this one (some folks rolled over from the estate tour and this also lasted about an hour). Even seeing the mine itself wasn't as exciting as I hoped - we descended about 20 steps into a small, confined underground area. In peering through metal gate, you're able to look down into the beginning of the mine shaft. No walking down. In that small area is also a mock mine cart where your group can sit down. The tour guide can turn on a simulation of lights and sounds that mimic going down to the mine shaft. The cart itself doesn't move, so you're left with your imagination. Unless you're a real history buff, I would pass on the tours. I wish we could have seen more or at least have the guides craft content that correlates to what we were seeing on the tour. Two tours took up 2 hours, plus some additional time we needed to kill while waiting for our tour to start. I would recommend just walking around the grounds (free, no tour needed), hiking, or picnicking. While we didn't venture beyond the main center and nearby trails, it's still a pleasant park to roam around. read more

Nice historic tourist experience! I was looking for something to do this afternoon and came upon this place not too far from home (45 miles) in Grass Valley. I didn't do any research but just knew that it's a state park -- trees and hiking. We hit the road and arrived at the park around 11:45a. Hiking area was free but to enter the mining grounds and cottage there is a small entrance fee. Admission was $7/adult. Self-guided tours as well as guided tours are available and are included in admission. We arrived just in time for the first tour at noon. * Mine Yard Tour - this was a 45-minute tour led by husband and wife docents, Mick and Lee, filled with fascinating facts about how the gold was mined and processed. We learned fascinating statistics as well as how the equipment, mules, and miners made Empire Mine so prosperous. I think I remember being mentioned that there were a total of 26 miner deaths in all 106 years that Empire Mine was in operation which was an amazing statistic. The docents did a fantastic job in shedding light on the rough lives of the miners (and mules!) who worked there. We visited the Blacksmith Shop right next to the mine shaft and was much the same as it would have been around 1925. After that we did a self-guided tour of the premises: Welding Shop Site, Machine Shop, Headframe Site, Hoist House, Mining Engineer's and Manager's Office, Assay Office, Refinery Room, etc. There was plenty to see! * Cottage Living History Experience - we were able to catch this hour tour at 2:00p as guests at the "cottage" home of Mr William Bourn. It was pretty cool to get an up-close-and-personal experience with the docents dressed in early 1900s' attire portraying Mr Bourn, the Butler, Maid, and the chatty, charming housekeeper, Katie Moriarty. The scene was 1906 and spoke as if we were in that timeline. The modest home was surrounded by a beautiful garden. * Clubhouse Tour - last tour of the day around 2:45p. This was a short, approximately 10-minute tour. This was where the Bourns' guests came to relax and have fun. We were shown the old tennis court site, the squash (sp?) court, bowling alley, the original billiard table and the stately ballroom. The mine extracted 5.8 million ounces of gold before it closed in 1956 (a measurement that is 7' long x 7' high x 7' deep). We had a visual of the square box and it didn't seem that much at all from the 106 years it was in operation using 80 stamp mills. So much to say about this stately park. First time for me seeing a mine yard combined with the owner's cottage and a beautiful garden in the same premises. Sorry for bombarding your feed with all the photos (50 total) Review #1402 (126th business review) read more

See all

It's almost unbelievable to see what men did to get the precious gold in the 1850's and on for a long time. It was here and places like this nearby that had only one common mission. Get the gold out of the rocks. You have to see it to believe it. The most fascinating thing for me by far is the model of the tunnels the were made under the entire region. Mind blowing. The result? Bars of gold weighing 89 pounds each. Gold from here build San Francisco and California. The place is a massive rock crushing and gold processing center. A high recommendation and the staff inside the information and museum center are the nicest people you will find. Also working blacksmiths on site. I was in awe of it all. read more

Empire Mine State Historic Park - Looks simple but it was anything but that. Getting tons of rock out of tunnels that almost go straight down for miles. - Parks Near Me - Grass Valley, California

See all

Great place to visit. The volunteers are very nice and informative. I went on a drizzly day and had a nice time. For me the weather was perfect to walk around and enjoy the sights and sounds and history. The guided tour was given even though it was drizzly which I thought was very nice of them to do. And I spent a good amount of time doing my own self guided tour. The blacksmiths were at it in the blacksmiths shop making so many neat things and were very much okay with me asking questions and allowing me to film them at work. read more

A great historical trail and hike. Beautiful area. Always people there walking with their babies or dogs. I have tons of pictures. In Grass Valley easy in and out! read more

A beautiful setting for you to walk around and discover the history this place has. Don't miss your opportunity. Admission price was great. Put on some walking shoes and explore. Not the best for people in wheelchair unfortunately. read more

This park is a great place to hike the trails are mostly in the shade and you can make more than 5 miles if you so desire. read more

Empire Mine State Historic Park - Parks Near Me - Grass Valley, California

Popped into the Visitor Center and opted to participate in both guided tours. Each tour took an hour and our guide was so knowledgeable. It was nice to be able to venture inside some of the areas. After the tours, we continued on with a self guided tour and even got to watch the Blacksmiths at work. Would love to go back in the spring once the gardens are all bloomed out. $5 we'll spent. read more

Empire Mine State Historic Park - Cottage - Parks Near Me - Grass Valley, California

A wonderfully authentic gold miner's working town that was established in the mid 1800s and remained actively digging gold until 1910. You can walk through the mansion of the owner that sits stately on one end of the park, then walk about a half mile to the actual camp where the miners toiled. You can see the office buildings of the time and watch a blacksmith give fiery demonstrations of the tool makers of that time. The mines itself were dug several miles down and when finished sprawled nearly 100 miles in every direction. You are allowed tours through parts of the mine, but when we there during COVID, the cramped and stagnant air mines were closed to the public. Still a fascinating look back at how these early booming businesses were run. There's also a five-mile walking trail adjacent to the park that is mostly flat with steep grades that's perfect for hiking beginners. Paring and access to the hiking trail if free. The park is a nominal cost of $10 per person. A great afternoon in mining country! read more

See all

Fabulous tour and historic facility! Highly recommend it for all ages. The visitor center was staffed and very interesting.

Great history and grounds are beautiful ! I bring friends here to experience the history of Nevada County

My poor children... the offspring of educators, they are. Alas, this means that even summer vacations must include some level of learning. With my eldest entering the 4th grade in a few weeks, we spent our family mini-road trip time touring California's Gold Country. Included on the list was our first visit to Empire Mine State Park. While it's a bit off the beaten path (read: I-80), the visit was well-worth the mileage and the cheap entrance fee. The grounds are reminiscent of an arboretum or garden park; towering Ponderosa Pines create a canopy over smaller ornamental trees and colorful flower beds, particularly around the "cottage" area. In stark contrast, the mine portion of the park betrays the hard conditions miners faced in drawing gold from the solid rock underfoot. A blacksmith area offers free "Prairie Diamond" rings, and one of the smithys-- Howard-- even gave us a demonstration, fashioning a decorative salt spoon from a horseshoe nail (then gave it to Mrs. Picante as a memento!) He even shared with us some local knowledge on panning for gold, and some historic tales of the mine. Awesome gentleman! Amazing history here: 5.3 million ounces of gold were mined here before it was shut down in the 50s... and geologists suggest up to 80% of the gold still exists in the rocks below. I really enjoyed our time here, and the kids showed their excitement in the gift shop with some scratch from Grammy and Pop-Pop. It sure beats watching them play games on tiny screens. read more

See all