We were in bumper to bumper traffic on our way home from Tahoe. When my son shouts out "mom there is gold mining.. it says Gold Bug Park Gold Mining".. so we said "why not" And we are so happy we did.. We all had a wonderful time. Even my not so excited 17 yr old daughter.. who finally put her phone down and joined in on a family adventure.. I recommend this place to everyone young and old for a great day. They have lots of picnic tables and clean bathrooms, Gold mining, An Actual Gold mine you can tour and hiking adventures all low costing.. read more

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This is a cute place and could be a learning experience for little ones (and probably for adults too). However, its not worth the money they charge. Adults $12, Seniors $10 and kids over 5 $5. The mine is so small and there is absolutely not much there to see. Also to be clear, the tour is self tour with some recording they provide you on a smartphone. For us, the mine was not the best part (because of its barely a 2-3 minute thing you can do and not much to see), what we really enjoyed was the blacksmith's shop up the hill and the gold ore processing plant. Both of those spots had real people passionately explain the details and it was quite interactive, and overall a good learning experience. Honestly, the gold mine did not seem like a must do, but if you have the time you can do it. Also, the fees they charge could be less than half for the value they provide. We give this 1.5 stars. read more

Took the kids for the afternoon and it was well worth it. Very educational and such a cool experience. We walked through a mine, watched a blacksmith make a spoon and a ring from a horse shoe nail and even got to keep the spoon. Then blacksmith and steel worker love their volunteer work and we're super informative. Great afternoon and learned so much. read more

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This was a really great little gold mine park to visit. My 5 and 8 year old, my dog aNd me all really lovEd it and stayed much longer than planned or expected. You can walk through a mine shaft, the staff and volunteers were great guides and storytellers, beautiful spaces to walk through, easy visit off highway 50, so glad we stopped. read more

Got there a little late but did the mine tour and walked around the park. It was a nice experience and my son had a nice time. Lost a star bc the bathrooms need serious attention. read more

Great fun! Do wear the hard hat, if you are at all tall. If you have a smart phone, there is an app to download to narrate through the mine; if not, they have wands that play the narration. There is a nice mining display as well as gift shop. We were lucky that the Priest's Mine was also open today, along with the Gold Bug Mine. The Priest's Mine is 83 steps up the side of the hill, not for those who struggle with stairs. read more

So you've come to gold country expecting some history, abandoned sites and a lot to explore yourself only to discover every cave, mine or stop has been turned into a fee-based activity. Bummer. Gold Bug Park was the only non-state park I decided to cough any money up for... mostly because it was the only place where it cost seemed to fit the offering at $5. The main mine (by the entrance / parking) is cool. You get the feeling there's a lot of gold still in there and despite some framing and modern lights, it has a very similar feel to lost mines I've wandered before. The self guided tour drags a bit but talks history, minerals, fun stuff. What I really liked in the tour was the second stop at the old Saw Mill up the road... There's some dated remains to hike and see outside (warning: very, very hot in summer) and an amazing collection inside that shows what was used to mine, process and produce gold ore back way back when. The staff gave a great introduction to how everything worked, the history and that takes you back to something you can't see much of even if you explore way out on your own. Other perks include good parking, a few mill & mine exhibits around the area and an air conditioned restroom up top. Worth the $5. read more

Kids love this place, grownups love this place. Rocks, gold, mines & blacksmithing, what more does a field trip for 4th graders need? Wonderful tour guides? Nope because they have those! read more

Stumbled upon this after the bf said he wanted to go panning for gold. Apple Hill had inspired him to take a trip in to the past and yelp inspired me to hit up Gold Bug. I am so glad we did! For $10, each of us were able to get some amazing head accessories (hardhats) and a huge phone like device to listen to and guide us throught the walking tour of the mine. I was thankful for the hardhat being a tall girl and all. This was the first time I had ever been in anything like this. I had been in caverns in the past, but this was a totally different experience. Seeing the the quartz, holes to place dynamite, and old carts was astounding. It was quite chilly in the mine. Afterwards we hiked up to the top and around the outside for a bit. It was so nice and quiet! Note: they do close around 4pm and the gates to the park close at 5pm. The man working was quite old and abruptly asked us to pay and go on the tour because they were closing soon. It seemed the old guy wanted to go home...I can't blame him. But I did feel like I was 5 years old as he yelled at us to pay. Also, I think they do have gold panning in the summer months. read more

Gold Bug mine was such a neat experience for my kids because I feel like it was geared toward them. I have been on mine tours that get so technical that my eyes glaze over. At Gold Bug they provide you with a handheld device that you input a number into and it tells you a pretty simple, yet informative, history and story. It's not a large mine either, but the end has some cool ore cars. It was absolutely perfect for my kids! They only have 15 or 20 hard hats and story devices, which is nice because that controls the amount of people able to go in the mine. We did have to wait for a little bit but I was fine knowing we would not be completely cramped inside. Oh yes, this is a great activity on a super hot day...it's nice a cold in the mine! read more

This was a spectacular way to spend the day. The park and trails are beautiful and full of wildlife. The mine was very interesting, be sure to download the app ahead of time. We panned for gems, visited the stamp mill and learned so much. The black Smith was interesting and informative. The whole family had a great time ages 4 to 60. read more

It's alright. The employees were nice, the mine was very cool (both temperature wise and otherwise), The gift shop is small but has a few things to look at; kids would probably enjoy it more, the property has a nice picnic area and well maintained trails. It's pretty cheap to visit but could add up quickly just to walk through a hole. I was kinda, just bored. Ahhh, I might get some flack for that. I did bookmark this place but it's one of those one visit is enough. Unless I know someone who's interested in rocks and the history of gold (and I do), it might not be worth it to take friends here. I think I would've enjoyed it more if I could've panned for gold and gems but that wasn't open the day I went. I noticed walking trails, I'd like to explore those more. However, a huge amount of stars goes to the guy working at the stamp mill. He dressed the part of Black Bart and explained the process of the stamps and told such a good story about his character that it made everything worth it. I really enjoyed listening to him talk almost more than the mine part. And he was so good and patient with my two year old. My son wasn't being bad, but "Black Bart" would notice if he was getting restless and would interact with him during the presentation and give him things to hold. He was kind and personable and I wish I had gotten his name. Good job! read more

Spent a couple hours here on our way out of Hangtown. (Placerville) It was the last stop before we ended our four day getaway and a great way to end the trip. When you first enter you are in the gift shop. The docent there will direct you upstairs if you want to tour the mine. Upstairs is a mini display area with mining tools, and exhibits to look at. Admission to the mine includes a self-guided audio tour, a hard hat (for adults) and admission to the Handy Stamp Mill up the hill, on the other side of the road. Flip Flops are not recommend in the mine because of the wet floors. (floors are paved, but it is very slippery in spots) The docent there takes your admission fee and hands out the hardhats and audio tours. We spent about 45 minutes or so in the mine, enjoying the audio tour, and also the cool 58 degree temps! This is a very easy tour to do with kids. You only go about 700 - 800 or so feet into the mine, yet it is far enough into the mountain that you get the feel of what the miners experienced. Spots are numbered along the route where you stop and listen to the audio. It is dark and damp, but they have lights hung up along the mine walls. Both the adults & kids in our group loved this tour! When we came out, we returned the audio & hats to the docent and I was very happy to see her immediately start cleaning them with some kind of antibacterial cleanser to get them ready for the next person to use. Back downstairs in the gift shop, we rented a couple pans for the kids to pan for gems. ($2.00 fee includes pan) The docent said they no longer had gold to pan because it was up to $857.00 per ounce! When you get your pans, pay .45 cents more for a small plastic vial for each kid to collect their tiny gems in. It makes a nice display for them. There is a couple of displays on the wall that shows the variety of gems that is in the water, which is helpful. Our kids spent at least an hour patiently panning for their gems. They found turquoise, quartz, sapphire, and a couple 'chunks' of fools gold to name a few. They had so much fun there that we ran out of time and didn't make it up to the Stamp Mill...maybe next time! *Note* Be aware that there are lots of yellow jackets near where the kids pan for gems...they are attracted to the water. read more

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Gold Bug is such a great spot for a field trip or family outing. There is a mine tour and then you can pan for gold. Up the hill there is a stamp mill where they used to pound up the rock to extract the gold. Very interesting bit of California history. *wear bug spray and watch for wasps :( read more

Kids had a ton of fun looking around for gold. Kinda seemed like we caught a case of gold fever for a couple hours. Ol' ladies workin' the place are as nice as can be. Restrooms were clean for being out in the boonies. After the mine tour just dont look back on your way out! Especially if your the last one. Clean shaded lunch area with a bunch of picnic tables. Up on the hill towars the other mine make sure to use some bug spray and keep away from them waps! A definate must see if you've got kids and want to experience what the gold rush days might have been like. read more

What a cool, inexpensive place to take your tots! A family of 7 can get expensive nowadays... hell any days but if you have an afternoon and a few dollars this is the spot. When we got there it was a bit of a bummer that they didn't have enough hats so we had to check out the store etc and come back. Once we got our hats and our "listening devices" then we were on our way. The lady who sent us into the self guided tour was very nice with a pooch by her side and takes your pic if you have a camera or camera phone before you enter. It is a bit damp inside on the floor but a great place to go if it is blazing outside. We panned for gems also and again it was all so cheap! Highly recommend to families! read more

This is a nice small park located in Placerville. It was our first time in a mine. The first mine we went in is called the "Priest mine". It is only open once or twice a year. The cost was $4.00 to go through this guided tour. Although it is a short 100 foot travel into the mountain, it was very neat. When you get to the end, there is a shaft that goes up 55 feet to the top of the mountain where there is a light shaft with a roof. It also drops down another 55 feet. They constructed a special wood ladder for the mine inspector. Prior to the ladder, they used to lower the inspector down the 55 feet with a cable. Great history is told on the guided mine tour too. The second mine (The Gold Bug mine) goes into the mountain side 360 feet. There are no up and down shafts, but there are a few left and right tunnels, some with rock carts. it was nice and cool and damp in this second mine. It is also a self guided tour. You pay $7.00 and they hand you a little radio. At certain areas there are numbers on the wall and you touch the appropriate number on the radio and you hear a little talk about this area. They also have a nice picnic area. Up the hill is the blacksmith and stamp mill. There are some neat tools of the trade here, and they sell hand made goods from the blacksmith. I am glad we made the trip to this park.. read more

Had a great time with the family, my 6 year old and 12 year old enjoyed it and learned a lot. The actual Panning for gold was closed because we went in the winter (need a sweater) but the cave, trails and black smith (yes an actual blacksmith making horseshoes) were open so it wasn't entirely a bust. The gift shop is quaint and reasonable. The staff are all friendly and very informed! You can tell they enjoy what they do they love the history! The blacksmith was very nice showed us what he was making at the moment and explained in detail what it takes to make a single item. Afterwards you go downstairs and there is another gentleman ready to explain the process of the rock crushing (seating is available). There is some walking from the mine to the blacksmith, you can either walk or drive plenty of parking up the hill by the blacksmith not so much by the mine. I will definitely be coming back in the summer for the panning! read more

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Staff was blah.... we did the mine with audio from an app. On my phone. Pretty cool. Takes maybe 15 minutes... wanted to to the hike past priest mine but daughter was too tired from rafting earlier, so we will be back to hike ! read more

So much fun! Took the kids in the mine. The grown ups were given hard hats and audio tours. Wear the hard hat! The mine is low in spots and you will bonk your head. Mine tour took about 30 minutes. The kids were unsure at first but ended up having a great time! After the mine, we panned for gold. Go ahead and splurge the extra 50 cents for the little bottle to store the "gold" in. Your kids will need it. They have a nice, shady picnic area for lunch. read more

If you want a mine tour, hold out for "Duffy" the tour guide. The name's probably not real any more than the outrageous accent, but he's hilarious; kids absolutely love him. Parents love him because he puts the lil rug rats in their place right quick-to work mining, that is. What, you don't want your kids growing up all lazy and spoiled do you? Teach 'em to appreciate hard labor! The gift shop is small but pretty cool. There's also a little museum on the upper level. A small hike up the hill brings you to the historic stamp mill, where you can tour and get a little lecture from the docent. He's a retiree, a WW2 veteran, and a blacksmith -- actually forges iron stuff in the forge there. (I don't know why everybody was griping about the Stamp Mill Guy. He wasn't *that* grumpy!) read more

We were departing placerville and decided to check this place out as it had some good reviews. Arrived and found it was closed!! My assumption was that it was december 29th and maybe it was closed the whole week for the holidays. There is a hiking trail that is located up the stairs near the mine and it takes you all the way up the hill and you come out near the picnic tables are located. Pretty good and fun hiking trail. Will try to stop here again next time during their open hours so we can check out the mine. read more

Gold Bug Mine Park is wonderful. Free unless you go on the mine tour and even then the price is quite reasonable - adults $9 and kids $5. The stamp mill and blacksmith shop are so interesting. Be sure and see Black Bart if he is on duty. I asked if he is there every day and he said he was part time.They are open every day through the summer. There is also a gift shop, picnic area and trails. read more

This place is a must see if you're passing through or in town for a visit. There are so many cool little treasures in the gift shop, and the lady working the register is sweet as pie. The mine was shockingly cool inside. It was 96 outside- and walking inside the mine felt like walking into a cooler. The self guided tour was ok. Bring a flashlight so you can really look at the mine walls. There are some pretty rock formations. Pretty bummed that they have one of the roads that fork from the main vein blocked off. It would be nice to venture through. I was disappointed that the priest hole was closed also. Now- the blacksmith is something that you have to see. He makes some amazing things! He was kind enough to make me a ring from a nail. Not only that- but when he makes something you have the opportunity to "donate" or buy it. The group before us walked away with this beautiful bottle opener that had a horse head as a handle. I totally recommend that this place be on your list of places to stop and see. read more

Fun tour for adults or kids. Pat at the stamp mill is above and beyond 5 stars, friendly and very knowledgeable.

I took my 13 year old daughter to the park this past weekend. We Loved It!!! It was inexpensive; $9 for me $5 for her. The mine was really long, approximately 75 yard into the mountain. The geology of the mine was very interesting. The Blacksmiths were amazing and knowledgeable. One of the men gifted my daughter a ring made from a horseshoeing nail; she was very thankful. I wish I'd had more time. I'd like to return to hike and have a picnic. read more

I agree with the reviewer that this is not really a destination by itself - it only takes about an hour or two to see this park and its exhibits. But for what it is, it is good. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is educational and as a guy with a(n unused) geology degree, I found the information factual and not so dumbed-down as to be insulting. The self-guided tour is a little cheesy like the narration of the informational film embedded in the movie "Jurassic Park" but it is professionally done and factual. The mine tour follows a 320 foot channel (a "drift") bored into an outcrop of slate. The information is geared for an intelligent 8-12 year old. I'd never been in a mine that deep and got a really good feeling for what it would have been like to mine gold in such a mine. Wow! These guys were tough. I definitely would have preferred working in the mercantile or smithy. The mine closed at the start of WWII, which, in an of itself, is pretty amazing. There is a stamp mill associated with another mine up the hill that is included with the admission. This second mine is not open to the public from what I could tell. The day we were there there was a blacksmith working - producing items for sale for the interested tourist. We got a bottle opener refashioned from a horse shoe for $10. All money goes to the support of the park and are labeled "donations". Have exact change with you for any of these items - priced as marked with a donation jar. We only had $20 and had to do some bill swapping with the volunteer blacksmith to accomplish payment - a process that is a little vexing. No credit card scan be used for the items made locally in the smithy, though down the hill at the gift shop, they do take credit card payment for other goods for sale. The gift store has a good selection of minerals and memorabilia items for the kiddies. An item or two even tickled my wife's fancy - though we don't really need a dinner chime triangle like they had in movie chuck wagon scenes. read more

This is a gem of a mine! Just the right amount of tour length for younger children. The volunteers and docents were fantastic! Get there before 3:00PM so that you can meet the blacksmith! read more

This is a fun little place! $5 admission for a self guided tour with fun and informative audio through the Gold Bug Mine. A nice stop for a morning. It does get incredibly cold in the mine so bring a sweater/jacket. There are areas to picnic in and clean bathrooms. I haven't been up to the mill, but that is included in the admission price. read more

Came here with my hard to please grandkids and they loved it. Usually any time you drag them away from their laptops they feel they are being punished. They had panning- not for gold but for small rocks and minerals. Thought they would get bored with it quick, but they were panning for about an hour and were so happy when they found a Little Rock and wanted to know what it was. The goldmine is small, but very interesting to them. The audio tour was informative and easy for the kids to understand. They especially loved the blacksmith who talked with them and made them a plant hook. Everyone working there was very friendly and well informed. Even the gift shop was nice with reasonable prices. They had a couple of hiking trails, but when I suggested it to my grandkids they started to get that sullen look on their faces so I decided not to press my luck. read more

If you love history and rocks, you will love this place! Fantastic look into what a mine was like a hundred years ago. The volunteers are enthusiastic and happy to answer lots of questions. The small nature trail between the mine and the mill has a few pieces of old ore that kids would love to "find"- just put it back for the next visitor! Great place for anyone looking for a fun educational afternoon. read more

Don't waste your money. A short cave with a cheesy narrative tour you have to upload on your smartphone. Lady at desk was rude and had zero personality. Your money would be better spent elsewhere. read more

Cute little mine tour. Came here twice and had fun. Once, got attacked by meat bees!! Wouldn't recommend picnics here. Nice tour for a hot day - the mine is very cool. read more

We had a fun time exploring the place. There was a lingering perfume scent in the mine and on the trail, it was kinda creepy.

The actual gold mine was a disappointment. It's $6 to walk into a hole. Just skip that and go across the street to the Stamp Mill. That's way more entertaining. I guess it might be neat for kids, but I didn't have any kids with me. read more

As a local I've been here more times than I can count... that said, each time I come back it's a lot of fun! The mine and stamp mill are great and if you wanted to picnic the grounds are nice as well. If you have friends visiting and looking for something to do other than wine tasting - this is the place! Kids and adults seem to have a great time here! read more

Went here with my boyfriend and kids and had a great time. The mine tour was quite affordable and a cool break from the heat. We panned for gold for a good hour with the rented pans and all came home with little vials (50 cents for small, 85 cents for large in the gift shop) full of cool stuff-gold flakes, pyrite, and little bits of gems. read more

Great place to visit with the kids- nice self guided tour of the mine takes about 35 min. Also they have a blacksmith shop, stamp mill and gold planning for the kids. There is a nice picnic area too - wish we would have packed a lunch! read more

It was a very quiet Sunday afternoon with a few cars in the lot and much of the park was closed (gold panning and the second mine that is mentioned in the tour). We encountered the grumpiest old man who works there and could easily spoil the trip, but my brother told me to be nice since he is a war veteran. We paid our $5/each and entered the gold mine - cool! It is self guided so you can go at your pace. Since there was only one family there, we had the place mostly to ourselves. The mine is small, but is perfect for young kids. There are 13 stops during the audio tour, which can be hokey and slow at times, but again, it's a gold mine and you can meander at your own pace, so it's still worth the trip. It can get nippy, so it's a good idea to bring a sweater. The trails were short (unless we couldn't find the longer ones) and they close the gates promptly at 4:30pm. I wouldn't put it past the grumpy man to lock you in if you don't make it out in time. They don't pick up their phone, so you can check their website for details. read more

I am not sure if I would drive hours out of my way to go here, but if you have kids and you are in the vicinity, you can't beat this gem of a city park. With a beautifully organized self-guided tour through an actual old gold mine and a little trough for panning in, it's just a neat spot. Great cheap gift shop, and a lovely, peaceful place filled with mining history. Walk up to the stamp mill and meet the blacksmith and pick up a little iron tricket for a donation of a couple of bucks, too. We enjoyed our time here! Panning still costs $2, and even the adults found it pretty addictive. Good fun for 2-3 hours. read more