Country Boy Mine/Courtesy of
A century before five peaks became the town of Breckenridge’s identity, the mountains were the last thing drawing people to this little town nestled within Colorado’s Western Slope.
The reign of outdoor recreation began in the late 1900s, and it hasn’t lost power since. Attentive observers, however, will notice the remnants of an industry that ruled for nearly 100 years before the first ski resort: mining.
Once the snow melts and the crowds leave the resorts, Breckenridge’s history comes to life fully. History preservation efforts have helped Breckenridge create another arm of the tourism industry where people visit the town just to learn about the town’s rich legacy that still stands strong today.
Whether you’re looking for a hands-on activity, guided tour or hike with hidden treasures, there are plenty of tales to discover.
Staking claim on an award-winning experience
Mining experiences have become so popular in Breckenridge that one company received a coveted Michelin Star in 2023. Country Boy Mine’s award-winning experience operates in French Gulch just outside of the town core.
The mine provides visitors with an authentic experience led by staff members that know the history of the area better than most. The site has burros, hay rides, treasure hunts and, of course, mine tours and gold panning.
It’s evident upon arrival that Country Boy Mine manager Jon Bellew is passionate about sharing his knowledge with guests. He doesn’t just send people off into the mine and gold panning areas while saying, “Have fun.” Instead, he wants to make sure people understand the history behind what they are looking at so that they can unlock the full experience.
The mine offers a 45-minute mine tour where people can actually see the ore veins that put Breckenridge on the map. Bellew said the experience is perfect for all ages.
Aside from the obvious favorites like gold panning and mine tours, he said people also love the treasure hunts.
“It includes a lot of compass skills and map work,” Bellew said. “It’s like an outdoor escape room.”
The mine tour includes free gold panning, and participants can hang out in the creek until the mine closes for the day. The mine tour and gold panning package starts at $42.50 per person, and reservations are suggested since tours book up quickly. Visitors can skip the mine tour and jump straight into Eureka Creek with a gold-panning pass, which starts at $19.95 per person.
The mine is open Wednesday to Sunday, with tours from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The mine is located at 0542 French Gulch Road and closes at 5 p.m.
For more information, visit CountryBoyMine.com.
Striking gold downtown
Just down the hill from Country Boy Mine is a hub that houses many preserved aspects of Breckenridge’s history.
Breckenridge History — a local nonprofit that aims to educate visitors on the town’s storied past — showcases museums, artifacts, stories and experts all at locations in the town’s core while also offering interactive tours where people can immerse themselves in the experience.
Mining and gold panning expert Isaac Salazar said one of his top recommendations for immersive experiences is at the Lomax Gulch, which served as an active gold mine site during the 1860s.
Breckenridge History’s gold panning at Lomax Gulch, which costs $20 for adults and $10 for kids, acts as a time machine for visitors to be transported back to the 1800s. Salazar said the tour gives a look inside of what cabin life was like for miners and shows people the process used to extract gold and precious minerals from rocks.
“People can test it out and crush rocks themselves and pan to see what’s in it,” Salazar said. “The gold panning is incredible with it being an old active goldmine.”
He said this is just one of many mining experiences the historical society offers. He said there’s one tour that isn’t advertised as a mining tour but educates visitors far more about the trade than expected.
“It is definitely worth doing the Tombstone Tales Tour,” Salazar said. “It’s a cemetery tour, which is interesting, but it’s chock full of mining history as well. It’s just awesome.”
Breckenridge History’s Hike Home with a Miner Tour, which costs $25 for adults and $15 for children, puts visitors in the shoes of miners and involves a hike around a formerly active hydraulic mine site.
Salazar also pointed to the Edwin Carter Museum, which he said is recognized as one of Colorado’s first museums, as another place to learn about mining history while also staying within the confines of downtown.
The nonprofit also hosts other guided and interactive tours, usually costing $15 for children and $25 for adults, that showcase different aspect’s of the area’s past. From the Bawdy Breckenridge Tour that recounts red-light district antics to the Hike the Golden Horseshoe Tour that takes visitors on less-traveled paths, Breckenridge History has activities for all ages.
In terms of summer tours, Breckenridge History’s offerings kick off in June and last until Labor Day. All of Breckenridge History’s museums are free, but certain guided hikes and tours require reservations and payment, most of which are roughly $15 for children and $25 for adults. The nonprofit operates every day except Mondays.
For up to date hours and more information on tours, visit BreckHistory.org/experience.
Finding hidden gems on trails
Breckenridge’s mining history doesn’t just live in local museums. It is often just stumbled upon, too. Plenty of historic sites can be found along trails and hikes in Breckenridge, whether you’re exploring Iowa Hill near town or the Golden Horseshoe region via hikes including the B&B, Aspen Alley, Sallie Barber Mine, or Baker’s Tank trails.
U.S. Forest Service Ranger Adam Bianchi said Breckenridge and Summit County are textbook examples of what preserving history out in nature should look like. Most sites have placards and signage to educate trail users, and Breckenridge History’s staff is great at helping people find research and information about treasures people stumble upon.
Bianchi commended the work that has been done to keep historic structures, like cabins, standing in a region that is no stranger to extreme weather. He said many of Breckenridge gulches have historic gems people can find while out hiking, and mining history is also hidden in other areas of Summit County, like the ghost town Masonville near Frisco or Mayflower Gulch near Copper Mountain.
“Mayflower Gulch is a great one,” Bianchi said. “There’s some historic cabins there that are in this high-Alpine, above-the-tundra environment with great views.”
He said McCullough Gulch is another great place to check out.
If you do find yourself on a treasure hunt, Bianchi stressed the importance of leaving no trace when visiting historic sites in Breckenridge.
“It’s really important to respect it for what it is so that other people can enjoy it,” Bianchi said, noting people in the past have tried to add windows and other amenities to historic cabins.
This story previously published in the summer 2024 edition of Explore Summit County magazine.
