Entry No. 48 — the Coeur d'Alene file — filed under: history

Crystal Gold Mine

An authentic 1880s hard-rock gold mine in Idaho's Silver Valley that was sealed and forgotten for over a century, then rediscovered in 1991 and reclaimed by 1996. Guided walking tours head a short way into the cool, dripping tunnel where a guide demonstrates single-jack and double-jack hand-drilling the way the original miners traced the quartz vein. Every tour includes time gold-panning a sluice and a stop in the small Miner's Museum. Open seasonally, generally May through October.

The move: Take the underground tour together, then post up side by side at the sluice trough and race to see who pans the most flakes of color to keep.

📍 Before you go About 35 miles east of Coeur d'Alene off I-90. Tours run roughly 45 minutes; the tunnel stays cool, so bring a layer. Final tour leaves an hour before closing.

• 📍 Kellogg
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 51931 Silver Valley Rd, Kellogg, ID 83837

Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3

last checked: 2026-06-24