Entry No. 43 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: history
Smuggler Mine Tour
Aspen's wealth was dug out of this mountain. In June 1879, prospectors Edward Fuller and Con Allbright staked the Smuggler claim on the slope above what would become one of the world's most expensive resort towns — their bosses later subdivided the meadow below into Aspen's first town lots at ten dollars each. At its peak the mine produced one-fifth of the world's silver, and in 1894 workers pulled out the largest silver nugget ever recorded: 2,340 pounds, so massive it had to be broken into three pieces before it could be hauled out. Guided tours now take you 1,200 feet into the original horizontal shaft, through timber-supported tunnels with ore-cart rails still in place, past hand-drill marks and rigging points, while a guide walks you through extraction techniques and the boom-and-bust arc that built and nearly erased this town.
The move: Walk into the dark together wearing hard hats and miners' lamps, crouch through a tunnel that smells of cold rock and wet timber, and try to picture 300 men working a shift down here at a time when this slope was paying out a fifth of the world's silver.
📍 Before you go Tours run May through October, departing at 10am, noon, and 2pm. Cost is $50 per person; hard hats and headlamps are provided. Advance booking is strongly recommended — groups are small and slots sell out, especially on summer weekends. Book online through Elk Mountain Expeditions or call 970-456-6287. The mine holds a steady 50–55°F year-round, so bring a light jacket regardless of surface weather. Closed-toe shoes are required; no sandals. Minimum age is 6. The trailhead parking lot is free and it's a short drive or even a walkable uphill from downtown Aspen.
- 📍 Aspen
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 100 Smuggler Mountain Road, Aspen, CO 81611
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — 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 · source 4
last checked: 2026-06-11