Empire Mine State Historic Park

10 minutes from Grass Valley RV Resort

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Empire Mine

History & Gold Rush · Quick Facts

Drive time: 10 minutes (4 miles)
Address: 10791 E Empire St, Grass Valley, CA 95945
Hours: Open daily, typically 10 am – 5 pm (seasonal)
Cost: Small per-person day-use fee; kids discounted
Dogs: Leashed dogs welcome on the trails

Empire Mine is the crown jewel of Gold Country history and the single most-recommended outing at our front desk. Between 1850 and 1956 this one mine produced 5.8 million ounces of gold from 367 miles of underground passages — making it one of the oldest, deepest, and richest hardrock mines in California. Today the entire operation is preserved as a state historic park just ten minutes from your site at Grass Valley RV Resort.

What surprises first-time visitors is how much there is above ground. The mine yard still holds the headframe, machine shops, and blacksmith forge; docents in period dress run living-history demonstrations on many weekends. A short walk away, the Bourn Cottage — the mine owner's stone 'cottage,' really a small manor designed by the architect of Filoli — sits amid formal gardens and a reflecting pool that feel airlifted from an English estate.

Plan two to three hours for the mine yard and cottage, longer if you hike. You can peer down the lit main shaft, which descends at a stomach-tightening angle into the flooded workings below — a genuinely memorable moment for kids and adults alike.

What to See & Do

Start at the visitor center for the scale model of the underground workings — 367 miles of tunnels mapped in a secret room so competitors couldn't steal survey data. Then loop the mine yard: hoist house, stamp mill foundations, and the shaft viewing platform. Guided tours run most days in season and are worth timing your visit around; the docents are retired miners, geologists, and history buffs who bring the machinery to life.

Beyond the buildings, the park protects roughly 856 acres laced with 14 miles of trails through pine and oak woodland. The Hardrock Trail is the classic: a gentle loop past the ruins of the Pennsylvania and WYOD mines, mine tailings slowly being reclaimed by manzanita, and interpretive signs that make the walk a rolling history lesson. Spring wildflowers along these trails are excellent.

Making a Day of It

Empire Mine pairs perfectly with downtown Grass Valley, five minutes away — mine in the morning, lunch on Mill Street, and an afternoon browse through the shops. History-minded visitors can add the North Star Mining Museum across town to see the world's largest Pelton wheel and complete the gold-mining picture in a single day.

The park sits at about 2,700 feet, so it's a few degrees cooler than the valley in summer and occasionally dusted with snow in winter — the stone buildings and bare gardens are beautiful on a crisp December morning, and crowds are nonexistent.

From Our Front Desk

Insider Tips

Weekend living-history days are the best time to visit — check the park calendar and time your trip around a mine-yard tour.
The Hardrock Trail is stroller- and leashed-dog-friendly; start early in summer for shade and cool air.
The Bourn Cottage interior is only open on guided tours — grab tour times at the visitor center when you arrive.
Spring (April–May) brings wildflowers and full gardens; December is quiet and atmospheric.

Good to Know

Empire Mine FAQs

How far is Empire Mine from Grass Valley RV Resort?

About 4 miles — a 10-minute drive from the resort via Highway 49 and Empire Street. It's the closest major state park to your site.

Can you go underground at Empire Mine?

No — the workings below the 150-foot level are flooded, so there are no underground tours. You can look down the lit main shaft from a viewing platform, and the surface mine yard, museum, and Bourn Cottage more than fill a visit.

Is Empire Mine dog-friendly?

Leashed dogs are welcome on the park's 14 miles of trails, though not inside buildings. Pair it with our pet-friendly guide for a full dog-day itinerary from the resort.