Eagle Mining Company

The Eagle Mining Company tour takes you into the gold mine in Julian, California. The area was part of the gold rush wave, and closed in 1934. Gold is no longer mined here and it is preserved for historical value. Mining gold is extremely destructive to the environment. Our guide demonstrated how to mine for gold. An ounce of gold would be the size of a sugar cube and worth around $1800 in todays market. Inside the mine, our guide took us through about 1000 feet of tunnel, which included a steep ladder climb up. We got to see some of the tools used and the lighting conditions. Candles were the source of light and miners could easily get disoriented if they lost their light. It’s a narrow, one car dirt road into the mine area. You park and make your way to the shop to pay for a guided tour through the mines. The guides told us that it’s usually pretty busy and they try to keep the tour groups small. It’s a fun thing to do with the family!