Old Mine Trail

Old Mine is a 2.9-mile out-and-back from the Carbon River Entrance, with a two-hour estimate for the local walk. Follow the Carbon River Trail, a former road, for about 1.2 miles, then climb a steep 0.25-mile spur to the gated mine. That distance covers only this local route; it excludes the long backcountry approach needed to reach the northwest area from inside the park.

The road-trail is mostly graded under dense rainforest canopy, with the river nearby. At the junction the route changes abruptly: the last stretch climbs about 300 feet in 0.3 mile on tight switchbacks and numerous steps. The payoff is a fern-framed mine opening, not a broad viewpoint. Look from outside the gate; the mine is closed to entry.

This was part of a small turn-of-the-century prospecting effort. The Washington Mining and Milling Company began work in 1899 and filed nearly 40 claims without significant finds; copper exploration is the likely purpose of this mine, not a documented certainty. A short length of mine-cart track remains, and a self-guided tour is available in the park app. Dogs aren’t permitted on park trails.