On November 7 the historic Keane Wonder Mine workings at Death Valley will reopen to the public/NPS
Death Valley National Park plans to reopen the historic Keane Wonder Mine to the public starting on Tuesday, November 7.
Keane Wonder Mine is one of the best examples of historical gold mining in Death Valley National Park. The photogenic aerial tramway still has ore buckets hanging from cables. In the early 1900s, miners used the tramway to lower 70 tons of gold ore per day down the steep Funeral Mountains.
Keane Wonder Mine was one of the most popular sites in the park prior to its closure in 2008. The National Park Service established a temporary closure on the area due to safety concerns.
In order to make the area safer for visitors, the park closed off entrances to mine openings and stabilized the tramway towers, upper terminal, and lower terminal. Concerns about the content of mill tailings have been studied via multiple rounds of soil sampling.
The reopening celebration on Tuesday, November 7, will be held at Keane Wonder Mine, off the Beatty Cutoff Road. Carpooling is recommended due to limited parking. Please bring water, sunscreen, and snacks.
The November 7 event schedule is:
- 10 a.m. – Ribbon cutting
- 10:30 a.m. – Site tour with Jeremy Stoltzfus, mining historian
- 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – NPS rangers will be on site to answer questions
Keane Wonder Mine will be open every day after November 7.
Comments
the keane mine is a fantastic visit, it really brings in the spirit of what life must have been like in death valley long ago. Glad to see it being preserved.