Gold mines in Idaho

Idaho has 259 gold mines in MSHA records: 10 not abandoned (3 active, 3 non-producing, 2 temporarily idled, 2 intermittent) and 249 abandoned. 49 have map coordinates. The largest by employees is Golden Chest Mine (37). USGS adds 2,057 historic producers.

Gold mines in Idaho that are not abandoned

MineCountyTypeMSHA statusEmployees
Golden Chest MineShoshone CountyundergroundActive37
New Jersey MillShoshone Countyprocessing facilityActive9
Golden EagleAda CountyundergroundActive6
Delamar MineOwyhee CountysurfaceIntermittent5
Friday MineIdaho CountyundergroundNon-producing5
Owyhee Noble MillOwyhee CountysurfaceTemporarily idled5
McKinley MineIdaho CountyundergroundNon-producing3
Orogrande Processing FacilityIdaho Countyprocessing facilityIntermittent3
Lucky Ben MineIdaho CountyundergroundNon-producingn/a
Washington MineBoise CountyundergroundTemporarily idledn/a

Historic gold producers in Idaho (USGS)

USGS records 2,057 historic gold producers in Idaho: 1,885 past producers and 172 listed as producers or plants. For 1,109 of them USGS gives an output size (14 large, 44 medium, 1,051 small). Production years are recorded for 234 sites, from 1850 to 2006. The most common deposit type is {85: Polymetallic veins} (17 sites).

Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (retrieved 2026-10-13), last updated around 2011. The county pages list the sites.

Counties

CountyMSHA, not abandonedMSHA, abandonedUSGS historic
Idaho County4106358
Owyhee County29172
Shoshone County223160
Boise County119183
Ada County1322
Lemhi County012247
Blaine County05208
Custer County015162
Elmore County02084
Valley County01077
Clearwater County0551
Bonner County0150
Power County0246
Adams County0030
Gem County0228
Camas County0227
Bonneville County0122
Cassia County0322
Butte County0116
Washington County0115
Boundary County0011
Latah County0310
Jerome County008
Twin Falls County007
Bannock County005
Bear Lake County004
Bingham County004
Canyon County004
Benewah County003
Gooding County013
Minidoka County003
Nez Perce County013
Clark County002
Jefferson County002
Kootenai County042
Bannock, Bingham County001
Blaine, Camas County001
Camas, Blaine County001
Gem, Boise County001
Idaho, Valley County001
Washington, Adams County001

Visit a gold mine in Idaho

Working mines are closed to the public. 4 places in Idaho offer tours, panning or mining history.

Sierra Silver Mine Tour, Inc.

Tourist attraction · Idaho
★ 4.8 (923 reviews)
509 Cedar St, Wallace, ID 83873
Hours on Google: Daily 10 AM to 4 PM
Website(208) 752-5151Google Maps

Yankee Fork Gold Dredge

Tourist attraction · Idaho
★ 4.8 (310 reviews)
300 Yankee Fork Rd, Stanley, ID 83278
Hours on Google: Daily 10 AM to 4:30 PM
Website(208) 838-2529Google Maps

All Idaho gold mine tours and panning

Questions about gold mines in Idaho

How many gold mines are in Idaho?

MSHA lists 259 gold mines in Idaho. 10 are not abandoned (3 active, 3 non-producing, 2 temporarily idled, 2 intermittent). 249 records are marked abandoned. USGS lists another 2,057 historic gold producers that are not in the MSHA records.

What is the largest gold mine in Idaho?

By employees reported to MSHA, the largest is Golden Chest Mine in Shoshone County, with 37 employees.

Can I visit an abandoned gold mine in Idaho?

Old workings are dangerous and most are on private land or active claims, so the answer is almost always no. Do not enter them.

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