Empire Mine State Historic Park

Visit Empire Mine!

Empire Mine State Historic Park is the site of one of the oldest, deepest, and richest gold mines in California. The park is in Grass Valley at 10791 East Empire Street. In operation for more than 100 years, the mine extracted 5.8 million ounces of gold before it closed in 1956. The park contains many of the mine’s buildings, the owner’s home and restored gardens, as well as the entrance to 367 miles of abandoned and flooded mine shafts. The park encompasses 856 acres of forested backcountry and fourteen miles of trails - including easy hikes (for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding) - in the park.

The "Secret Room"

To keep track of the mine's 367 underground workings, a place called "The Secret Room" (named for its blacked-out windows) was built. In it, the entire room was filled with a scale model of the mine's below the surface workings. Few people knew the room existed while the mine was in operation. Today, visitors to the park can see it in the Visitor Center. The model represents five square miles of underground workings. When the visitors go down the actual shaft in the park, they have journeyed only "one inch" on the model. Anything past "two inches" on the model is underwater in the actual mine.

Come along on a Park Tour!

45-minute guided tours to see highlights of the historic grounds are included in your entry fee. Tours have limited space and are first-come, first-served; early arrival is encouraged. Sign up at the Visitor Center when you arrive (groups of 10 or more must book a private tour). 

 Please Note: 

• We cannot guarantee that all scheduled public tours will be offered, as our knowledgeable Tour Guides are volunteers. You may call the Visitor Center prior to your visit to confirm that your tour of interest is scheduled.
• Weather can be unpredicable in any season, so please wear weather-appropriate clothing and be aware that inclement weather may cancel. 

Estate Tours: 

Step into the early 1900's Bourn Mansion and clubhouse for a peek into the personal and social lives of the owner of the mine, his friends and family. Learn about their significance in the community and California's history during the heyday of hard rock mining on a guided tour of the landscaped grounds and historic estate buildings.

November-April: 11 a.m. Daily, 1:00 p.m. Friday-Sunday
May - October: 11:30 a.m. Daily, 1:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday

Mineyard Tours: 

This tour explains the hard work needed to extract and process gold from the 367 miles of underground tunnels, and how hardrock mining equipment, technology and infrastructure evolved over the 106 years of Empire Mine's operation. Afterwards is a great time to stop by the blacksmith shop and see our craftsmen at work. Hot weather may cancel; if temperatures are over 90 degrees, an Estate Tour will be offered in lieu of the Mine Yard Tour and the blacksmith shop may close early.

November - April: 12:00 p.m. Daily, 2:00 p.m. Friday-Sunday
May - October: 12:30 p.m. Daily, 2:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday

Garden Tours: 

Tour the lavish gardens and estate grounds, restored to closely resemble the original English-style landscaping aligned with the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 1900's. Tour guides will enlighten you to highlights of the over 150 different plants and trees found on the grounds, and the unique pre-1930 vintage varieties of roses and other botanicals in the Rose Garden.

May - October: Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10:15 a.m.

Filming Videos and Still Photography in State Parks

California State Parks thanks you for choosing our beautiful parks for your photographic activities and sharing the wonders of our park units with the world. However, in order to maintain the beauty of our parks and its natural and cultural resources, we require that all commercial, still and motion picture photographers obtain a film permit from the California Film Commission.

California State Parks requires an approved film permit for:

• All commercial still photography and videography
• Professional photographers offering private services
• Student photo/film projects
• Professional development projects

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Drones are not permitted unless a special permit is granted. To learn more, please visit our blog here.

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For specific film permit information at Empire Mine State Historic Park, Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park or South Yuba River State Park, please review Sierra Gold Sector Film Permit information.

Land Acknowledgement

California State Parks acknowledges the Nisenan People were here in this State Park since time immemorial. The Nisenan People are still here today, though they are nearly invisible.

The Sierra District of California State Parks includes their story in our interpretation and education here at the Empire Mine State Historic Park. We understand we are on Nisenan Land and that the original Tribal Families have yet to recover from the near genocide of their people during the California Gold Rush.

California State Parks supports the Nevada City Rancheria Tribe in efforts to stabilize their people as well as the campaign to restore Tribal sovereignty through Federal Recognition.

Location-Directions

Drive 24 miles north of Auburn on Highway 49 to Empire Street exit in Grass Valley. The park is located in Grass Valley at 10791 East Empire Street.