Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour - Ouray, Colorado

Emi L.

This gold mine tour offers a unique and educational experience for both kids and adults. Located just 10 minutes outside of Ouray, it’s a convenient stop for anyone exploring the area. The price is quite reasonable, especially considering the gold panning activity included with admission, where kids can have a blast searching for gold flakes. At $20 for adults and $10 for children, it’s an affordable adventure. We didn’t make a reservation and were able to walk right in, which was convenient for our last-minute plans.

Our guide, Jason, was fantastic—extremely knowledgeable and full of fascinating facts about the history of mining and the techniques used back in the day. He was particularly great with the kids, keeping them engaged and entertained throughout the tour. However, parents with very young children might find it challenging to keep them still during the final part of the tour, where Jason explains how dynamite works in the mining process. The information is captivating, but younger kids may find it hard to stay focused during the more technical explanations.

The mine itself is an adventure, with its cool, dark, and slightly muddy tunnels that take you 1,500 feet deep into the mountain. It’s an immersive experience that really gives you a sense of what mining was like. Just be prepared for the cooler temperatures inside, and wear shoes that can handle a bit of mud. Overall, it’s a great family-friendly activity .

Florida S.

If you've driven over Imogene Pass or plan to do so in the future, you should come tour this mine to hear about some great history about it. Jason was our tour guide and he was so knowledgeable. You'll be intrigued with everything he talks about.

You can just show up, but you can also get tickets online to ensure you have a spot for the tour. Be sure to bring cash to tip your tour guide. They also take Venmo.

Skylar A.

A last minute decision to stop here was indeed a good one. The tour guide was easy to work with when our schedule had a delay. We arrived and learned a ton about the mines. Plan on dirty shoes afterwards but it’s not bad. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to pan for gold or enjoy their cafe due to our own timeline for the day. Our crew enjoyed the tour guide’s humor and recommend the tour!

Cathy B.

Bruce did a great job on our tour. He made everything interesting and humorous. It was so fun and we all got a piece of ore ❣️💛 it was very educational … we got a history lesson on mining and “the rest of the story”. I am not a youngun’ 😁 but I surely did enjoy gold panning at the end. Keep up the good work Bruce 👍🏻

John M.

Very interesting and cool...literally, it was 54° in the mine.
John, our tour guide was fun and interesting. It was a worthwhile experience.

Julie B.

Took the mine tour with Jason and learned so much. He kept it interesting with a wonderful touch of whimsy. The mine itself is surprisingly beautiful inside. Going from 74 degrees to a cool, damp 52ish was a trip, too. If you want an authentic old west, old mining, old mountain lifestyle experience, this is it!

Mia C.

This was a spontaneous tour we took. We didn't need reservations we just walked up. It was absolutely amazing and our tour guide Jason, was super knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. If you're in Ouray Co this is something you shouldn't miss! The cost was reasonable walk was short. The ground was wet so be prepared for a little mud and tiny glimpse into the daily life of early minors.

Nicole R.

The overall experience of exploring this mine was incredible. We had a large group and are appreciative that we were able to go together. However, our tour guide, Jason, did not have patience for children. We had a total of 5 young children in our group, plus 3 other children from the additional families.

Immediately upon beginning the tour (while I was still assisting my 6 year old with his hard hat), Jason sternly told the children that they need to be quiet so he can talk to everyone. While I understand the voice level needs to be down in order for everyone to hear, it is unrealistic for young children to remain 100 percent silent for an hour. They were also whispering and asking questions about what Jason was sharing. Another young man (about 15 years old) raised his hand to ask a question and he was immediately shut down by our tour guide. This happened more than once to the same young man as well as my 6 year old. My 2 year old also got excited about her hard hat and was told by Jason that she needed to be quiet.

Jason was extremely informative and knowledgeable but made the entire group feel uncomfortable. I would expect for an interactive tour to allow for questions and conversation, especially with young children who are developing their critical thinking skills.

If you tour with Jason, expect to be completely silent and listen to him share facts for 60 mins. Although, you will be allowed to ask questions at the very end (which by this time the children have forgotten and has now lost meaning). I do wish we could have asked more questions to gain a deeper understanding about the incredible history under our feet.

The experience itself was wonderful though. It is rich in history and overall a unique experience. I would love to do it again and truly hope Jason develops a more appropriate approach when touring with young children. Unfortunately, I do feel like our experience was not as wonderful as it should have been. I am disappointed that my family of 4 paid over $40 for a silent tour.
Next time I hope I can give a 5 star review.