Old Mine Tunnel Carved Into a Black Hills Hillside

Abandoned gold mine entrance carved into a rocky hillside in the Black Hills, South Dakota.
Abandoned gold mine entrance carved into a rocky hillside in the Black Hills, South Dakota.

This abandoned mine entrance in the Black Hills of South Dakota is a relic of the region's 19th-century gold rush. Carved into the hillside, likely by hand or with early blasting techniques, the opening once led to mineral-rich veins sought for gold, silver, and iron sulfides.

Photo taken in July 2019.

Photo Part Of
South Dakota
Badlands, Black Hills, and Custer State Park across multiple trips
26 photos
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