History
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MINE TOURS AND SCHOOL GROUPS
Planning a school trip, large group outing, or private group tour? We’re happy to help make your visit to the Bachelor Syracuse Mine easy to plan and memorable for everyone.
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For more information or to reserve a date and time, please email us or call the main mine office at
970-325-0220.
If you reach our voicemail, please leave a detailed message with your name and phone number. We will return your call by the next business day.
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Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your scheduled tour. Late arrivals cannot be guaranteed space on their scheduled departure.
The final 1½ miles to the mine is a gravel county road. Parking is available for large buses and RVs.
We provide hard hats for all guests entering the mine.
Traffic can be heavy during peak season, especially in town and on mountain highways, so please allow extra travel time.
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The underground portion of the tour includes approximately a 10-15 minute walk along mostly level gravel pathways. Conditions inside the mine may be wet, muddy, and slick.
There are no steep inclines or climbing required. Limited seating may be available depending on group size. If you need a seat, please let your tour guide know.
Closed-toe shoes are recommended.
Flip-flops are not recommended because of wet and uneven mine conditions.
Wheelchair access is not available inside the mine.
Restroom access requires navigating two steps.
Assisted walking is not recommended inside the mine. Guests who need help walking may not be able to participate in the underground tour. For everyone’s safety, our tour guide or office staff will make the final decision based on the guest’s needs before the tour starts or during the mine tour. Please call us before your visit if you would like to discuss accessibility.
Guests who become uncomfortable underground may turn around and walk back out of the mine.
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Montrose: approximately 50 minutes
Silverton: approximately 1 hour 20 minutes
Durango: approximately 3 hours
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SCHOOL GROUP TOURS
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School group tours are available throughout our operating season from
May 5 through October 15, 2026.
Tour times may vary depending on group size and the time of season.
Groups of more than 30 people may need to be divided into two tour groups, with departures approximately 30 minutes apart.
School and group rates cannot be combined with other promotions, discounts, or coupons.
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LARGE GROUP TOURS
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Large group tours are available during our regular operating season from
May 5 through October 15, 2026.
Tour times may vary depending on the time of season.
We can generally accommodate approximately 25-30 guests per tour.
Larger groups may be divided into multiple tours departing approximately 30 minutes apart.
Private tours may also be available depending on group size and scheduling.
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We also have an
outdoor café
covered by a large tent, along with a gift shop featuring mineral samples, souvenirs, and toys for kids.
Mine tour operations, schedules, and availability are subject to change.
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MAKE A DAY OF IT IN OURAY
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Ouray has welcomed travelers for more than 100 years. The community sits at approximately 7,792 feet and is surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains.
Visitors can explore hundreds of miles of historic Jeep roads, relax at the
Ouray Hot Springs,
or visit the world-famous
Ouray Ice Park.
Much of Ouray’s historic Victorian architecture has been preserved and restored. While you’re in town, consider taking the historic walking tour or visiting one of the area’s museums:
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For history off the beaten path, drive or hike to one of Ouray County’s many
historic ghost towns.
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For lodging, dining, and activity information, contact the Ouray Tourism Office at
(800) 228-1876
or visit
OurayColorado.com.
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The Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour offers a fun and educational experience for your whole family and group. Mining was the industry that built the communities of the San Juan Mountains and a day at the mine will let you experience life the way the miners did at the turn of the century.
There were other Bachelor mines in Colorado - it was a pretty popular name in the late 1800’s - but this was THE Bachelor Mine on Gold Hill, and for 100 years it was one of Ouray’s strongest and most reliable producers. So rich was its ore that its three owners made about $250,000 each in its first few years; even after the disastrous silver crash of 1893 when the price of silver plummeted 25% in four days. Today, that would be over $4 million each.
Charlie Armstrong, a prospector, George Hurlburt, a surveyor, and J. Frank Sanders, a speculator, were the lucky owners. The three loved a good time and were know to bet on almost anything - even which raindrop would make it to the bottom of a windowpane first. Sanders took a gamble and invested in Armstrong and Hurlburt’s mine just before it hit a huge silver vein.
Soon, ore worth $200 to $500 a ton rolled down Red Canyon to the railroad siding below, which became known as the Bachelor Switch. Meanwhile, a town of about 200 sprang up at the mine’s main portal. Named Ash, from the first letters of Armstrong, Sanders and Hurlburt, the town sported a mill, school, post office and brass band: the Bachelor Band. The town’s remains still straddle Red Canyon Creek, now known as Dexter Creek.
In the 1920s, investors from Syracuse, New York financed the Syracuse Level. More than just an access tunnel, the Syracuse Level became one of the Bachelor Mine's primary producing workings, with much of the mine's gold production coming through these tunnels. This is the section of the mine open to visitors today.
Not a sanitized amusement park attraction, the Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour looks and feels like the real thing because it is the real thing. Whether or not you leave with any gold or silver (you might), it’s an experience you’ll treasure.
There’s more than just the tour at the Bachelor Mine.
- Start your day off right on summer weekends with a famous Miner’s Breakfast in our beautiful outdoor cafe.
- Learn how to pan for gold in the original mine stream.
- Find unique gifts like mineral specimens, locally-made jewelry and fun toys for the kids in our Treasure Chest gift shop.
- Get an extra special Ouray souvenir from our famous penny crusher. Book your tour in advance online; even better, spend a whole day with us on the mountain! Special packages include an option for a mine tour plus a delicious farm-to-table dinner for your group.
- History courtesy of Jane Bennett