Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tours - History Comes Alive (Podcast Ep. 21)

The Bucket List Mermaid contains affiliate links from trusted travel partners. When you purchase through a link on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. See the Disclaimer Policy for more information.

Ready to dive into the heart of Colorado’s gold rush history? The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour in Cripple Creek takes you 1,000 feet underground to experience the life of a gold miner.

This one-of-a-kind adventure lets you explore winding tunnels, see vintage mining equipment in action, and even snag your own gold ore.

Whether you’re a history buff or an adventure seeker, this tour offers a golden opportunity to check off a bucket-list-worthy experience!

NOTE: This was recorded and done before the tragic incident on October 10, 2024. Before planning this, check and make sure that it has reopened and is offering tours during their open season.

Listen to This Podcast Episode About the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tours

Subscribe to this Podcast

In this Episode…

All about one of the most unique hidden gems in Colorado from Colorado locals!
See the history of mining up close and personal.

Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tours – History Comes Alive (Podcast Ep. 21)

Bucket List Review of Mollie Kathleen Gold Mines

For adventurers who want information fast!

Category	History Immersive
Who Should Add This to Their Bucket List?	History and adventure lovers looking for something unique
When to Go	May to October (check website for the season)
Traveling Difficulty	Easy
Physical Difficulty	Easy you will walk but it is flat
Popularity Rating	3/10
Reservation Required	Yes
Budget	$$
Wheelchair Accessible	No
Favorite Place to Stay	Golden Nugget (Hotel) Rocking M Ranch (RV)

If you need more information about the categories of this table, please check out the Bucket List Reviews guide.

Show Resources to Get You Closer to the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine

Full Cripple Creek Bucket List

Cripple Creek Bucket List

Looking for more things to do in this hidden gem Colorado destination? Check out the full list from a CO local!

Learn More

Fly to Colorado

The closest airport to Cripple Creek and the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is Colorado Springs (COS).

If you’re flying international, you might need to fly into DIA first.

If you are flying in, you might need to rent a car to get you from Denver/CO Springs to Cripple Creek👇

Rent a Car

Find Accomodation in Cripple Creek

My grandparents came to visit us here and stayed in the Golden Nugget. It was very centrally located and clean!

If you have an RV or like to camp, I stayed in Rocking M Ranch and absolutely loved it!

Plus, the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is in the middle of this campground and downtown Cripple Creek.

Full Podcast Transcript (Episode 21)

Please keep in mind that this podcast was recorded by two imperfect humans ☺️ please excuse any grammatical errors…

Alexandra: Hey there, fellow adventurers, and welcome back to Tick It Before You Kick It where we explore the hidden gems and must-see spots that definitely deserve a place on your bucket list.

I’m Alexandra, your trusty travel companion, and today we’re going to be mining for gold, figuratively and maybe literally, as we dig into the rich history of the Molly Kathleen Mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado.

I am here today again with my mother, who travels full time with me, and we just go on these crazy adventures and report back to you to see if you want to also add them to your bucket list.

Mollie kathleen Mine Intro

So let’s talk about what is Molly Kathleen Mine, because, again, I have never heard of anybody who’s done this other than my aunt about 20 years ago.

This is definitely more of a hidden gem – not super touristy. This is the only vertical gold mine shaft in all of America, and the Molly Kathleen [Gold] Mine takes you down into the Rocky Mountains and basically just feels like you are transported back in time.

Yeah, it’s a thousand feet into the earth. You go a thousand feet! That is actually – a thousand feet – the length of about the Eiffel Tower and a skyscraper.

Pam: Oh, go figure. So that is how far you are actually going into this mine, and it is exactly what it sounds like.

History of Mollie Kathleen

Alexandra: It is a tour of what the mine used to be like. It is documented by the National Geographical Survey as a gold production mine and let’s just go into some history of it, because there’s obviously so much history in this bucket list activity.

It’s more than just a cool name. It’s actually a tribute to Mollie herself, who discovered this treasure trove back in 1891.

She was actually the first woman to strike a claim to her name in the gold camp. Back then, women didn’t have rights to anything.

They could not claim their name to something of that substantial value. So, honestly, good for her, I absolutely love it.

And they actually started doing tours of this mine just to get some extra income, and the early mining day tours were lit by candlelight.

That would have been so much better! And it was funny because when we went on this tour, they actually showed what it would have been like in candlelight, because the miners worked in candlelight too.

Pam: And was it that they said? They said that they would have to do it all without blowing out the candle, because if you blew out the candle you’d be screwed, wouldn’t you?

Absolutely, yeah, it’s so dark – beyond dark. That was like a part of their job descriptions they had to do all of this without blowing out the candle.

Alexandra: Anyway, the mining actually continued until 1961. And then they started just doing tours and they started revamping everything. They started adding lights. No more candlelight tours.

Our Experience with Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine

You know, this just makes this mine a truly unique experience, not just because of its vertical descent, but just it’s just so much history and walking through. Walking through, you literally feel like you’re stepping back in time.

I mean starting with the elevator, which is just this small wooden box that holds maybe six people, and it is exactly like what you would take down into a mine.

Pam: You can see the different levels past you as you go down, down, down, down down. It was so funny. That’s actually why we chose it is because it has there says descend a thousand feet into the ground. That’s the only reason we want to do it.

Alexandra: Is it going to be touristy? Is it going to be lame? Is it going to be, you know, super family friendly?

I want something that that educates me and gets my heart pumping. And I was like, “Okay, we’re going to figure out if this is lame within about two seconds.”

They crammed us into this elevator shaft literally like sardines! If you’re claustrophobic, this is a no-go for you. Yeah, they raised us about 10 feet off the ground and lowered us down and I knew I was like, “Nope, this is cool.”

How Did they Gold Mine in Mollie Kathleen?

Pam: I was surprised at how little I knew about gold mining, because this isn’t a nugget mine, it’s a vein. It just fascinates me that you didn’t just go in there and see gold. That’s what you see in the movies.

Yes, it was this dark vein that just looks like dirt, but when you heat it up, mix it with chemicals – I can’t remember what it is –

Veins of Gold

Alexandra: Actually, it’s iron pyrite. Fool’s gold is one of the things that you can mix it with. So they found a lot of iron pyrite and it adhered to the actual gold and then they would do all these chemical processes and be left with the gold.

Pam: But I’m really surprised because I think the founder of gold in Cripple Creek discovered it and he couldn’t get anybody to believe him.

Alexandra: I wouldn’t believe him because I was really excited because it advertises it and it says you get to see a vein of gold in the earth and I was like, “How cool! I want to see a vein of gold!”

And then we looked at it and I was like, “I would pass that on a hike. Absolutely not,”

It literally just looked like a deep purple stripe. [Naturally], everyone thought he was crazy. So kudos to you for figuring that out.

Loud Mining Machines

Pam: It took us through every step of how to mine gold, complete with how they placed the dynamites, and how they drilled the holes and how they had to be drilled in a specific way to not kill everybody down there and to maximize the effect of trying to find the next gold vein.

And when they turned on these machines they were so loud!

Alexandra: They were so loud and it was kind of cool because it was like they took you in chronological order.

They actually have some really creepy wax figures down there which – let me just say I would not want to be down there alone.

Pam: Oh yeah, it was a little creepy. Ghost tour and mind tour!

Alexandra: It was so interesting because you got to see a again the candlelight on what they were working with and then how they would just put it in and then just start pounding that and you got to see all their tools.

Muckers!

Pam: And then you heard about all of the jobs and how much they paid. Like the mucker? He would just shovel rocks and get everything into there and he got paid what – like three dollars a day?

That was a job and everybody wanted that job. If he couldn’t do it, then you’re out. If he couldn’t muck fast enough, then that was it.

And there is a famous boxer? Jack Dempsey actually tried mucking and got fired! He sucked at mucking, he sucked at the muck. We’re having way too much fun here.

Alexandra: Apparently, he was terrible at this and then decided he’d do boxing instead. Talk about a career change. Good for him, yeah, good for him!

Gold Mines are a Lot Like Caves

So then they started going through again where to place the dynamite and all of the drills that they would use, and these are still working.

I was actually very surprised at how much this tour felt like caving. Surprisingly, there [were] a lot of minerals – copper, sulfur, ect – and we actually got to look at everything.

Pam: I guess that the intricacy and the miles and miles and miles of caves underneath Cripple Creek. We were talking to a couple locals and they used to go from town to town underneath the earth in these caves.

Alexandra: Yeah, our guide was joking that they probably have an entire mining system all the way to his school, but he just wouldn’t know how to get there because it’s so intricate.

Pam: There’s just thousands and thousands of tunnels. And they also used to say how they would, uh, pay children to come in and bring the muckers –

Alexandra: – I don’t think it was the muckers, It was a guy who would climb up- I forgot the name of it but he would climb all the way up to the top. He got paid the most like $3 or $4 [a day] because it was so dangerous being up there.

Wax Figures and Locomotives

And again, that wax figure was so far away that it kind of looked real. He shined his light up there and I went, “Why is that dude up there?!”

Pam: They also have a wax figure of some guy in the outhouse in the mine, which is a little gross. Kind of made me want to try out the outhouse.

Alexandra: Well, also, halfway through you got to go on this little train thing through the mine. So that was really cool.

I don’t know why it was just so cool. I don’t know why I was like, “Oh, we’re going to go tour a mine,”

No! It was really adventurous! It was very informative and I felt like I learned a lot about the mining culture back then and how they actually used to mine, and seeing these machines in action it was like history come to life.

Mining Morse Code

Pam: They also had symbols or signals that they’re still being used today. There was this chart of the signals that the miners would use to communicate everything. It became so popular that I think it’s still used all over the world.

Alexandra: Yeah, because they would have so many incidents. If you think about how big these mining things are…they’re blowing things up, they’re carting gear, there are so many unknown dangers in these mines. They just had accidents all the time.

You can totally see why they would. So, they came up with this system and it’s kind of like morse code for miners.

They’d have this little bell at the top of the shaft and they’d be like (this is not accurate) “Okay, two bells, two bells, stop. Three bells means ‘gold in shaft with man’.

It was really cool! And again – we got to see that in action too, and that’s a practice that their accidents basically reduced to zero at that point.

Then, they just started using it internationally because it was such a good system and nobody died from miscommunication anymore.

Pam: Wouldn’t you just love to be that guy that invented it? And if he could know now that what he came up with would go worldwide.

That would be so impressive. And he probably died before I ever found that out. But dude, you rock!

The Evolution of Mine Safety

Alexandra: I know, and it’s so interesting how dangerous [it was]. I mean, they were talking about this, this drill, how they would ever found that out.

They would drill and then all of the fragments of rocks and the dust would all go into their lungs and they would all pass away.

Then, they started making technological advancements to help this and it’s very interesting to see the evolution the evolution and safety evolution of a gold mine.

Taking HOme Gold From Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine

Also, in this tour you get to take a little piece of gold! It was really cool.

There was this little section that it was kind of like a museum but it kind of felt like you were in a cave.

Pam: And then the gift shop at the end of it. Oh, yeah, you have to have the gift shop at the end of it.

Alexandra: Except this one, it’s actually included in your ticket price you get to take.

Is Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Good for Families?

So, if you do have families, I would definitely recommend this for more adventurous families. I think it might scare like young, young children.

Maybe…it was pretty loud, unless they’re super into mining. [Maybe not] but it’s only because it’s loud.

Pam:Yeah, it’s loud and the beginning is a little claustrophobic, a little bit, but yeah, I think I thought it was absolutely amazing.

When to Visit the Mollie kathleen Gold Mine

Alexandra: So let’s talk logistics, so that you can also check this off of your bucket list. Best times to visit?

What we figured out is that Cripple Creek is actually an average of 10 to 15° F cooler than Canyon City in Colorado Springs.

We can definitely confirm this, because we actually went from Cripple Creek (we’re staying in an RV park) to Colorado Springs and it was seriously what 70°F, maybe 80°F at the most that we saw in Cripple Creek.

[However], in Colorado Springs it was 95°F. Cripple Creek was just fun. We only stopped there because it was right in the middle of point A and point B and we just loved it.

Cripple Creek Bucket List

Pam: So Cripple Creek – the train, the food, the gambling, the rafting! It was just really fun. Yes, I do have an entire Cripple Creek bucket list, as per usual, if you do want to check it out.

Read the Cripple Creek Bucket List

Alexandra: We kind of killed Cripple Creek, I’m not gonna lie, we did everything!

So I’m definitely going to be sharing more info on that, including more info about the Mollie Kathleen mine.

But, yeah, I think summer is a good way to go here.

Also, the underground temperature sits around 50 to 55° F degrees all the time.

It really doesn’t matter when you do the mine, but I think summer would be perfect because you could go in there. It’s so nice and cool.

It would be like such a nice escape from the heat. So, definitely, I would go with summer.

Read More – Summer Bucket List | Aesthetic Summer Bucket List

It’s also important to note that it is only open May through the second week to October, so it is not open all year round.

What to Bring to a Mollie Kathleen Mine Tour

What to expect? We kind of talked about it. You will descend a thousand feet underneath the ground.

And, yeah, it’s deeper than your average skyscraper and the Eiffel Tower!

I would definitely wear sturdy shoes because some of the ground is a little bit uneven in dirt.

As I said, it looks like a cave, so be prepared to wander around a cave.

Pam: Yeah, they didn’t “tourist” it up at all. It’s very authentic, which is why I liked it.

And then also, just because it is 50 to 55° F, bring a jacket. I personally, I was fine, loved it. I was just wandering around in a t-shirt and I thought it was great.

The Descent in the Mine Shaft

What about the descent? Let’s talk about it. It is slightly claustrophobic. You are packed in there pretty tightly.

This is true. You got to really love your neighbor, your elevator partner.

Alexandra: Yep, the tour itself isn’t claustrophobic. Even though you’re in a cave, it’s not like you’re spelunking.

I think if you had extreme claustrophobia, I probably wouldn’t do it.

Pam: No gosh, if you had any kind of claustrophobia, don’t do it.

Alexandra: Yeah, but I think generally, I think you would be just fine. I mean, there were children on

All the ceilings are normal height and actually I did find out that the reason why – they’re not spelunking down there is because they had to get all the equipment in and out through there, so that’s why the passages are so large.

The elevator does take about two minutes, or the shaft? Is it even called an elevator? The mine shaft?

Anyway, it takes about two minutes. It’s about 500 feet per second, which is about five miles an hour.

[This] sounds quick, but did you know that the modern elevators actually go around 23 miles per hour?

However, you don’t feel like you’re going 23 miles per hour in an elevator.

Pam: That felt fast to me.

Alexandra: Interesting, did it feel fast to you?

Pam: Yeah, I think the only elevator that I think seems fast is the one at Universal Studios [Disney], the twilight terror?

Alexandra: Okay, but it’s not, that’s meant to be fast. The Tower of Terror, yeah, the twilight zone ride?

The one that’s purposefully supposed to drop you? Yeah, that probably is the fastest elevator you’ve ever been on. Good job…

How Difficult is the Tour

Now, talking about the walking tour, let’s just talk about the difficulty.

Pam: Super easy, easy.

Alexandra: Yeah, I think it’s easy. It’s pretty much flat and you only have to walk about a quarter of a mile.

You take a train, the it’s actually called a tram air locomotive. That’s where we saw the guy in the outhouse.

Is the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Accessible?

Pam: But if you are handicapped? No…

Alexandra: Unfortunately, it is not ADA accessible because it is a mine…

It’s not, you know, like Cave of the Winds. If you’ve ever been to Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs – that’s very touristy and it’s made for to be accessible to people (to an extent).

This, this, is not like that. This is a authentic vertical mine shaft where you go down there and it looks pretty much exactly how it was.

Pam: I think they have some railings that are down there, but it feels pretty much like you’re stepping back into the old mining towns

Alexandra: Which, again, makes it worth it for me!

They just walk you around, show you everything, show you the veins, give you a little bit of gold, talk about the history of it.

Pam: And remind you that it’s not really fun to be a mucker! Don’t be a mucker. I’m so glad that I’m not a mucker. I would not be good. I’d get fired as a mucker. I’m terrible as a mucker.

Who Would I recommend This to?

Alexandra: So I would 100% recommend this to history buffs, people who just love learning about things, families who enjoy maybe some history with a little bit of an adventurous spark.

The mine attracts tourists from all over and it just preserves history and I love that.

If you are there, yeah, definitely go into Cripple Creek. Check out that bucket list!

We were joking that Cripple Creek felt like Estes Park had a baby with Las Vegas and out popped a cowboy, so quirky and weird.

Well, adventurers, it’s time to wrap up our little gold mining expedition. The Mollie Kathleen mine is just an experience.

Definitely add this little hidden gem to your bucket list and don’t forget to tune in next week as we explore yet another captivating corner of the world!

And until then, just keep wandering and keep adventuring. Happy travels!

Pam: And do not fart in the elevator on the way down, just saying…

Alexandra: Thank you guys. See you next time!