Empire Mine in Grass Valley ran continuously for 106 years (1850–1956), extracting 5.8 million ounces of gold from 367 miles of underground shafts. The park preserves both the industrial mining complex and the Bourn Mansion — a stone estate with English-style gardens that represents the other end of the economic spectrum from the miners working below. Fourteen miles of forested hiking trails are accessible for free without paying admission to the historic site.
Details
- 🏞️Type
- State Park
- 🏛️Managed by
- California State Parks
- 📍State
- CA
- 🗺️Address
- Grass Valley, CA, 95945
- 📞Phone
- (530) 273-8522
- 🕐Hours
- Historic Grounds are open daily. Winter hours (Nov. 1 - Feb 28): 10AM - 4PM Summer hours (Mar 1 - Oct 31): 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM The grounds are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, & New Years Day. Park trails and the Penn Gate parking lot are open from sunrise to sunset.
- 📐Area
- 856 acres
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- Yes
- 📡GPS
- 39.20155, -121.04868
The Place
Empire Mine sits at about 2,500 feet in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Grass Valley, 24 miles north of Auburn on Highway 49. The park encompasses 856 acres and covers both the industrial mining landscape — shaft houses, mine office, blacksmith shop, extensive equipment — and the Bourn Mansion, a refined stone residence built in the early 1900s with English-style gardens. The mine flooded when operations ceased in 1956 and the shafts are no longer accessible to visitors, but a scale model in the Visitor Center shows the full 5 square miles of underground workings. The Nisenan Maidu people's history on this land is integrated into the interpretive programming.
When to Go
Spring (April–May) and fall (September–October) are best: comfortable temperatures and garden blooms in spring. Summer heat above 90°F cancels mineyard tours — a real risk in July and August. Winter brings shorter hours (10 AM–4 PM) and reduced tour availability. The park is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Getting There
10791 East Empire Street, Grass Valley. Take the Empire Street exit off Highway 49, 24 miles north of Auburn. The Penn Gate parking lot is a separate entrance for trail access only (open sunrise to sunset; no admission fee required).
What to Do
Guided tours are the core experience, included with admission and run by volunteer docents: estate tours (Bourn Mansion and grounds, ~45 min), mineyard tours (~45 min covering operations and equipment history), and garden tours (May–October, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 10:15 AM). The "Secret Room" in the Visitor Center holds a scale model of the underground workings and is the single most memorable interpretive element in the park.
Tour availability depends on docent staffing — the park notes it cannot guarantee all scheduled tours will run. Arrive early to sign up, especially on weekends. Groups of 10 or more must book private tours in advance.
Fourteen miles of forest trails are free and open to hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians from the Penn Gate entrance.
Reservations & Fees
Adults $5, youth 6+ $5, children 5 and under free. Trail use only (Penn Gate entrance) is free. Accepted passes include the Historian Passport Day Use Annual Pass and California State Park Adventure Pass. Dogs are allowed on trails and grounds, but not inside buildings.