Water: stream unpurified;
Programs: Mine Tour Blacksmithing Gold Mining & Panning
Treks Camping at French Henry: 12-23 12-34 7-1 9-5
Treks taking program at French Henry: 12-5 12-10 12-16 12-20 12-23 12-29 12-30 12-31 12-34 7-1 7-4 9-5 9-6 9-7 9-14 9-15
Located at 9635; Latitude 36.634 x Longitude -105.18428;
| The history of mining at Philmont dates back to the years immediately after the Civil War. U.S. soldiers were stationed in the West after the war, as the U.S. Army was driving out the Native Americans in the United States. The story is that some of these soldiers stationed at Fort Union traded with Native Americans for copper float. According to the story, some of the soldiers went up Baldy Mountain in 1866 in search of this copper but found gold. They could not stay to mine the gold due to the approaching winter and the area was overrun by miners by the time they returned in the spring.[8] Scores of gold mines were excavated and operated into the early 20th century on what was once the Baldy Mining District, now modern day Philmont. It is a common joke at Philmont that some day the mines under Baldy will collapse and Phillips will be the highest mountain in Philmont. The Contention Mine, located at Cyphers Mine, and the Aztec Mine, located at French Henry, are open to guided tours. |
Blacksmithing
Gold Mining & Panning
Staff Cabin
Mine Tour
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