Outbound Collective logo

Hike to Buckley's Abandoned Mine

Provo, Utah

4.6/5
based on 15 reviews

Details

Distance

3 miles

Elevation Gain

200 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Josh Anderson

Crazy cool abandoned mine to explore!

Once you reach the mine it's gated but you can slide in. Follow the main tunnel a hundred or so feet back and climb the 75 foot ladder up to the second level. You can then make your way back out to the cliff face where there is another gate to the outside. That gate is a little trickier to squeeze through but it's a great spot for a campfire on the other side. Bring some wood and mallows to toast.

It's about an hour hike to reach the mine entrance starting from the rock canyon parking lot. You can climb around in the mine for an hour or more as there are tons of tunnels branching off from the main ones. You follow the main trail from the rock canyon parking lot for about a mile and cross the first bridge. Then there is a rock slide on the north side that you climb to the top of and then turn west (left) to hike along the cliff face around a few points. It's hard to spot the turn off from the main trail as well as the mine itself as it is 20 feet or so above the end of the trail.

I found this YouTube video that lead us there:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w4-NrkWEeM

Read More

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin
Camping
Photography
Hiking
Easy Parking
Scenic
Wildflowers

Reviews

The hike was great and the YouTube video helped a bunch, but just like people have said, the lower entrance is closed. There is a very small entrance that if you’re small enough you can fit through. Some of the group couldn’t, but it’s very neat both inside and out. The view is great too!

I have done this hike probably 7 different times over the past few years and have loved it. It is a mix between a scramble and a hike. That youtube video is awesome but it doesn't really show how to get to the top entrance now that the bottom is blocked off. If you do not have climbing gear or don't want to haul it up, you can just hike to the top entrance. Basically you just head up the same trail that would lead you to the bottom entrance of the mine until you reach a rock slide where you have the option to drop down to the lower entrance trail or up above it looks like the trail stops and there is no way up. Instead of dropping down, scramble a little ways higher to find a middle trail that will traverse over a few rock obstacles and then head along a exposed ridge. (not terribly exposed though- I did it once with ice and snow on the trail and you just had to be careful and go slow.) After two "bends" on the trail you will be able to see the top entrance. Upon getting there it will look like you have to squeeze through the very top in order to get in which is very tight for a lot of people. Instead of doing that, there is a bar on the bottom left of the gate that can be pulled out and then its super easy to get in. The mine has 4, maybe 5 levels, but only two can be reasonable explored without climbing/repelling gear. (And its honestly pretty wet and the anchors are rusted and sketch so I would avoid it :) There's a super cool 50-60 foot wooden ladder that gives access to the first level from the top entrance. Stay safe and have fun!

amazing scrambling hike with stellar views. I wouldn't recommend if you get vertigo and are afraid of heights

It’s a pretty intense hike with great views. It’s kind of a bummer that the bottom entrance is closed off, but we brought climbing gear and got to the top entrance Which has a hole in the gate. There’s lots to explore! The only part downside was the climb to get to the upper entrance was super dirty and threw lots of rocks down on the belayer.

Update: Went again this year. Entrance is all cemented now. No way to get in... The hike up is awesome, video helped me figure out where to go. Basically after you cross the first bridge on the main trail, look for a turn off to the left with a ton of rocks. This will be before you hit the second bridge, and that's where it starts. Trail is an awesome hike with great views. Mine is so sweet to explore! The ladder... that was pretty sketchy, but really awesome.

The entrance is completely sealed off with cement. There is a small whole that you can look through but there is no way of getting into the tunnels. It was still a fun hike though and the views were awesome!

I did the hike last week and it was sick! I loved the hike! It was a little difficult but worth it. But when I got up to the mine it was cemented in, unable to get inside which was a huge bummer. Even the second entrance is blocked off with more metal bars

The trail to the mine was a bit tricky, lots of steep shale. We stayed too long and had to come down the shale in the dark which wasn't very fun. Since the mine is not a natural cave there is not nearly as much need to worry about getting lost in the mine. The tunnels are pretty straightforward. However, when we went some nice hiker had left a spool of fishing line so that you can leave a trail. Just make sure you coil it back up for others to use :)

One of my new favorite adventures! Hiking up to the mine is a bit of a challenge because a significant portion of the trail is very steep and on shale. We brought headlamps to explore the mine, which we were very grateful for when we climbed up the ladder and were in tighter areas! Next time I want to bring string so we can explore the mine more without worrying about getting lost

It was a super fun little hike that goes up a lot of shale. Beautiful views and rock as you get closer to the mine. The ladder in the mine is not nearly as sketchy as we had imagined. We also just looked for some string someone left behind to lead us through the mine. It's a good time for sure, especially if you want to try something a little different.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Snowshoe the Rock Canyon Trail

Hike Squaw Peak

Rock Climb in Rock Canyon

The Y Trail

Hike to Summit of Buffalo Peak

Hike to the Summit of Buckley Mountain