New Mexico’s mining history was responsible for the boom – and often bust – of many towns in our state. Some of these places became total ghost towns. Today, abandoned mines and mining equipment tell the story of the success and decline associated with this industry. Here are some creepy abandoned gold mines in New Mexico you might want to keep away from (or check out, we don’t know – and we don’t recommend, either):

1. The headframe is pretty much all that's left of the Kelly Mine, in the ghost town of Kelly.
Kelly, NM 87825, USA
Flickr/Jerry Willis
At one point, this small New Mexico town near Magdalena had 3000 residents and seven saloons!
2. This mine is in the ghost town of Lake Valley in Sierra County.
Lake Valley, NM 87313, USA
Flickr/Bureau of Land Management
During the 1870s, it was a silver boomtown. Nowadays, Lake Valley is a lot quieter.
3. These mining carts can be find in Mogollon, located in the Gila National Forest.
Mogollon, NM 88039, USA
Flickr/Tom Blackwell
$15 million of gold, silver, and copper were extracted from the mines of Mogollon, New Mexico.
4. The Hayner Ruby Mine is in the Organ Mountains.
Flickr/Samat Jain
5. This is the mouth of the Ruby Mine, which looks like it's started to cave in. Yikes.
Flickr/Samat Jain

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6. Old mining equipment like this litters the area around the Ruby Mine.
Ruby Mine, New Mexico 88011, USA
Flickr/Samat Jain
When active, the Hayner Ruby Mine produced fluorite. Don't discount the Organ Mountains, though - they're home to one of our favorite hiking trails in New Mexico.
7. The mining ghost town of Hagan is northeast of Albuquerque.
Flickr/ Keary O.
Even when the coal mine was active, this remained a small town. Today, Hagan, New Mexico is on private property. But you can still view it from the road.
8. Ambrosia Lake is a uranium mine near Grants.
Ambrosia Lake, NM 87013, USA
Wikimedia Commons/ENERGY.GOV
Since 1998, all uranium mines have ceased operating in New Mexico. You can, however, tour uranium mines in New Mexico to this day.
9. This image from 1935 depicts the coal mine in Madrid.
Wikimedia Commons/Unk
For a while it was pretty much deserted, but, in the 1970s, artists revived this small town. (Madrid is a little further south on the Turquoise Trail than Cerrillos.)
To learn more about about New Mexico's mining history in a fun environment, head to the mining museum in Grants.

If you’re interested in knowing which Land of Enchantment towns started out as mining camps, check out these mining towns in New Mexico! Can’t seem to get enough of the abandoned gold mines in New Mexico? What about all the other New Mexico ghost towns there are to explore? Same – check out this epic New Mexico ghost town road trip for some fun. Don’t know what to pack? Check out our definitive road trip packing list for all the essentials!

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Abandoned Gold Mines in New Mexico

Tori Jane | September 11, 2022

How many abandoned New Mexico mines are there?  

  • It’s tough to say exactly how many abandoned New Mexico mines exist out there across the plains, deserts, and canyons of the state, but experts guess that it might be as high as in the tens of thousands. New Mexico is divided into 274 mining districts, and there are numerous abandoned mines in each, resulting in a fascinating but eerily large estimate of just how many there truly are. One thing is for certain: there’s something fascinating and spooky about abandoned mine shafts, and New Mexico is absolutely brimming with them.  

 

Are there any abandoned gold mines in New Mexico?  

Of the tens of thousands of abandoned mines thought to be present in New Mexico, no small number of them happen to have once been booming gold mines.

  • Currently, 36 mining districts in the state of New Mexico have gold mines that are still active, and many more have been lost to time.
  • The first discovery of gold in New Mexico was in Old Placers in 1828. Abandoned mines are easily some of the most dangerous places in New Mexico and should absolutely NOT be explored by anyone who isn’t an expert in the field. They are intensely dangerous and should not be trifled with – no matter how interesting they are!  

 

Where are some amazing abandoned places in New Mexico?  

It seems like you can go on just about any scenic drive in New Mexico and stumble upon numerous abandoned structures, homes, and buildings.

  • There are some amazing ghost towns in New Mexico, where you’ll find even more abandoned places. Some of our favorite abandoned places in New Mexico include gems like old Fort Bayard, in Grant County, which is likely to undergo some renovations soon and may not be abandoned for long.
  • Other favorites include Fort Craig (which is perfect if you enjoyed Fort Bayard), and many New Mexico ghost towns like Organ, Cuervo, Steins, Kelly, and Glenrio. 

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