Walking Wild & Free

Confidence Mine 1

Confidence Mine from the Harry Wade Road

Confidence Mine 1

Confidence Mine from the Harry Wade Road

Follow a wash to one of the oldest gold mines in Death Valley.

Total Distance: 10.4 miles out & back	Elevation Gain: 1,916ft. (27ft. to 1,932ft.)
Difficulty: Strenuous to Very Strenuous	10+ Mile Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous
View Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0 stars2.0	Author’s Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0 stars2.0
Visitor Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0]	Visitor Difficulty Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0]
Pets: No	Horses: Yes
Best Seasons: November-April	Special Permits: None
Water Availability: None	Overnight Options: Dispersed camping permitted
Trailhead Amenities: None	Crowd Factor: Solitude
Trailhead Access: 1.5 (4×4 required when road is flooded)
Uses:	Trail Surface:
Features:	Hazards:

Mile-by-Mile: Confidence Mine from the Harry Wade Road

0.0 Old road to the Confidence Mill along the Harry Wade Road (27ft.). On the opposite side of the road from the old road, head north and a little east into the large wash between the hills. (35.842780°, -116.561001°)

1.5 Mouth of Confidence Wash Canyon (496ft.). The wash is so wide that it’s hard to call it a canyon. But continue north and east between the Talc Hills of the Black Mountains. (35.861734°, -116.551367°)

3.7 Side Canyon 1, on left (1,248ft.). Continue northeast (right) in the main wash. (35.884239°, -116.523645°)

4.2 Canyon splits (1,402ft.). Take the right fork to hike east. (35.885812°, -116.515308°)

5.0 Trail up north hillside (1,659ft.). urn left (north) to ascend the hillside via an old mining road. There seem to be two routes up the mountain, one that goes straight up and the other that zigzags in switchbacks. Take the swtichbacking road, if you can, as it will bring you out on top of the old slag pile.(35.883259°, -116.501679°)

5.2 Confidence Mine (1,932ft.). Explore around if you wish (several old mining roads and trails crisscross the area) before returning to the main wash. An old trail to the left (north) will take you to some old mines and then across the hill to the old prospects (which I describe access to via a different route). (35.884619°, -116.500751°)

History & More

Use care near the old mine shafts. They may be unstable or contain toxic gases.

Old mining roads criss-cross the area, offering some fun options for exploration.

The Confidence Mine was discovered by a local Native woman in the 1890s. In 1895, she sold the mine to Frank Cole and Jimmy Ashdown who did assays and determined that the mine contained valuable gold. They in turn sold it to George Montgomery for $36,000 ($1.1 million in 2020), making it one of the first gold mines in Death Valley. However, the mine and the mill built on the plain below the mine was mostly a bust due to inefficient management, lack of water, and the remoteness of the location.

Even after its initial failure, the mine was worked again in 1909, 1915, and 1934. It was simply too remote to be profitable.

Download Route Map

Driving Directions

The unmarked beginning of the route is 6.7 miles south of the northern end of the Harry Wade Road. If coming from the south, the “trailhead” is 12.5 miles beyond the Owl Hole Spring Road.