vulture mine tours wickenburg az

Vulture Mine Tour

Text and Photos by Carrie M. Miner

The legendary Vulture Mine offers visitors a glimpse of a vanished world, the chance to meet some ghosts, and an object lesson in the grim cost of striking it rich. Although the Vulture was the largest producing gold mine in Arizona, it never paid off for its investors or its discoverer, Henry Wickenburg. The mine changed hands several times due to theft (better known as "highgrading"), the lack of a reliable water supply, and a series of financial scandals and setbacks. It shut down for good in 1942. Now, it is a popular tourist attraction, luring visitors from nearby Wickenburg, the town named for the hapless Henry.

The Vulture Mine-Assay office, built in 1884, in Vulture City. Photo by  CC BY-SA 3.0 .

The Vulture Mine’s self-guided tour begins at the Vulture’s Roost, a wood-framed building housing a collection of mining memorabilia and ore samples from the mine and surrounding area. Visitors pay their admission, and they are given a "treasure map" of the town, once known as Vulture City.

The entrance to the gold mine shaft.  By  CC BY-SA 3.0

South of the blacksmith shop, a road leads visitors to the ball mill where steel balls crushed rubble and low grade ore for the cyanide leaching process used in the later years of the mine’s production. The cyanide storage room, with its heavily barred windows, and the ball mill sit at the far end of town overlooking the white-encrusted leaching pits. From there, the trail loops back to its beginning past the mine’s tailings, Henry Wickenburg’s original home, and the infamous Hanging Tree, where eighteen residents ended their lives for the crimes of rape, murder and highgrading.

Another group of buildings served as bunkhouses, a jail, whorehouses, hotels and even apartments. Visitors also can tour the old mess hall with its cast iron stove and wooden ice chest and the odd assortments of pans, dishes and canisters. Although it is not shown on the map, the original schoolhouse, on the other side of town, is open to the public. A second schoolhouse, built to accommodate the city’s growing needs, is used for storage. Outside the schoolhouses, wooden picnic tables, the remains of two wooden teeter-totters, and a dilapidated slide and swing set entertain the imagination.

At its peak, Vulture City reached a population of five thousand, but it now mainly houses rattlesnakes, lizards and an occasional ghost. Speculation holds that the Vulture’s doors will once again open to a flow of gold, as local lore hints that most of the mine’s rich resources still lie untouched. Overhead, vultures soar in the thermals as a grim reminder.

To reach the Vulture Mine, take Route 60 west two and one half miles out of Wickenburg to the Vulture Mine Road. Turn south on the road and travel twelve miles to the mine. For more information, call 1-602-859-2743.

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Vulture City Ghost Town

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Vulture City Ghost Town - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Thu - Sun 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Ghosts of the Past: Vulture Mine

The Sonoran Desert around Wickenburg, AZ, is not the kind of place most people want to be in the middle of July. It's hot, well into the hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest place many may ever visit in their lifetimes.

Some people call me crazy, as it is also my favorite time of the year. I think I might be part lizard or something. The heat has never bothered me. In fact, I rather enjoy it most of the time.

But even more so, I enjoy how the crowds of winter have all retreated indoors. I believe that the hottest days are the best days to visit tourist attractions in Arizona, especially for people like me who love taking photos and making videos. You'll almost always get a place all to yourself.

So it should be no surprise that on a very hot July day, I set off to explore some of the recently renovated buildings of Vulture City Ghost Town, right outside of Wickenburg, AZ.

I'm not going to give a complete history lesson here, but should say a couple quick words about what this place is.

Vulture City is a ghost town... the remnants of a mining town that sprung up in response to the discovery of gold by pioneer Henry Wickenburg, back in 1863. Several thousand people once called Vulture City home. The town contained an assay office, brothel, living quarters and much more.

Over the years, the town was left in state of arrested decay. The dry climate slowed the deterioration of many buildings, and eventually the owners of the property allowed folks to take self guided tours of the area.

My wife and I did one such tour almost a decade ago, before the renovations of the remaining buildings began. Before the current mining company that owns the surrounding area started strip mining, making many of the historical sites off limits, perhaps forever.

It was a photographer's paradise back in the day. It used to have an urban-exploration sort of feeling. Enough of a sense of danger to keep things exciting.

Now fast forward to today. As I drove out to see this place again, I was very skeptical. Some of my favorite buildings are no longer open, and the ones that are have been fixed up and renovated. Would this town still have the same feel like it did before? I had my doubts.

Let's start off with an example of what I mean. Back in 2010, on our first visit, we snapped a photo of Henry Wickenburg's cabin, located on this property.

You can see it was pretty much a pile of rubble, with the original door frame stubbornly hanging on for a few remaining years. The desert was well in the process of reclaiming the few remaining structures in this town. You really had to use your imagination, but seeing things untouched like this has a certain charm.

And now, let's take a look at Wickenburg's cabin as it is today.

You can clearly see the transformation. Signage in the park and the caretakers will tell you that buildings like this were reconstructed with historical accuracy, using as much of the original structures as possible.

Wickenburg's cabin and the "Hanging Tree" that sits in front of it are among my favorite things to see here, and I made a beeline for them upon my revisit. If the tree and cabin were still impressive, I knew all would be okay.

Upon walking into the cabin, I could feel much of the originality and authenticity of the structure. To my surprise and relief, I felt that the renovations would not cheapen the experience of visiting here. These buildings still felt like the real deal.

One of the benefits of the overall renovations is that a particular building that was previously off limits (since the roof was caving in), the old Assay Office, was now open. To me, it is the most interesting of all the buildings. It's certainly the largest. On my visit in 2010, I was very disappointed when I found out that you could not enter it.

I would now have my chance. Upon entering the first room, I was greeted by an overwhelming amount of mining paraphernalia. The air smelled old and musty. You could almost taste the dankness and the dust (in a good way). The floor was old, wooden and rickety. The wind was blowing hard that day, and the roof was very loud and creaky. This was the Vulture City that I remember. The one that takes you back in the time. The somewhat creepy place that is supposed to be very haunted (in case you enjoy the paranormal).

My wife was out exploring another building, and I found myself completely alone in the assay office, which was built back in 1884. I'm not a believer in ghosts, but even for a skeptic like me, I'll admit that I looked over my shoulder more than once while exploring it. At one point a door opened by itself due to the windy conditions, making a loud creaking noise as it did. Yeah, it gave me a bit of a start, what can I say?

I decided to speak out an invite any ghostly residents to do something for my camera, but alas, I never did experience anything paranormal that day.

The assay office also contains a very old kitchen area, and an upstairs portion, which was sadly currently off limits. But, there is a lot of variety here, all of it feeling very untouched and original.

Vulture City has many other buildings to explore, including an old brothel. I don't want to spoil it all for you. There is so much worth seeing here.

I did however experience a couple disappointments during my revisit however. Several of my favorite things to see were no longer accessible due to nearby modern mining operations. Those included an old engine room bordering the shaft of the original mine, an old schoolhouse, as well as a feature known as "the Glory Hole", which was where a large portion of the original mine caved in, killing several miners and their mules in the early 20th century.

I found it sad and annoying that investors, most likely from far off lands, were profiting from strip mining the neighboring lands, giving no regard to the history of the area. And the ceaseless noise caused by their tractors and equipment took away from some of the ambience of the location.

Thankfully though, much remains and is safe for the time being, so kudos to the current owners and the efforts they are taking to preserve what they can.

If you ever get a chance to visit, you won't regret it. It's got rich history if that's your thing. It's got an almost legendary reputation for being a hotbed of paranormal activity if you are in to that. There are countless old mining relics spread about the grounds, and many more buildings to see that I did not mention in this article.

They also give guided tours and often host a lot of special events at Vulture City, so keep an eye out for those things! You don't want to miss out!

So if you want to take a journey back in time and are in the Phoenix, AZ area, Wickenburg is not far away and well worth the stop. We plan on returning soon to see the progress they have made with renovations since the last time. And, maybe next time I will finally get to see my first ghostly apparition!

Vulture City Ghost Town

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Review Highlights

“ Nearby sits Henry Wickenburg 's original home (not to be confused with the one in the center of Wickenburg itself. ” in 4 reviews

“ We were on our way to Las Vegas and read about the The Vulture Mine in Wickenburg, AZ. ” in 4 reviews

“ I learned a lot about what gold mining was like in the past and how it is today. ” in 3 reviews

Location & Hours

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36610 N 355th Ave

Wickenburg, AZ 85390

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We toured Vulture City this past Monday, driving the 78 miles from Prescott on a lovely late winter afternoon. The temperature was in the 50's which made for a very pleasant trip. We almost went last September when it was hot and sticky, which would have been much less pleasant, as the ghost town is in the open desert with very little shade, other than when you go into the various buildings. There was a smattering of other visitors when we arrived, so parking was not difficult to find. We went to the small check-in kiosk where a pleasant young lady greeted us and collected our admission fees, $12 for each of us senior citizens. My husband also bought a challenge coin. We both signed a liability waiver (you wander about in dilapidated buildings and areas, so they want you to be aware!) and were handed a laminated map/guide booklet for the self-guided tour. The guidebook is clearly marked with each of the 19 buildings and areas that are open to visit. First, we went to the power house where we saw a huge WWI submarine diesel generator that was used to run the mine. Next, we toured a small garage complete with vintage artifacts. Other places we went to included the gas station (with a 1924 National Cash Register), pump house, Vulture's Roost which was the private residence of the mine manager and is now a small museum, blacksmith shop, post office, assay building, Henry Wickenburg's first cabin, doctor's office, brothel, and boarding house, and bunkhouse. In most of the buildings, there are signs warning visitors "You are on candid camera!" We looked for the cameras and didn't see them until we got to the gas station. There they were. There are many vintage items scattered about; you hope people would not be crapheads and steal them, but you know human nature! Glad there *are* cameras! The assay building was very interesting. That is where they did the smelting, weighing, and storing the gold. Also on display was the guards' living quarters and kitchen. The guards had a window above the floor vault so they could watch that no one stole gold. We noticed an old stairwell outside the kitchen area. A gate in front was unlocked, with the padlock open. It led to the guards' sleeping quarters. I remember seeing that area on Arizona Highways. We went up the stairwell and saw the guards' beds (they looked very uncomfortable) and chamber pots. We learned later that those are the original and rickety stairs, and it was supposed to be locked and off limits to visitors (oops). Next to Henry Wickenburg's cabin is the (in)famous "Hanging Tree" where 18 gold thieves or murderers were reportedly hanged! There is a threadbare and broken rope - original??? The doctor's office/brothel/rooming house is very interesting; you know which is the brothel because there are coins on the bed. We were not able to go into the cookhouse because it was closed off, and never found the church. Workmen were working on one of the buildings while we were there. Scattered about were various Halloween type displays including a mini outhouse where you could take your photo inside a pumpkin. I am guessing they decorate for Halloween. It does kind of detract from the historical nature of the place, especially in late February. Speaking of outhouses, there is a clean modern restroom labeled "Outhouse" near the Wickenburg cabin. Very appreciated! There is nowhere to buy food or drink although there is a concession stand which I assume is used for special events or perhaps weekends. It was not open. You can buy wrapped candy in the check-in place. It was wonderful being able to roam freely throughout the town. We encountered only a handful of others the entire time we were there; it felt like we had the place to ourselves. Overall, we enjoyed our visit and learned quite a bit. The private owners obviously have poured much love and money to restore the town. It is very much worth a visit if you are in the area. Note: It would not be interesting to small children, and I'd be worried about them tripping or hurting themselves. I'd recommend it for ages 9 and up.

See all photos from Karen S. for Vulture City Ghost Town

My husband, my 12 year old son, and myself visited the Vulture City Ghost Town during our week long visit to Goodyear, AZ. It's a perfect quick trip and a lot of fun. I'd say you can tour the area in about an hour. Easy drive from Goodyear area. Lots to explore and enjoy!! Worth the trip!!

I LOVE ghost towns. Abandoned ones. Renovated ones, you name it. Vulture City was on my bucket list for things in the area when I was on my was to Phoenix. It was easy to find, the parking was plentiful and there was no line (and almost nobody else there). I really appreciate that the owners put so much time and care into renovating the buildings which were crumbling not long ago. If you want to see authentic buildings in good shape then this is the place to visit. However, I wasn't a big fan of the random Halloween/ horror themed art throughout the property. I appreciate that they had an artist in residence in one of the buildings and the art was really well done, but it felt out of place and made the whole thing feel a bit inauthentic. I feel like the town is more geared to people with kids (even though I did enjoy petting the donkey myself).

See all photos from Amanda M. for Vulture City Ghost Town

What a cool freaking place to visit! I am so glad I went. I had no idea this place existed, there's not much in the area to be honest but a friend visiting from out of town suggested it. We both love to take photos of neat and funky places so we thought we'd check it out. Wow! There was way more to it than I thought. When you check in the friendly person at the desk tells you all about the history of it and your entrance fees go right back into taking great care of the property. Once you spend some time and get a feel for the place you can see all the updates they've done to some of the buildings over the years. I would definitely make a trip back here once again. Cool for families, couples, singles, locals and tourists.

My husband and I drove out to Wickenburg, AZ from Prescott, AZ, which was about an hour and a half drive for us, but this place is about 14 miles off from the main road. The gates were open, but there wasn't a soul there. It was great! We met a volunteer named Laurie- who needs to be hired full-time, or given a raise! She was extremely kind and informative. We were given a map and it's a self-guided tour. It takes about an hour/hour and a half to go through the whole town. We had a ghost meter, which jumped to the highest scale a couple of times, near the Brothel. Really cool place to visit off the beaten path. Highly recommend. FYI: Check the hours before going here. The summer hours are 8:00am- 2:00pm as of right now. No night tours; however, you can book a private ghost tour online. They accept cash or credit cards for the entry fee and they also sell souvenirs.

We went for Halloween fun with a few other families. Children ages 2-17. I called ahead to see if this place was appropriate and fun for children, the lady on the phone stated "oh absolutely there is so much to do". There was NOTHING TO DOOOOOOO. There was food, a fire pit, a few carved pumpkins to see, a brothel pumpkin haunted buildings (which was NOT appropriate for kids), my kids did enjoy the 15 minute puppet show tho. That is all there is to do. We did see face painting but it was too cold for that. This place needs so much more for Halloween than just a few carved pumpkins. It needs more things for kids, a bounce house, some games, pumpkin painting, a pony ride, maybe some items for sale, like some artwork, some Carmel apples, cotton candy, COFFEE, HOT COCOA, anything else would have made this place sooo much better. My family paid $65 for entry and it just wasn't worth it because all you could do is walk around the place and it wasn't very big at all. Just really a disappointment. The drive was so beautiful and the area is beautiful but it def needs to be revamped and so much more needs to be added for the price you pay to get in.

I loved this place for numerous reasons. First the history of gold mining here in Arizona. I was only familiar with copper mining. Vulture city gives you a "birds eye view". Sorry!! About the life of miners during and after the gold rush of the mid to late 1800's. There are 16 original buildings that are constantly taking shape with period time pieces as well as shoring up some of the buildings that fell into disrepair since the off and on closings since WWII. You can enter ALL buildings. There are no guided tours during the summer months, but everything is well marked and a laminated guide to take you through the entire city. It's the only place that gives you free popsicles to keep you hydrated. Also, the lady who checked us in was very knowledgeable.

Took my brothers, nephew and son to this place and we loved it. I had a concern that since it was an hour drive from Phoenix that there wouldnt be a lot of content, but I was wrong. The place is super interesting. We had saw the 2 Ghost Adventurers episodes showing this town, so we decided to make the trek and was not disappointed. We did end up having a random door close on us scaring the bejeezus out of my nephew. I want to come back for one of their late night ghost tours.. highly recommend it.

If you're a lover of history Vulture Mine is a must stop just out of Wickenburg. Once a booming gold mine it closed around 1942 for an extended time, but is now privately owned and is operating on a separate property not open to the public. Here you can take guided tours as well as self guided taking you back in time. We've been a few times to visit and around 2011 or so they were still restoring some of the buildings, but as of now most are complete and still so cool if not cooler. One of the most interesting things to me was and still is the Hanging Tree where it's said some 18 miners were hung for theft. Nearby sits Henry Wickenburg's original home (not to be confused with the one in the center of Wickenburg itself. It is said the tree is estimated to be hundred of years old There are picnic tables to enjoy snacks etc , dogs on leash are also welcome, so bring those furry family members along. Dress accordingly it gets pretty hot here.

So creepy and so cool!

We took the paranormal night tour this past weekend and it did not disappoint. The tour guide was great and very informative. We even caught some cool stuff on camera. We plan on going back for a day visit soon.

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Vulture City Ghost Town

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Vulture City Ghost Town - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

• Thu - Sun 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Vulture City, Arizona. Ghost Town Near Wickenburg.

By AZ Leisure Staff Writers

Exuding that unmistakable atmosphere of a western ghost town, Maricopa County's Vulture City was once one of the richest gold mines in the west. Discovered in 1863 by Henry Wickenburg, Vulture Mine, which is near Wickenburg, Arizona was one of the Arizona Territory's richest mines and it was still producing, at decreased levels, until World War II. Today, this ghost town provides visitors with the opportunity to see a genuine vision of what life was like in an old west mining town. Many buildings remain in tact and there is also a fair amount of mining equipment to see. Unlike many ghost towns today, Vulture City has not been remade into a "rebuilt tourist" destination-it still retains its authenticity and many visitors come to enjoy it throughout the year.

Vulture Mine's Early Days

Despite early management problems, Vulture Mine's wealth allowed the camp to blossom into a self-contained town by 1880. Along with roughly six boarding houses, the town boasted a cookhouse and mess hall, a blacksmith shop, several buildings associated with the mine, stores, offices, saloons, and even a school. By this time there were about three hundred miners and their families living in town. Vulture City peaked with a population of about 5,000 residents. Owner after owner would face many challenges turning a profit with the mine over the next several decades as the main gold vein was lost. However, the mine was not officially shut down until 1942. Throughout its lifespan, the mines at Vulture City officially produced upwards of two hundred million dollars in gold.

Vulture City Today

Although privately owned, this old ghost town is open to the public for a small fee. Because it rates so highly among ghost town enthusiasts, Vulture City is a big Arizona attraction. There are a variety of town highlights that should not be missed on a visit. Henry Wickenburg's cabin still remains as is the nearby ironwood hanging tree where 18 men were hung on charges of high grading (stealing ore).

There are many buildings in their original form around the site. Many are unstable as they have not been restored. The camp's largest structure is a two-story building that once housed the mine's office. This building also contained the assay office as well as an underground vault that once stored bars of gold. The blacksmith's shop can also be seen as well as many other historic structures. Many of the office workers' and mine worker's possessions can be seen in the dwellings where they once lived. Visitors will come across many period relics including tables, chairs, clothes, and other antique objects that nearly bring the rooms back to life.

Getting To Vulture City

From Phoenix. Take US 60 (Grand Avenue) northwest to Wickenburg, Arizona which is about 50 miles from downtown Phoenix . Upon reaching Wickenburg continue west on US 60 for about 2.5 miles to Vulture Mine Road. Turn south and travel about 12 miles to Vulture City. Vulture City is open to visitors from September through June. Nominal fees are charged to tour the town.

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Vulture City Ghost Town

As we remain open to visitors, we have initiated a stringent sanitization protocol. In that spirit, we request that all visitors please either pre-purchase General Admission online or have exact cash upon arrival.

Visit us at Vulture City to remem...

About Vulture City Ghost Town

Visit us at Vulture City to remember and celebrate the history of the American West. We are located 12 miles outside of Wickenburg, Arizona. Visitors are thrown back in time by the many faithfully restored buildings and remaining artifacts as they enjoy a 1/2 mile gravel path walk through the town.

Restoration of the remaining buildings are nearing completion and curating/landscaping have become the new focus. With over 12 faithfully restored buildings and countless artifacts, the tour provides a glimpse of the mining culture and lifestyle in the American Southwest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors are invited to explore the heart of the once-booming mining town. Please visit the information page for more details about the tour. This abandoned settlement nestled into the breathtaking landscape of the Sonoran Desert , was established in 1863 and developed to meet the needs of Arizona's most successful gold mine. Vulture Citys population quickly rose to 5,000 residents. From 1863 to 1942, the mine produced 340,000 ounces of gold and 260,000 ounces of silver and has been credited with founding the town of Wickenburg . This rise to fame came as swiftly as its fall and in 1942 the War Production Board ordered the closing of all non-essential mines to ensure that resources were focused on the war effort. The closing of the mine determined the fate of Vulture City and the town was abandoned shortly thereafter.

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Tour Vulture City, Arizona's Eeriest Ghost Town

Vulture City was once the embodiment of the 'Wild West,' but now sits, dilapidated, in the center of Arizona's desert landscape.

Located roughly in the center of Arizona, the rather unappealingly named Vulture City sits as one of the most enticing ghost towns in the United States. Vulture City is located at the site of the defunct Vulture Mine in Maricopa Country in Arizona and offers a refreshing break from the heavily regulated tours of State Parks around the country.

If one would like to see an American ghost town come alive, visit the ghost town of Bannock in Montanna. The next time it is scheduled to become alive is on the next Bannack Days scheduled for July 16-17, 2022.

History Of Vulture City

Abandoned America says of Vulture City:

" The history of Vulture City, the most significant ghost town in Arizona, reads like a dime store western novel, full of Apache raids and stagecoach robberies. Attempting to find any concrete truth buried in a never-ending stream of conflicting and inaccurate accounts feels a little like panning for flecks of gold in a nearly barren claim ."

The Vulture Mine was a gold mine discovered in 1863 and was the most productive gold mine in the history of Arizona. It all started when Henry Wickenburg - a prospector from California's gold rush stumbled on quartz containing gold while traveling through the region. He started mining the outcrop himself

Over the course of the Vulture gold mine's life from 1863 to 1942, it managed to yield some 340,000 ounces of gold along with some 260,000 ounces of silver - an incredible amount.

• Population: Peaked At 5,000 in 1880
• Buildings The Town Had: General Stores, Saloons, Brothels, Mess Hall, Blacksmith Shop, Boarding Houses, a School
• Henry Wickenburg: Discovered The Gold, Was The Town's Postmaster, School Inspector, a Judge, And Justice of the Peace
• Death: In the End, Wickenburg Donated What Was Left Of His Property, Broke and Melancholy Took His Own Life In 1905

Soon the mining town, Vulture City, sprang up and the settlement's post office was established in 1880. The town grew to peak at around 5,000 residents and many of the buildings like the huge Vulture Mine-Assay Office building still stands today (built 1884).

Related: 20 American Ghost Towns You Should Visit (But Not Alone)

From Abandonment to Modern Attraction

As often happens with gold mining boom towns, after the mine closed, the settlement was abandoned and its buildings decayed. One boom town, Virginia City, in Nevada, has managed to preserve itself by reinventing itself as a living Old West Town .

• Closed: Vulture Mine Closed For Good In 1942

While much of the popular perception of the "Wild West" is mythical and romantic. There were no "pistols at dawn" or other Hollywood creations, this town seems to have been the embodiment of the idea of the Wild West. It was marked by violence with 18 men being hanged on an ironwood tree by the ruins of Henry Wickenburg's house.

• Wild West: Vulture City Was The Embodiment of the Perception of the Wild West

Today the buildings and the Vulture Mine are privately owned. But two-hour guided walking tours are offered of the historic Vulture mine.

Visiting this historic site, visitors are thrown back in time. Many of the buildings and remaining artifacts have been faithfully restored along the 0.5-mile long gravel path walk. One will see how boom goes to bust. One will be able to explore the Assay Office, Cookhouse, Brothel, Post Office, Henry Wickenburg’s Original Home, and of course the infamous Hanging Tree!

Related: 25 Images Of Ghost Towns That Everyone Forgot About

Vulture Mine Tours & Admission

The Vulture Mine Tour offers a glimpse of the olden days and the golden days of the town. Besides the mine, the tour also goes through some of the remaining buildings of Vulture City.

According to Abandoned America , for a minimal fee, visitors can wander around the remnants of Vulture City unsupervised. It is said to be a vastly different experience than some of the more regulated touristic ruins one might be used to visiting. Visitors are expected to use their own common sense when exploring these often collapsing buildings.

The site is open to the public for self-guided tours daily from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm during the summer months. But it is open from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm from the beginning of October. Their guided tours run from late October to mid-may on Saturdays and Sundays.

Open 7 Days a Week:

• Monday to Thursday: 9.00 am to 3.00 pm (8.00 am to 2.00 pm In The Summer Months)
• Friday to Sunday: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

The 2-hour guided tour is offered on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 am. Private tours are available on request.

• General Admission: $15.00 Per Person
• Children: $7.00 (Aged 7 to 11 - under 6 Free)
• Pets: Leashed Dogs Are Welcome
• Reservations: Not Required Unless Coming With a Group of 15 or more

Located in the beautiful Sonoran Desert (12 miles outside of Wickenburg) a trip here is a celebration of the American Wild West.

Next: The Eerie California Ghost Town Looks Like An (Abandoned) Wild West Movie Set

Visiting Vulture City Ghost Town in Wickenburg, Arizona

If you love road trips and live in Arizona, you HAVE TO get up to Wickenburg and check out this really cool little Ghost Town known as the Vulture City Ghost Town.

Wickenburg, Arizona

I LOVE weekend getaways and even though I live only an hour away from Wickenburg, Arizona, it took me years before I finally went to visit it.

I’m not sure what took me so long.

The town of Wickenburg is lined with really cute shops and restaurants. And you can make an entire day out of strolling through the quaint little town.

Our purpose for going up there was to stay at the Rancho De Los Caballeros , a luxury all-inclusive dude ranch for a mother-daughter weekend getaway.

Related: Visiting An Arizona Dude Ranch

On the day we checked out of the dude ranch, we were reluctant to head home! The concierge told us about a small little ghost mining town not too far away so we jumped at the chance to extend our little trip.

Vulture City Ghost Town

Vulture city ghost town is a small little town about 12 miles outside of Wickenburg and you can take tours of the historical area.

It first became a town all the way back in 1863 (who would think to find gold in the middle of the desert back then!) and stayed in business all the way until 1943. The town produced over 340,000 ounces of gold and 260,000 ounces of silver. and pretty much founded the town of Wickenburg.

What remains today is a shell of an old town, but is almost completely still intact. You can see everything from an old gas station to mining equipment and even beds and bottles.

You can take a guided tour or a self-guided tour (which means you walk around on your own). I highly recommend the guided tour!

We signed up for the guided tour and there were about 10 of us in total. Our tour guide gave us tons of infomration that we never would have known if we had done a self-guided tour.

Without the tour guide, we would have jsut walked around the abondanoned town and saw some old building. But our tour guide gave us tons of facts about the town and fun stories about the poeple who lived and worked (and died) there.

Touring the Ghost Town

If you have a chance to get up to Wickenburg, you definitely need to check this town out. It was a great source of historical information and a fun outdoor acitivty that only took a few hours.

You don’t need to set aside an entire day to see this great mining town. We followed the guided tour and were done in about 2 hours. Even after your tour, they give you plenty of time to walk around the town on your own.

We used that time as an opportunity to take photos. Even though the entire town was pretty quiet to begin with!

Here are some photos of the Vulture City Ghost Town that you can see when you go on your tour…

If you want to go see Vulture City Ghost Town, check out their website HERE for more information including what time they are open and how much it costs (very minimal!).

Walking around is very easy. The entire path is light gravel, flat path. You can easily access it with strollers and wheelchairs. The only hard part might be getting into some of the buildings, but it is possible!

Unforutnaelt , we did not see any ghosts! But you never know ….

You Might Also Be Interested In These Other Great Arizona Activitie:

• Spend a Day Renting A Boat On Saguaro Lake
• Enjoy a Stay at the Strawberry Inn in Pine, Arizona
• Hiking Wagon Wheel Falls in Payson

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Very cool…we will take a fay to tour this historic site…nice article…

Thank you! It is definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

While you are up there stop by The Flying-E Dude Ranch as well. Great place for a relaxing weekend!

I’ll check them out, Thanks!

I lived there in 53. Worked at KL Bar. Met Everett Bowman, world champion cowboy from 1924 to43. He had a dance hall in a new built barn. Dude ranch guests went to dance and look at his trophies, ssddles and awards. Lifelong memories. Favorite place of mine was Roundup Cafe n Greyhound bus stop. Hung there at nite with Shirley who worked there. Still think of her.

This sounds like such a great memory!

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Legends of America

Traveling through american history, destinations & legends since 2003., vulture city, arizona – gold mine ghost town.

Vulture City, Arizona Mining Remains by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

Vulture City, Arizona , once a popular gold mining camp, is a ghost town located at the site of the defunct Vulture Mine in Maricopa County.

Henry Wickenburg

In 1862, Henry Wickenburg, a former California Goldrush prospector, traveled with several other men to look for gold in Arizona. In 1863, he came across a quartz outcropping containing gold. A claim was soon staked and Wickenburg began to work the mine by himself. He named his mine after the many vultures in the area. Before long, however, Wickenburg decided he didn’t want to do the physical work himself and allowed other miners to work the Vulture Mine for a flat fee of $15.00 a ton. Soon, a community developed around the mine, which became known as Vulture City.

In 1866, Henry sold an 80% interest in the mine for $85,000, in exchange for a $20,000 down payment, with the balance to be paid via a promissory note. He moved northward, settling on a ranch site near the town that bears his name today. Another man who came to the area at about the same time was Jack Swilling. A former Confederate officer, Swilling was a visionary who seized the chance to clear out the ancient irrigation canals the Hohokam Indians had dug generations ago near the Salt River Valley. Henry Wickenburg helped to finance the “Swilling Irrigation and Canal Company” in the fall of 1867. The Ditch Project, which later became the Salt River Project, led to the development of central Arizona’s agricultural communities, including Phoenix, as well as providing water for the operation of the Vulture Mine.

The Swilling Canal in 1909.

By the late 1860s, the Vulture Mine was described as “the largest and richest gold mine” in Arizona. Between 1868 and 1871 the Vulture Mining Company poured money into developing the property and workmen built an office, dwelling house, and a store. At the mill site, they put up offices, a warehouse, a boarding house, and several other buildings. A 12-acre garden was planted along the river to raise vegetables to support about 150 men who were working at the site.

Though the mine was doing well, it was isolated and vulnerable to Indian attacks. In its earliest years, the miners were fortunate because they had little trouble, but that changed in 1868 when the Apache began to harass the miners, forcing the Vulture Mining Company to employ men to escort ore and supply trains traveling to and from the mine. In 1869, most of all the animals were stolen and in September, three men were killed. Apache raids weren’t the only problem at the mine, as many of the miners, millhands, and teamsters were known to be guilty of “high grading,” or stealing gold ore.

Vulture City, Arizona, 1870s. Touch of color by LOA.

By 1872, the mine’s principal ore body was worked out and during the financial panic of 1873, the Vulture Mining Company, which was heavily in debt closed down the mine and the mill. Up until this time, Henry Wickenburg remained a partner in the operation, though the company never paid on the promissory note, claiming that Wickenburg did not have a clear title to the property. Unfortunately, Henry Wickenburg would not share in the wealth the mine produced.

Over the next several years, there were several attempts made to reopen the mine, as several mining companies probed deeper and worked the old mine tailings.

The building of the Southern Pacific Railroad from Yuma across southern Arizona rekindled more interest in the Vulture Mine as transportation costs had been a major factor in the Vulture Company’s costs. Though the railroad was about 50 miles to the south, investors saw the possibility of branch lines and the future of the mine brightened. In 1878, in walked the Central Arizona Mining Company along with new workmen. In 1880, Vulture City boasted an 80-stamp mill crushing its ore, an assay office, blacksmith shop, several boarding houses, carpenter shop, cookhouse/mess hall, laundry, offices, saloons, stores, multiple small homes, a school, and warehouses. A new pumping plant along the Hassayampa River moved water along a pipeline to the mine. A post office opened in Vulture City on October 4, 1880, with Henry Wickenburg as the first postmaster.

Though the Central Arizona Mining Company had high hopes and predicted positive returns to its investors, they suffered management and financial problems and 1883 was the last year of major operations when the mine produced slightly over $210,000 but paid no dividends to its investors. At this point, Vulture City consisted of several stores, a Wells Fargo office, a post office, a school, and several houses. One writer of the time described the settlement as “a neat village” and praised the town for its free reading hall and Literary Society. In 1884, the Central Arizona Mining Company closed its operations and leased the property. With high debts, the company soon became embroiled in litigation.

The Mine & Assay Office in Vulture, Arizona was built by the Central Arizona Mining Company in 1884. Photo by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

The Mine Office & Assay building in Vulture City, Arizona has been restored today. Photo courtesy Vulture Mine Tours .

Vulture City, Arizona, 1900.

In March 1887, famed Leadville , Colorado  silver mining millionaire,  Horace A. Tabor , purchased the Vulture Mine. For the first time in its history, the mine had an experienced and financially secure owner. However, exactly one year after his purchase, Tabor was stunned by the robbery of a gold shipment on the road from Wickenburg to Phoenix. On March 19th a gang attacked and killed the mine superintendent and two guards, before making off with a gold bar valued at $7,000. Tabor immediately announced that he would pay a $1,000 reward for each bandit captured and the return of the shipment. Territorial authorities also posted a reward and a Maricopa County posse gathered to pursue the robbers. Within just a few days, the posse tracked the bandits, killing one of them, and recovered the gold.

Old Mill Building in Vulture, Arizona by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

Tabor had most likely purchased the Vulture Mine for speculation and soon leased it out. But, new operators struggled with equipment, flooding, and worker issues. In the meantime, Tabor was having issues at other mines in Colorado when the silver market collapsed, after the Sherman Silver Act, in 1892.

The Territory of Arizona seized the Vulture Mine for back taxes in 1894. In 1896, Tabor leased the mine again, at which time the new operator tore down a number of stone buildings to run the rocks through the mills. Tabor then canceled the lease and put the mine up for sale. However, he couldn’t find a buyer fast enough and in January 1897, the Vulture Mine was sold at a sheriff’s sale. The new owners built a new mill and cyanide plant and reworked tailings and dump material. The post office closed its doors forever in April 1897.

An old mine shaft in Vulture City, Arizona by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

In the meantime, Henry Wickenburg had made a name for himself in Wickenburg, Arizona, and served in the 7th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly. He also served in the positions of inspector for the schools, census taker, Justice of the Peace, and judge. Afterward, he retired to his ranch and tried in vain to collect the money owed him by the owners of the Vulture Mine. However, he was not successful and on May 14, 1905, he shot himself and was buried in the Henry Wickenburg Pioneer Cemetery in Wickenburg.

In 1911, the new Vulture Mining Company discovered a new gold vein, and production began in earnest again. But in 1916, the vein was worked out, after producing over four million dollars.

The remains of seven men and 12 burros remain in what is called the Glory Hole in Vulture City, Arizona after a mining accident in 1923. Photo by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

Over the next decades, the mine was worked intermittently. However, tragedy struck in 1923 when seven men died as they were chipping away at support pillars to get to high-grade ore. Unfortunately, the rock holding up the ceiling caused the support to fail and the men, as well as 12 pack animals, were buried under 100 feet of rock. There was no hope of rescue, and their remains continue to be entombed to this day in what is called “The Glory Hole” because the victims were “sent on to glory” during the incident.

In 1942, President Roosevelt issued an executive order during World War II that closed the mine because all resources were to be focused on the war effort. Afterward. Vulture City became a ghost town, but prospectors continued to work the area.

From 1863 to 1942, the mine produced 340,000 ounces of gold and 260,000 ounces of silver, earning some 200 million dollars. Once the most productive gold mine in Arizona, it supported as many as 5,000 residents at its peak.

Old boarding house/brothel at Vulture City, Arizona by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

Today, Vulture City is privately owned but is open to visitors for a fee. Numerous buildings continue to stand, some of which have been restored. The largest building is a rock-walled two-story structure built in 1884 by the Central Arizona Mining Company that served as a mine and assay office. The rocks used to construct the buildings came from the mine, and are thought to contain thousands of dollars worth of gold. This building has been fully restored today.

Other buildings are scattered about including the mess hall, several homes, warehouses, a dynamite building, mill buildings, a blacksmith shop, and an old gas station. Throughout the area can be also be found old mining equipment, ore shafts, and head frames.

Henry Wickenburg’s 15×20 foot cabin, built in the summer of 1864, was constructed with stone and adobe. Completely falling into ruins just a few years ago, it has been restored today. In front of his old cabin is an ironwood tree that is several hundred years old. Here, it said that 18 men were hanged from its branches for high-grading.

Old Houses in Vulture, Arizona by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

One of the most intact ghost towns in Arizona, Vulture City is open daily for tours, except Wednesdays.

Vulture City is located about 12 miles southwest of Wickenburg, Arizona. Travel west from Wickenburg on Highway 60 for about 2.5 miles to Vulture Mine Road, and then head south for about 12 miles, where a sign can be seen to enter Vulture City along 355th Avenue.

For more information, hours of operation, and any special notices, see their official website here .

©Kathy Weiser-Alexander, updated November 2023.

Doin’ Dishes in Vulture City, Arizona. Photo and watercolor effect by Kathy Alexander, 2007.

Arizona Ghost Towns

Arizona Ghost Town Photo Galleries

Arizona’s Lost Mines

Mining and Miners in Arizona

Vulture Arizona Photo Gallery

American Pioneer Cemetery Research Arizona Family Smith, Duane A.,  Arizona and the West , Vol. 14, No. 3, Autumn 1972 Vulture Mine Tours Wikipedia – Henry Wickenburg Wikipedia – Vulture City

Latest News

Vulture mine information.

Find out how Wickenburg got its start by visiting Vulture City, a historic ghost town located just 14 miles outside of Wickenburg. California prospector Henry Wickenburg discovered a gold-rich quartz outcropping which established the Vulture Mine, and soon after, Vulture City. At its height, Vulture City was home to a few thousand residents.

In the early 1940s, the mine was shut down by a regulatory agency. Although the mine appealed the shut-down order and reopened, it never achieved the same enthusiasm.

The previously abandoned mining town has been carefully restored over the last several years and is open for the public to explore. Over a dozen of the original buildings still stand, with more planning to be restored in the near future. Tour the original assay office, the brothel, the cookhouse, and even stand over the original Nichols Raise, a mineshaft that runs 170 feet straight down.

Guided tours of Vulture City are offered from October through Mother’s Day. Self-guided tours are available year-round. For updated pricing, events, and tour information, visit Vulture City’s website: vulturecityghosttown.com .

Address: 36610 N. 355th Avenue, Wickenburg, AZ 85390

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The vulture mine.

Lying at the base of Vulture Peak (the most visible natural landmark in the Wickenburg area, about 12 miles south of the town proper), the Vulture Mine was first staked by Henry Wickenburg in 1863, fueling the small gold rush that helped populate this part of the Arizona desert. Today, the Vulture Mine feels like a ghost town. You can’t go down into the old mine itself, but you can wander around the aboveground shacks and mine structures, either on tours or, in summer, by yourself. It’s interesting for Western history buffs, and fun for kids.

- Bill Wyman

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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Vulture Mine – History, Fact, and Fiction

By Gary Carter

Early History of the Vulture Mine

The Vulture Mine, near Wickenburg, Arizona could be the central character in a dime novel. Its myths, legends, and facts have and continue to stir the imagination. Stories of ghosts, men, and animals lost in the “Glory Hole”, Indian attacks, bullion robberies, gold fortunes, lost veins, and personalities as grand and sweeping as the desert winds are part of Arizona history.

Wickenburg fell one vote short of being named the territorial capitol. Jack Swilling, one time mine and mill owner, addict and hero is noted as the Father of Phoenix. HAW Tabor, the legendary Silver King from Leadville, Colorado, once owned the Vulture and later said it was the worst mining decision he ever made.

Michael Goldwasser (aka Goldwater) the grandfather of famous Arizona politician and presidential candidate, Barry Goldwater, had an early lien on the Vulture. Michael and his brother were prosperous businessmen and in the early days loaned the Vulture $35,000 to buy water pumps and continue operation. The money was quickly paid back and the Goldwater brothers eventually operated successful businesses in Phoenix and Prescott. Michael became the founder and first president of the Arizona Democratic party!

After President Polk formally announced that the rumors of rich gold strikes in California were real, a grand exodus from the East Coast and Europe began with the destination being California’s gold fields. Easterners braved the long overland trek by wagon and Europeans braved the ocean voyage around the Cape to reach the port in San Francisco. Henry Wickenburg, a Prussian by birth, is first noted in some of the Mother Lode gold towns around 1852, probably too late to get in on the easy, early placer locations.

There was no Phoenix, no Flagstaff, or Prescott. Most of the population was Mexican and most were in Tucson. Indian tribes abounded with the notorious Apaches creating the most fear. Roads were basically nonexistent. As the easiest of the gold gathering in California began to play out miners gradually moved toward Southern California, then through Yuma and up the Colorado or into Arizona—still seeking riches.

Henry Wickenburg was to sign on with an expedition founded by A. H. Peeples and led by an old Southwest scout, Paulina Weaver. The group of about 30 crossed the Colorado River into Arizona Territory in the spring of 1863 and headed east, prospecting as they went. They eventually stumbled onto one of the richest surface finds of gold then known.

At what is known as Rick Hill, in Central Arizona they found nuggets, flakes and pieces of gold that could be dug out with spoons, knives and picked up with the hands. A nearby town was named Weaver for the early explorer. But the surface gold was soon depleted and while some remained to dry wash, others moved on to the nearly contemporaneous strike near Prescott in the Walker Mining District.

Henry Wickenburg and two companions, Isaac Van Bibber and Theodore Green (aka Rusk), took advice from an early pioneer, King Woolsey, who was in the area. Woolsey suggested they travel to the Harquehala Mountains where a decent gold strike had been made. The three, traveling by following streams and trails reached the Harquehala’s but came up empty. On their return trip, they noticed a conspicuous quartz outcropping but continued back to camp along the Hassayampa River near present day Wickenburg.

In November of 1863, the three put up a location notice but failed to do much more. Wickenburg remained camped along the river, some 15 miles from the strike while Green, having samples of the gold quartz, left for Tucson, his home, and Van Bibber’s set off for California to obtain financing and supplies. In May of 1864, Henry Wickenburg and four different men went back to the claim and officially filed on it and at the same time organized the Vulture Mining District, with Wickenburg as President and a James A. Moore, a businessman, as recording secretary. 

First work on the Vulture was by pick and shovel and basically amounted to quarrying the exposed gold quartz lode. Early estimates from unofficial records indicate 20 troy ounce per ton gold. Later, in litigation, filed under Murray vs. Wickenburg and associates (Murray and Roberts had bought, from Green, what they felt was his one-third share), Henry Wickenburg claimed that the Vulture was yielding $700 a day! (Gold prices in the 1860’s ranged from $20 to $47/ounce). The claim was heard by Judge Joseph Allyn who found in favor of the Wickenburg group. Ewing Van Bibber was later paid $10,000 to “Quit Claim” by subsequent new owners.

Despite the prosperous find, problems arose. Distance from water for mining and milling, lack of knowledge of even simple arrastra and mercury recovery, transportation shortcomings, Indians, lack of good labor, theft, and lack of mining and milling know how plagued the mine from the start. Eventually arrastras were put up along the Hassayampa River some 15 miles distant.

Wickenburg began selling ore for $15 a ton plus a royalty for anyone who would dig, load, and transport ore to the river, build and work an arrastra. Once word was out the area was trampled by prospectors looking for another Vulture. Claims like The Dinosaur, Turkey Buzzard, Apache, Harriet’s Wall, and my favorite, The Whopper were all recorded within six months. None ever proved productive.

Within two years of discovery, Henry Wickenburg and the other claimants sold most of their original footage and The Vulture Mining Company, under East Coast auspices, took over. The town of Wickenburg grew and developed when mill sites were established along the river. Sites moved as the wood supply used to produce steam energy was depleted. In 1883, receipts indicate the mine and mill used up to 15 cords of wood a day.

Desert trees were cut for miles around the area. Freighters hauled in wood and supplies. Large mining equipment was floated up the Colorado to La Paz and then hauled some 150 miles overland to the Vulture. Wickenburg became the business and supply center of the area. Phoenix was still not viable as a town and Prescott, Tucson, and Yuma were the principal settlements.

In the 1880s it was decided to build a 15-mile, six-inch pipeline from the Hassayampa River to the mine site. Expenditure of $2,400 a mile and six months of grueling labor accomplished the task—and water was delivered to the mine and mill site. Once water was available a small town, Vulture City (the first Vulture City was a mill site north of present day Wickenburg) grew and developed.

In 1890 the disastrous Walnut Grove Dam collapse flooded the river and destroyed much of the pipeline. It was never repaired but water from the 300 foot level of the mine and finally a well were in use on the property. Eventually the mill increased to 80 stamps, which ran day and night with a thunder that could be heard in Wickenburg on a clear and windless day. 

Electricity came to the Vulture in the early 1900s, but until 1913 when their first truck was purchased horses and wagons for both mine and personnel transport were used. Miners and a few families began to settle at Vulture City. A school house, with two schoolmarms, operated from 1908-1915, but overall population seems to have never moved above 500. 

Mexican miners, who made up the bulk of the work force, were forced to receive lower pay than whites doing the same work and their housing was segregated. The town of Wickenburg also had strict rules regarding blacks, Mexicans, Jews, and other nationalities. Unlike many mining towns the Chinese population was negligible.

While Wickenburg was the “big city”, its fortunes, as well as those of Phoenix, mirrored the doings at the Vulture. Numerous Vulture personalities eventually located in Phoenix, Jack Swilling got the idea of irrigating the area by opening up the old Hohokam Canals. Henry Wickenburg and others put money into the Swilling Irrigation Company.

Within a few years the area around what is now Van Buren and 32nd in downtown Phoenix became an agricultural center. Swilling later became the first postmaster of Phoenix and E.E. Kirkland, who once ran the Wells Fargo office at the Vulture, became the first postal clerk 1884. 

Following the successful Swilling Irrigation Company, Charles T. Hayden who was involved in mining measures, established another irrigation company and grain storage in what is now Tempe. The Hayden Library and land for building ASU came from Hayden.

The Vulture Mine often went through long periods of shutdowns, startups, leases, and exploration activities. Faulting, mismanagement, low gold price, and high overhead accounted for much of the down time. At least twice the property was sold, for back taxes, at sheriff’s auction.  Once the rich ores played out reworking of tailings became a prominent and lucrative undertaking.

While some underground mining of pillars and overlooked areas continued, the veins of profitable gold thinned and the lode lost by faulting, for the final time, in 1916. Numerous attempts to find extensions were unproductive. The last try was carried out in 1931 by “Rawhide “Jimmy Douglas of Little Daisy fame. After much conjecture and drilling, Douglas put down a 500’ shaft that was to intersect the faulted lost lode but it was a waste of money. 

World War II to the Present

Shortly before WW II, Ernest Dickie and John C. Lincoln held the Vulture. Dickie was a good mining man and Lincoln had vision and money. Together they worked the Vulture into WWII. Common wisdom has it that the Vulture closed in 1942, never to reopen again, but that scenario is incorrect. Apparently the Vulture had obtained an exemption to mine during the war years, and state mining records indicate that as late as 1944 the Vulture was producing lead, minor copper and gold.

 Soon after that Dickie and Lincoln left to take over the Bagdad Copper Mine. Lincoln was instrumental in developing the company town at Bagdad. Both combined to turn the mine from a marginal underground producer to a very productive open pit operation. The use of large haul mining trucks and new on-site refining contributed greatly to Bagdad’s prosperity. That mine is still in operation, primarily as a producer of “molly”. John C. Lincoln had a long life of philanthropy – not only at Bagdad but also Phoenix.

The John C. Lincoln Hospitals (one of which is at I-17 and 101) and his development and donation of land in the Scottsdale/ Paradise Valley area were two examples. He developed the original Camelback Inn (now the Marriott Camelback) and was instrumental in Arizona’s entry into the winter resort business. 

From 1945 until 1959 the mine was idle or in limited production. At the height of the Soviet nuclear threat, Civil Defense Authorities considered using the mine to store emergency supplies in case of an attack.

During the early 1960s, Dr. George Mangun bought the property with the idea of building a Desert Science Center devoted to research in the biological and physical sciences. Apparently that dream never materialized as there is no record of any activity. L. Wayne Beal owned the property from 1970 until  2011 when it was bought by the current owner, Vulture Peak Gold LLC.

Until now the last large scale exploration and mining at the Vulture took place in the late 1980s under supervision of Don White and Ben Dickerson working for the Budge Mining Company. Don is perhaps the person who best knows the geology and mining history of the Vulture. Mr. Budge, a rich industrialist from Nottingham, England was a western aficionado and had a dream and a need to own a gold mine.

Budge mining instructed geologists and engineers to leave no stone unturned in looking for new gold leads at the Vulture. This included reworking tailings, placer search, drilling and exploring historical leads. The operation lasted several years and perhaps broke even but no new basis to warrant extensive mining was uncovered. 

Perhaps the best, most succinct and up to date Geology of the Vulture Mine is the article of that name in the Vol. 19, No.4, Winter 1989, Arizona Geology . Basically, the mineralization at the Vulture is due to a late Cretaceous pluton of quartz porphyry that intruded earlier rocks.  The dikes, faulting, tilting, and rotation caused numerous headaches for the miners. Free gold in quartz, silver, often with the gold as electrum, galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, wulfenite, and minor copper mineralization occurred in the deposit.

Exploding Myths

Extensive research primarily using Arizona Mining Records, Arizona Historical Foundation collections, Sharlot Hall collections, and the Weekly Arizona Miner among nearly one hundred references has enabled the author to ferret out many myths, misconceptions, and exaggerations regarding the Vulture story. Listed here are a few of those “non facts”.

Henry Wickenburg was never in the Civil War, was born in Prussia (not Austria), and did commit suicide but probably from dementia or depression as he was not penniless.

The town of Wickenburg came about when James A. Moore, the recorder for the mining district, sent a letter to Federal troops asking for protection for miners. The letter had a simple return address of “Wickenburg Ranch.” From then on the area became known as Wickenburg.

Jacob Waltz, the Dutchman of Superstition Mountain fame, never worked at the Vulture Mine. His whereabouts from 1864 on can be traced, and there is nothing but hearsay to indicate that Waltz’s Lost Dutchman Mine gold came from the Vulture. Some of that notion may relate to the fact the Jacob Waltz was with Wickenburg in the Peeples-Weaver party and Waltz and Wickenburg both signed a miner’s petition asking for government protection from Indians.

The origin of the Vulture name is still in doubt. It is unlikely that Henry Wickenburg would use scarce shot and shell to shoot and kill a vulture (bird). They were not good to eat and it would be a waste of ammunition in a country where supplies were scarce. Wickenburg gave various stories of how he came to name the mine.

Gold estimates have run from a low of $6 million to as high as $200 million. Mining records would seem to indicate that the value in yesterday’s dollars was between $9 and $10 million dollars. A separate analysis by Don White is also in this ball park.

The current route that Grand Avenue takes as it goes from Phoenix to become state route 60 was originally called the Vulture Road as it was used to transport gold and passengers from the mine to Maricopa Wells and later to Phoenix. The stage line ran from Prescott to Phoenix and had stations at Wickenburg and the Vulture Mine (2nd site). Passengers could usually expect a two-day ride from Wickenburg to Phoenix, and roundtrip fare was $40.

Thomas Farish was/is known as the guru of Arizona historians and was the first state-appointed historian. Farish engaged in mining and took a lease when HAW Tabor had the property. During the last three months of the lease, Farish ran out of ore and began tearing down the old stone building on the property. The building had been constructed of rock from the mine so the stones went to the crusher.

There are tales that the stone in the assay office (still standing) is rich in gold. Waldo Twitchell, the mine assayer from 1911 to 1913, assayed that material and determined it held about $5/ton in gold.  At that time gold was in the range of $20 an ounce.

Much talk surrounds the present pit, often called the “Glory Hole.” There is legend that “Sunday” miners and mules died in a cave-in and bodies were never found.  Exact numbers differ as does the time span. Most frequently mentioned are that seven miners and twelve burros died in 1923. There is nothing to substantiate that legend. To the contrary, Arizona mining records show no fatalities for that year. Past and current operators who have been underground to virtually all areas have found no evidence, and as early as 1913 the rumor was active but mine workers then also believed it a tall tale.

Currently the Vulture property is divided between a group still attempting to extract some gold values and Vulture City Ghost Town which is an interesting tourist venue with exhibits and many buildings replicating what was once there.

Related: Vulture City, Arizona

Check out our schedule for all our upcoming events Next flashlight ghost tour May 11th wickenburg marshals campfire walkabout may 4th we offer BLACKSMITH EXPERIENCEs, flashlight ghost tours and guided trail rides! ***closing may 13th through mid september***

schedule of UPCOMING EVENTS

Check out our calendar of upcoming events, dates to note, and early closure.  We hope to see you soon!

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A TOWN SO LOVED, IT NEVER DIED.

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36610 355th ave. wickenburg, az 85390, 877-425-9229, quick links.

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2250 N Vulture Mine Rd, Wickenburg US-AZ 34.00251, -112.77312, Yavapai County, Arizona, US on Fri Apr 12, 2024

2250 N Vulture Mine Rd, Wickenburg US-AZ 34.00251, -112.77312, Yavapai County, Arizona, US

Another location near 2250 N Vulture Mine Rd, Wickenburg US-AZ 34.00251, -112.77312, Yavapai County, Arizona, US on Fri Apr 12, 2024

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