Big Thunder Gold Mine
Big Thunder Gold Mine
4.5
About
Big Thunder Gold Mine has an original tour which lasts 45-55 minutes and was founded in 1892. You see the largest display of mining equipment in the Black Hills and learn the history of the gold rush in 1876. We have two forms of panning: one is our commercial panning right on site. Guides will demonstrate the skill of panning, no time limit and we guarantee you will find gold. We also have claim panning where you will pan directly our of the creek 4 miles down the road on Forest Service property. Those exist in 4 hour trips.
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- Iron Mountain Road MiniTour&Sidecar RideKeystone, South Dakota12 contributionsClean family fun, even if you and your kids play in the dirt. Very educational in a fun way.Big Thunder Gold mine is a great family friendly attraction and activity. The guided tours in the mine are very informative and fun that even kids enjoy. There is a mining museum that has equipment from Black Hills mines of the past. You can also learn how to pan for gold and other rocks and jems. Highly recommend this as part of your visit to the Black Hills.Visited July 2023Traveled with friendsWritten June 21, 2024
- Jay RHighlands Ranch, Colorado552 contributionsA great gift shop and a fun way to spend a couple hours in Keystone.We visited Big Thunder as one of the kids definitely wanted to do some gold panning. Big Thunder was a good choice. The facility is large and easy to find on the outskirts of Keystone. The main building contains a gift shop and I believe the entrance to the gold mine tour. The kids weren’t interested in the tour so we spent 30 minutes walking through the gift shop. We paid for the gold panning inside and met staff out front for a demonstration and our pans. The presentation was a bit over-rehearsed and it would have been nice to get a little personality mixed in. But it was thorough. The adults worked with the kids (9 & 7) to pan. It was a blast for the kids and fun for the adults to help. There were random flakes of gold but the bulk was something shiny that looked like gold to the kids and that was enough. You’re given a small vial to hold your findings in. It was peaceful panning in the bins by the creek and we definitely enjoyed our time.Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 17, 2024
- M C2 contributionsYou must experience this place!What a great experience! My son wanted to go and I was hesitant. I am glad we went. Our guide was Bryan with a y! He knows amazing history facts about the mine and the owner has gone above and beyond to make sure you get to experience it! Bryan was correct on panning for gold….it’s difficult….and addicting! The staff makes sure you get gold. It receives a “GOLD” star! 🤣🤣Visited July 2024Traveled with familyWritten August 12, 2024
- Resort506785664094 contributionsI’m a gold miner now!Can’t say enough good stuff about this adventure. Our guide, Jake, was absolutely fantastic. He was super knowledgeable about the history of the mine and the area too. On top of that, he was really easy and fun to just talk too. Now for the gold! We ended up with 23 beautiful pieces of gold for four hours of work/digging. According to Jake, this was a little more than the average. In addition, you will also probably dig up some fun little garnets too. We had probably 30 slightly smaller than a bb sized ones Now for what you should know. Due to government regulations you are no longer allowed to do your sluicing in the nearby creek. Big Thunder Mine however has done a great job setting up a sluicing system near your digging/gold source for all the fun. You’re not going to get a bunch of it nuggets from here; but the experience of digging your own gold (which you get to keep) out of the ground is just a blast. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend a day, and have a great souvenir from your trip, then this is the outing for you.Visited August 2024Traveled with familyWritten August 31, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
1,296 reviews
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37
Megan
Malinta, OH133 contributions
Jun 2020
We were looking to fill some time and decided on the mine tour. It was $12 per adult and the tour was only about 40 minutes. If you get cold, I'd bring a sweatshirt or jacket, as it is chilly down there. Make sure to wear close toed shoes as well, as the ground is uneven and is muddy/dirty. Panning for gold is extra money in addition to the tour. It's definitely commercialized, but still was a fun experience for my husband and I.
We learned a lot of new things, but I don't feel the workers were very professional. Our tour guide was in the gift shop before our tour goofing off with the other workers, on their phones, etc. Due to COVID there were no seats or anything to sit in outside so we just wandered the very small gift shop for the 30 minutes before our tour started and I wasn't impressed with the professionalism shown.
In regards to COVID- the workers did have masks on, but our guide kept playing with his. The helmets provided are sanitized after every guest and you can smell the cleaner used (smelled like cinnamon!) so it made me feel better knowing they were clean. The mining areas have bleach in the water to sanitize, so wear old clothes and bring gloves if you plan to pan for gold in the public troughs.
We learned a lot of new things, but I don't feel the workers were very professional. Our tour guide was in the gift shop before our tour goofing off with the other workers, on their phones, etc. Due to COVID there were no seats or anything to sit in outside so we just wandered the very small gift shop for the 30 minutes before our tour started and I wasn't impressed with the professionalism shown.
In regards to COVID- the workers did have masks on, but our guide kept playing with his. The helmets provided are sanitized after every guest and you can smell the cleaner used (smelled like cinnamon!) so it made me feel better knowing they were clean. The mining areas have bleach in the water to sanitize, so wear old clothes and bring gloves if you plan to pan for gold in the public troughs.
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
amyw097
Mankato, MN9 contributions
Jul 2020
We went with 3 kids ages 6-9. They enjoyed the tour , it was a good amount of time and kept moving to keep their interest. Their favorite part of course was the panning for gold, this was a fun activity. Staff all wore masks and made sure people were using hand sanitizer as they came in. Masks were highly recommended (not sure if required) on the tour.
Written August 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephanie K
Marquette, MI154 contributions
Jun 2021
Big Thunder Gold Mine is really easy to find! We only did the gold panning, as this was an event we decided to do right before we left home. We booked our tickets online, and were not able to book for a mine tour online, but they were being offered when we got there.
The room to register for all of the events is very small and crowded. We waited for a while in line while the women talked up front instead of helping the next people in line. This was a little annoying as it was small and cramped and hot.
The actual gold panning is done at these big tubs of water. You go through a little session (probably 5 minutes) on how to actually do the panning. You pay per pan and you can do the process to get the gold as many times as you;d like. When I originally booked it, I thought we were only going to be able to do it once, with just one pan full, but this was not the case. Overall it was a fun, quick experience if you're stretched for time.
The room to register for all of the events is very small and crowded. We waited for a while in line while the women talked up front instead of helping the next people in line. This was a little annoying as it was small and cramped and hot.
The actual gold panning is done at these big tubs of water. You go through a little session (probably 5 minutes) on how to actually do the panning. You pay per pan and you can do the process to get the gold as many times as you;d like. When I originally booked it, I thought we were only going to be able to do it once, with just one pan full, but this was not the case. Overall it was a fun, quick experience if you're stretched for time.
Written July 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChristieMcElhinney
Nixa, MO1 contribution
May 2020 • Family
We went on the four-hour claim and could not have had a better experience!! We truly learned what prospecting is and how to unearth Black Hills Gold. Our guide was amazing and so knowledgeable. My kids and husband dug and carried buckets of rock, cleaned it and got it ready for me. I spent about three hours at the sloosh working to find those precious gold flakes. It gets you caught up in the excitement prospectors must have felt when they found gold. We don’t love doing “tourist” activities and this isn’t for someone that doesn’t want to get dirty and wet. Thank you for making this an unforgettable experience for us!
Written June 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hbazyk
Aberdeen, MD1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Family
We booked the half day claim panning for 3 adults and 2 kids (6 & 3). Trent was our guide and was awesome, very friendly and informative and answered all of our questions. Our only complaint is that we assumed each paying person would receive a shovel, but we’re only given 2 shovels. At $50 per person, we assumed that we wouldn’t all be sharing. Had I known this ahead of time, I would have booked our tickets separately so that we each could have had a shovel (minus the 3 year old). But over all, a great experience and lots of fun!
Written July 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AprilH12376
1 contribution
Jun 2021 • Family
Our 11 and 7 year old had lots of fun. Bring a long sleeved shirt, it's chilly in there (54 degrees) and the tour lasts about 45 min. I would give it 5 stars but the day we went they had no clue how many people they were putting in tour groups. Our group was so big we could never see what the guide was talking about. We also pre-registered online and when we got there the ladies up front were pretty confused almost as though we were the first to have done this. Little hiccups but I would still definitely recommend.
Written June 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
766gold
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Family
I regret providing this company with my email address. They have been sending me emails every day since my visit, begging for a review. And when trying to unsubscribe from the email there's a message stating that the web page is missing. There's no reason either to book this online. I thought I'd save time by booking this online but when I got there I still had to stand in line behind people who were buying same day. I asked staff about it and got blank stares. Gold panning was huge disappointment, found maybe 1 speck. Not worth the time and money. Best way to describe the place is that's it's being run by people who have no stake and interest in seeing the company do well because the owners are far away and not involved.
Written July 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TheRealWillis
Colton, SD30 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
We ate at the big thunder bar and grill that is with the gold mine. After waiting 40 minutes our food came out cold, congealed gravy etc... not worth $5 let alone $50.
Written July 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BandJE
Colorado38 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
We are a family of four with two elementary aged kids who did a half day claim panning tour with Trenton. We had a great time! Hiked in less than half a mile to a National Forest property. Then shoveled, scooped water, and operated the gold sluice box in the creek. We were muddy and exhausted by the end of four hours. Learned just the right amount of history. Got about six teeny teeny flakes of gold and so much appreciation for the process of obtaining natural resources. Bring water, sunscreen and bug spray. There's no minimum age but I wouldn't bring a kid under six.
Written July 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike F
1 contribution
Jun 2021
I had an amazing time. The tour guide was very passionate of not only the history lesson, but also wanting me to have a great time. He set me up with the sluice box and demonstrated the proper use of it to effectively find the most gold. Once he was confident in my understanding, he turned me loose. He would periodically check on my sluice to make sure it was properly in working order. By the end of the day, I had some color in my sluice box and was able to leave there with some gold and a smile. I highly recommend the opportunity. It is a great way to experience the Black Hills while gaining a little knowledge and history of the area.
Written June 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sorry, but I don't know. We rented a car because there were so many places we wanted to see.
Written May 10, 2023
Are children younger than six allowed on the mine tour and gold panning after it?
Written March 20, 2022
Can you take the dogs on the tour or what are the restric? We are traveling through and would love to try this out but will have a puppy with us.
Written July 27, 2020
I don’t think you can take a dog on the mine tour.
Written July 27, 2020
Kelsey M
Elizabeth, Illinois
I realized after I asked my first question that I wasn't specific about what kind of panning we were thinking of doing. We've already decided that we don't have the 4 or 8 hours free to go out to the claim (on this trip), so I really wanted to know if the on site panning in the troughs is worth the time? Meaning, do you find more than just a couple small flakes of gold? Can you also find gems or just gold? Our other option is Black Hills Caverns. Thanks!
Written January 16, 2019
We found flakes, but my kids - ages 14, 13 loved it and had a great time. There is a separate bag you can buy to pan for gems.
Written January 17, 2019
Not sure either since we travel as a couple. You could call them, and they would answer your question. We purchased a Groupon, and I'm not sure if they have any left or not but you might want to look there to see if you could purchase for a group, I do know that they will ask how many are in your party and try to accommodate as many in the same tour at once. That way you can stay as a group and after the tour go have something to eat at their restaurant, you won't be disappointed, and do sit out on their patio while you enjoy the scenery and weather.
Written July 12, 2018
Are reservations required or suggested for the gold mine tour and panning lesson? Planning a visit in September.
Written August 20, 2017
No you do not need a reservation just come, tours every 25 minutes this time of the year. Panning right away. Sandi
Written September 6, 2017
There is a small group planning to visit the week of the 4th, should we buy tickets ahead of time?
Written June 20, 2017
We walked right in and didn't need to. We waited maybe 5 minutes, but there is more than one guide and they seem to stagger the tours because as we were going in, there was a group coming out. I'm not sure how busy it may be on the 4th, so maybe you could call ahead and see what they say. We had maybe 8 or 9 in our group.
Written June 26, 2017
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