Not far from the semi-famous Inyo Mine, perched at 4,375 feet on a rocky Death Valley ridge, sits what has become known as the Furnace Mine. If you watch carefully while driving on the road below, you can spot its namesake rusted furnace - a testament to 1940s mining ambition and engineering ingenuity.
The rocky trail reveals nothing of what lies ahead as you climb 375 feet from the trailhead at 4,000 feet. But once you reach the mine site, you'll find one of Death Valley's more intriguing mining operations. A timbered shaft sits above a short adit with rails leading down to the furnace below. The winch drum and engine that powered this operation still stand at the ridge top, slowly succumbing to the desert elements. Probably the most remarkable feature here is the transport system the miners engineered - a cable system that dragged supplies and ore up the precipitous hillside. Finding both a compressor and furnace still onsite is unusual for Death Valley, where most mines have been stripped bare over the decades.
There are several trails in the area, but the best route to the mine starts from the road in an unnamed canyon at my trailhead waypoint below. From there, look for a faint trail starting at a stone platform that winds roughly 400 feet up the steep south slope to the ridge. As with most hikes in Death Valley, you'll want to tackle this one in the cooler months.
The machinery scattered across this ridge provides silent testimony to the ambitious spirits who once sought their fortunes here. As with all historic sites in Death Valley, everything here is protected and should remain undisturbed for future explorers to discover.
