Unlike many of Joshua Tree's more remote mining sites, the Silver Bell and Golden Bell Mines can be reached via a relatively easy 2-mile loop hike. This makes them ideal for visitors who want to see mining sites with limited time or who prefer shorter trails.
Silver Bell Mine
Phil Sullivan (who also worked at the Contact Mine) and Albert Vivian staked the Silver Bell claim in July of 1923. Later, in 1930, it was re-staked by Sullivan and H. Y. Boling. In those early years, it was worked for gold with limited success. By 1941, WWII had come, and they were pulling lead ore from the mine. Later, in the 1950s, the mine produced some copper as well. Only two ore bins remain at this mine, which the park service stabilized in 2016.
Golden Bell Mine
The Golden Bell Mine consists of the Blue Bell, Margaret, and Golden Trumpet claims. It was a small mine with a variety of operators. The mine was located on July 1, 1931, by Jim Crowley. Then, a man by the name of Hopper worked the mine. He took ore from the mine to the Wall Street Mill to be milled in exchange for helping Bill Keys rebuild the mill. (Hopper was also involved in mining in the Cottonwood Springs area. See the Mastodon Mine.)
The mine was active from 1934 to 1937 and again from 1939 to 1941. During this later period, it was owned by M. A. Rogers. C. A. Benito leased the mine from 1954 to 1957. Production is not known, but workings include an inclined shaft and drift with open stopes. A ruined cabin, dry washer, and a small cyanide tank with mill tailings remain on-site.
