virginia city ponderosa mine tour

Ponderosa Mine Tour

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The following overview lists the admission prices and various discounts and discount codes for a visit to Ponderosa Mine Tour in Virginia City . All prices are displayed per age group or reduced rate group. You can also directly book your discounted online ticket for the Ponderosa Mine Tour here, if available, or make a reservation to reserve a timeslot if applicable.

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Step Back in Time Itinerary

Step back in time and take a fascinating cultural and historical journey in Virginia City. This itinerary includes the discovery of the richest silver  deposit the world has ever known as well as Virginia City’s most revered and historical buildings.

This itinerary begins in Virginia City, Nevada. From Reno, take I-580 to Highway 341, also known as Geiger Grade, and head east. Virginia City is about a 35-minute drive from downtown Reno. From Carson City, take Highway 50 east to Highway 341. The drive is about 30 minutes from downtown Carson City.

Virginia City Visitors Center

Stop in the Virginia City Visitors Center to purchase discounted attraction tickets, get maps of the town and ask any questions you may have. Located at 86 South C Street.

775-847-7500

Historic Fourth Ward School & Museum

Guided or unguided. The last standing multi-story wooden school building of its kind in the United States. Sit in original wooden school desks, and learn a brief overview and history of the school. Various exhibits educate on the discovery and development of the Comstock Lode. (45 minutes – elevator available)

775-847-0975

*available May-October

Virginia & Truckee Railroad

Learn about the significance and importance of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad to the Comstock at the recently renovated F Street V & T Depot. Known as the ‘Queen of the Short Lines’, your narrated tour will take you to Gold Hill and back, through tunnel Number 4. Fee to ride. (45 minutes)

775-847-0380

Comstock Gold Mill

Virginia City’s mining history comes alive with an operating 1860s Joshua Hendy (built in San Francisco) two stamp Gold Mill. See how gold was processed from ore to recovery. This narrated tour is educational and fun. Fee. (30 minutes)

Mackay Mansion

Originally built as the Gold & Curry Mine Office, this historic building became home to John Mackay, king of the Comstock and founder of University of Nevada, Reno. Tour highlights include mining artifacts, the original vault that housed millions in bullion, Tiffany silver and furnishings used by Mackey and his family. Fee. (30 minutes)

775-847-0373

Ponderosa Mine Tour

The Best and Belcher Mine Tour is a guided tour featuring more than 300 pieces of historic mining equipment. Located in the Ponderosa Saloon, formerly the Bank of California. Fee. (25 minutes)

775-847-7210

Piper’s Opera House

After being destroyed twice by fire, the current building was rebuilt in 1885 by John Piper. The opera house was one of the most significant vintage theaters in the West. Notable entertainers were Lilly Langtry, John Phillip Sousa and Al Jolson. Tour highlights include posters, playbills and historical photographs. Mark Twain returned to Virginia City to lecture on Piper’s original stage in 1866. Fee. (20 minutes – elevator available)

775-847-0433

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Virginia City Tourism Commission 86 South “C” Street • P.O. Box 920 Virginia City, NV 89440

775-847-7500 [email protected]

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Welcome to the Comstock

Ponderosa Saloon has 150 years of History! Visit the Bank Vault Est. 1864, Guided Underground Mine Tours, Enjoy a Cold Drink, Great Bands, and the best Karaoke in Northern Nevada

Friday Night 

KARAOKE 

& Dance Party

Come and see for yourself - the best karaoke on the Comstock. Every Friday starting at 8 PM with your KJ Rob "Steel" Harmon. 

Saturday Night 

Great local bands rocking the Pondo with plenty of dancing and good times every Saturday Night!

Upcoming Events

Ponderosa Mine Tour

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PONDEROSA MINE TOUR (Virginia City) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Ponderosa Mine Tour

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Ponderosa Mine Tour - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

Ponderosa Mine Tour

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Ponderosa Mine Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Nevada Traveler: Ponderosa offers glimpse of Virginia City’s underground

Visitors can get a taste of old Virginia City in the Ponderosa Saloon’s mine tour. Travel Nevada/Sydney Martinez

Rich Moreno

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

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At least someone is now making money off Virginia City’s Best and Belcher Mine.

Originally worked in the late 1860s, the Best and Belcher was a good example of a mine that seemed like a good bet, except it wasn’t.

When the shaft was sunk, it was situated between the incredibly profitable Gould and Curry Mine and the equally-lucrative Consolidated Virginia Mine – so, naturally, there had to be silver and gold there, right?

Unfortunately, while its neighbors brought in hundreds of millions in silver ore and were branches of the fabulous Big Bonanza vein, the Best and Belcher produced mostly dirt.

Over a nearly 40-year period, various owners sunk more than $1.6 million in developing the mine. But despite the investment, the mine proved to be a bust and was finally abandoned in 1917.

In the 1970s, however, the owners of the Ponderosa Saloon, located in what was the Bank of California offices, discovered that the Best and Belcher shaft ran through the hillside behind their building, which had been constructed in 1864.

They decided to dig a horizontal tunnel from the rear of the saloon into the old vertical mine shaft and open it for tours. Since then, thousands of visitors have walked the 315 feet from the saloon into the shaft to catch a glimpse of Comstock history.

The Ponderosa Mine Tour, in fact, is one of the best ways to get an inside look at the source of Virginia City’s fame and success. You catch the guided tour in a waiting room just beyond the saloon’s wooden bar.

While waiting for the tour to begin, make certain to check out the wall displays which include a dozen or more vintage firearms, a rock exhibit and historic photos and papers.

The tour begins with your guide, who is wearing a protective helmet (mostly for dramatic effect), ushering you through metal doors into a timbered map room. Pointing to a large underground map of the area, he or she explains how Virginia City is crisscrossed with old mine shafts and noted that if all were placed end to end, they would stretch more than 750 miles.

From the map room, the tour moves into a dirt tunnel (wear shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy) that leads into the heart of the Best and Belcher shaft. Along the way, you pass an old powder room containing a few old, wooden dynamite boxes (empty!).

According to the guide, during the 1870s Virginia City’s miners were the highest paid in the world, making $4 a day (the equivalent of about $230 a day today).

The pay reflected the fact that the work was difficult. Virginia City’s mines were filled with natural pockets of toxic gases as well as hot water and steam. Additionally, the miners faced the possibility of cave-ins and accidents. Not surprisingly, the average lifespan of a miner was 42 years.

The guide also explains the various ways silver ore was extracted from the mine. Using various props on hand, he describes the hand-drilling techniques used in the 1870s, as well as mechanical steam drilling, which was introduced near the turn of the 20th century.

Near the end of the tunnel, you find out that you are about 52 feet underground and that the temperature year-round is a cool 50 degrees.

The guide then takes you to a partially caved-in ventilation tunnel – which he says was the original entrance to the shaft – and lights a small candle. He extinguishes the electric lights in order to illustrate what it was like to work in the mine during the 1870s.

The single candle barely illuminates his face, let alone much of the shaft. At this point, he calmly relays that the biggest problem for miners was a sudden breeze coming in from the ventilation shaft and extinguishing the candle – then, of course, he does exactly that with a puff of air.

After turning on the overhead lights, he notes that sometimes miners brought canaries in small cages down into the mines with them. If the bird suddenly died, it was a sign that the air was thick with methane gas, and the miners would quickly exit in order to avoid a similar fate. And, with that, we did the same.

The 25-minute mine tour is offered daily from noon to 5 p.m. The Ponderosa Saloon is located at 106 S. C St., in Virginia City.

For information, visit www.travelnevada.com/mines-prospecting/ponderosa-saloon-mine-tour .

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The 15 Best Things To Do In Virginia City, Nevada (2024)

Want to know all the best things to do in virginia city we’ve got you covered with everything we found on our day trip.

Late July 2021 we had the pleasure of enjoying a day trip out to Virginia City from Reno, Nevada.

It is about a 45 minute drive through the mountains where there are some winding roads and steep drop-offs!

I honestly thought it was going to be a 45 minute drive out through the desert, so I was very pleasantly surprised by this scenic drive.

Fun fact about Virginia City: there are NO chain stores, franchises, or corporations in the city limits!

It’s a completely intact Western mining town with antique shops, saloons, restaurants, and historic sites.

We enjoy visiting historic Western towns like Tombstone in Arizona , so this was a fun day for us.

Planning A Trip? Use Our Favorite Resources Below!

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Best Things To Do In Virginia City

When you come to Virginia City, the top things to do include grabbing a drink at a historic saloon, exploring the history museum, and dining at historic restaurants.

See our full itinerary on our Youtube chann el .

1. Take In The Views From The City

As you drive into the city, this is what you’ll see.

We happened to go on a week day, which isn’t as busy as the weekends, but still busy enough that parking required a bit of effort.

The main street parking along this street was pretty much full, so we went down a block (down a STEEP hill) and park on the street on the back side of the city.

It was quite a climb back up, but it was free parking!

2. Explore Main Street

The way we decided to tackle this city was go up one side of the street and back down the other.

We checked out all the shops along the way. Below are some of our favorites!

One had a secret haunted trail in the back called Ghost Town.

3. Ghost Town

We didn’t do it, but there was a family in the shop at the same time as us trying to convince their roughly 10 year old son to go with the rest of the group and he was not having it.

It’s like going through a mini haunted house.

4. Quarter Machines

Another shop had a lot of interactive quarter machines.

I tried the Uncle Sam machine, which said I was an “Expert on Everything” and I can’t disagree, lol.

In the YouTube video above you can see how it works!

There was also a shooting arcade and fortune teller machines.

A lot of the old-timey type shops used every inch of space they had available.

There were lots of signs all over, even on the ground.

My favorite was this plaque built into the entry steps of one of the shops.

The one on the right just says “Beware of Occupant”, but the one on the left says “On This Site in 1897 Nothing Happened”. lol

5. Antique Shopping

We especially enjoy antique shopping when we’re out and about.

We figured as old as Virginia City is, they probably have some good stuff!

They surprisingly had a lot of Disney stuff, though all from this century.

If I had the space at home, there would be tons of Disney movie posters I would’ve definitely purchased.

What we did go home with though is an old Christmas-y mailbox.

We figured we’d use it to put all of our Christmas cards and letters in and set it out on our coffee table with our other Christmas decor.

Of course if you’re here all day you’re going to need to eat.

For us, half the point of traveling is trying food from all over.

Today we tried a few different options…

6. Eat Lunch At Cafe del Rio

This restaurant is on the far end of the main street and serves Mexican food.

It is very well decorated on the inside and has nice big open windows overlooking the valley.

JP had enchiladas , which seems to be his go-to meal lately, and I had a burrito .

We were too full for dessert, so we waited until later in the day for more snacky-snacks.

7. Have A Snack At Big Bear Springs

As we were walking back to the main part of the street, we came across this window where they were selling various sized bags of kettle corn.

They were giving out free samples !

We bought a medium sized bag to snack on back at our resort in Reno for the rest of the week while we were visiting.

8. Enjoy Dessert At Firehouse Creamery

It was pretty warm and sunny while we were visiting, so we eventually stopped for some ice cream to cool off and hydrate a little.

We tried the Chocolate & Brownie flavor and another flavor that I don’t remember.

I want to say maybe it was something with coffee.

But anyway, the back side of this creamery has a great deck overlooking the valley.

9. Drinks At Mark Twain Saloon

We actually went here because we noticed the slot machines, but we weren’t losing any money, so we decided to have a drink while we were there.

10. Gambling At Mark Twain Saloon

I bounced around from machine to machine putting in about $20 and getting back about $50 after 5 minutes. It was lots of fun!

There are a handful of old saloons like this with slot machines all over town.

This one just caught our eye first!

When in Virginia City, there is a lot of history to see outside of the shops and restaurants.

You can’t really do it ALL in one day, but you can accomplish quite a bit.

11. Antique Cars

We noticed tons of old cars all over town.

I know around August they have a festival with even more.

They’re just parked all up and down the street, so you’ll definitely happen upon some throughout your day.

12. The Way It Was Museum

This museum does charge a small admission fee, but it has a lot of antiques inside.

There is even a short video explaining the history of Virginia City.

Out front there are a lot of great photo ops spots, so definitely take advantage of that while you’re in town.

13. Fourth Ward School Museum

This historic school building is on the far end of town, near the Cafe del Rio restaurant.

There is a small admission fee to go inside to tour the building.

You can see it was under refurbishment while we were visiting.

But it’s still a very beautiful building with a great view!

14. First Presbyterian Church

This church is one of the older buildings in Virginia City.

There’s no fee to go in and you can check it out any time the doors are open.

This church was dedicated on January 1st, 1867 and cost $12,000 to build (which is roughly $225,000 today).

15. Take A Guided Tour From Lake Tahoe To Virginia City

With a guide, you’ll start your day trip by minibus, driving along part of the Pony Express.

When you reach Virginia City, take a 6.5-mile round-trip train ride before enjoying free time in town to explore at your leisure.

? Click Here To Book Your Wild West Day Trip From Lake Tahoe With A Train Ride Today!

Where To Stay Near Virginia City

A great place to call home while you’re visiting this area is Thunderbird Resort Club outside of Reno, Nevada.

This is a timeshare property that is open to the public and is laid out like a townhouse, so it’s very spacious and has all the amenities you need when you travel.

Check out our full room tour video on Youtube .

  Click Here To Book Your Stay At Thunderbird Resort Club Today!

More Fun Things To Do Near Virginia City

For more tips on planning your trip to Virginia City, check out our  Tips For Planning A Trip To Anywhere (A Step-By-Step Guide) .

Since Virginia City is practically in the middle of nowhere, you are probably visiting as part of a trip nearby.

Two important concepts to keep in mind when planning a trip here are to  Stay Safe When Traveling During Extreme Weather  and  Stay Well While You Travel .

Lastly, any type of travel can be expensive in their own way, so to ensure you’re able to afford your dream trip out to this historic town, read our  Tips For Traveling On A Budget: Your Guide To Planning An Affordable Trip .

Here are some other fun things to do near Virginia City.

  Lassen Volcanic National Park Day Trip

When we were staying in Reno, we knew we would want to take a day trip out to  Lassen Volcanic National Park , but we had to keep an eye on the wildfires and road closures to make it happen.

Surprisingly enough, we drove through smoke most of the way there, but because of the direction of the wind, the park itself was completely clear and we had a perfect day!

Weather permitting, this park is absolutely the most underrated National Park we’ve ever visited.

 The Best Casinos and Restaurants in Reno

On a few of the days we were visiting, the smoke was very heavy in Reno.

Ash was falling from the sky, the sky was orange, and the second you walked outside the smell would just hit you.

Luckily, most of our sightseeing in Reno was just going to the casinos and restaurants, so we spent most of our time indoors.

  1 Hour Distillery Tour and Tasting Flight Experience in Reno

This tour is very popular in Reno.

Ferino Distillery has been named one of the Top 10 distilleries in the US, so you know your tour and tasting flight will be so good!

?  Click Here To Book Your 1 Hour Distillery Tour and Tasting Flight Today!

More Fun Places To Visit In Nevada

Now for the obvious choice when visiting Nevada.

Vegas is about 6 1/2 hours Southeast of Virginia City, about a 420 mile drive.

It’s the perfect destination to end a long road trip.

We go all the time since it’s also only about 4 hours from where we live, so we have a ton of guides for having the best Vegas trip.

If you’re going on your birthday, be sure to check out our complete list of the  Best Birthday Freebies in Las Vegas .

We also have guides for  Things To Do in Las Vegas Besides Gambling  since there are plenty of other things to do here besides the casinos.

There are also fun  Things To Do in Las Vegas Off The Strip  if you want to venture out a little further or even  Fun Day Trips To Take From Las Vegas .

Some of our favorite attractions include  AREA15 ,  The Neon Museum , and  Happy Hours .

If you’ve been to Vegas before, you’ll know timeshares are a big thing there.

Whether you have any interest in buying one or not, check out our guide on  Why You Should Attend A Timeshare Presentation On Your Vegas Vacation .

Vegas is also known for being a wedding destination and in general is just popular with couples, so if that’s you, check out  The Best Couples Weekend Getaway in Las Vegas .

Lastly, if you’re visiting in the Fall, read up on all the  Fun Things To Do In October .

Where To Eat In Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a foodie’s dream.

There are so many restaurants that are immersive experiences and there are even some cheap and quick restaurants worth mentioning.

Check out our guides on the  Best Cheap Restaurants ,  Best Drinks ,  Best Desserts ,  Most Romantic Restaurants , and  Best Italian Restaurants .

Where To Stay In Las Vegas

We’ve been trying to stay in different places each time we go to Vegas because every hotel and resort is so thematically immersive.

Below are some of our favorites that are worth checking out.

? Bellagio Hotel & Casino Stay Well Resort King Room Review

? Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino Review

? Delano Hotel King Suite Review

? Horseshoe Las Vegas Review (Formerly Bally’s)

? Polo Towers Studio Efficiency Room Review (Las Vegas)

? Polo Towers Accessible Room Review (Las Vegas)

? Polo Towers Two Bedroom Review (Las Vegas)

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Las Vegas

Below are the questions we came across the most when sharing about Vegas travels.

We’ve answered them in-depth with each having it’s own blog post.

  Does It Snow In Las Vegas?

  Does It Snow In Nevada?

  Is Las Vegas Safe? (+ 10 Tips To Stay Safe)

  Are There Beaches In Las Vegas? + 15 Best Pools

Conclusion: Best Things To Do In Virginia City

Virginia City is a very well preserved historic mining town in the hills of Northern Nevada.

There are so many unique things to do in Virginia City that make it worth visiting at least once in your life.

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The post The 15 Best Things To Do In Virginia City, Nevada (2024) appeared first on Discovering Hidden Gems .