Historic site
Tough Nut Mine
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The Tough Nut Mine is one of the few original silver mines in Tombstone open for public tours. Visitors don hard hats and ride a small tram into the cool, dark tunnels where miners once worked by candlelight. Guides, many with mining backgrounds, explain how silver ore was extracted and processed, and point out original tools and veins still visible in the rock. The tour lasts about an hour and offers a gritty, authentic glimpse into the dangerous work that built Tombstone's wealth.
Don't miss
- Ride the underground tram into the mine's main tunnel, lit only by headlamps.
- See original 1880s drill marks and a preserved blasting powder room.
- Handle a piece of silver ore and learn how miners identified valuable rock.
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Tough Nut Mine
You can usually visit on your own. A tour is worth it for transport, a guide, or combining nearby sights into one day.
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