Lost Horse Mine

Lost Horse Mine was one of the top producing gold mines in the area surrounding Joshua Tree National Park, hauling in more than 10,000 ounces of gold and 16,000 ounces of silver (worth approximately $5 million as of 2017) from 1894 to 1931. Even more interesting than the prosperity of the mine is its story, which reads like a western campfire tale: gun slinging cowboys, cattle rustlers, horse thieves, the lure of gold, and a sticky-fingered miner. Today, the 10-stamp mill is considered to be one of the best preserved mills of its kind in the National Park system and is a popular hiking destination.