Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center

LoginSave

Gape at the 1250ft-deep Homestake Gold Mine to see what open-pit mining can do to a mountain. Nearby are the mine's shafts, which plunge more than 1.5 miles below the surface and are now being used for physics research, explained through exhibits in the visitor center. For $10 you can whack golf balls into the seemingly bottomless pit from the observation deck.

Homestake has been called the richest spot on earth because over the span of 126 years miners extracted more than 41 million ounces of gold and 9 million ounces of silver.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Mt Moriah Cemetery

    Mt Moriah Cemetery

    2.54 MILES

    Calamity Jane (born Martha Jane Burke; 1852–1903) and Wild Bill Hickok (1837–76) rest side by side up on Boot Hill at this very steep cemetery. Pick up…

  • Days of '76 Museum

    Days of '76 Museum

    3.33 MILES

    Tells the story of the Days of '76 celebration, an annual tradition honoring the town's inception in 1876. There's Native American artifacts, gun displays…

  • Adams Museum

    Adams Museum

    2.36 MILES

    Recently revitalized, this museum does an excellent job of capturing the town's colorful past. There's also a small store with books on the region.

  • Trial of Jack McCall Reenactment

    Trial of Jack McCall Reenactment

    2.28 MILES

    The trial of Jack McCall, shooter of Wild Bill Hickok, is reenacted with audience participation at 8pm. In this trial he's found innocent, though he later…

  • Main Street Shootouts

    Main Street Shootouts

    2.46 MILES

    Actors reenact famous shootouts on Main St, including the 1877 saloon fight between Tom Smith and David Lunt (who lived for 67 days relatively unbothered…

  • Sturgis Motorcycle Museum

    Sturgis Motorcycle Museum

    13.35 MILES

    This small hall-of-fame-style museum packs in a surprising number of bikes, including vintage and rare models. Its Hall of Fame honors luminaries in the…

View more attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Trial of Jack McCall Reenactment

2.28 MILES

The trial of Jack McCall, shooter of Wild Bill Hickok, is reenacted with audience participation at 8pm. In this trial he's found innocent, though he later…

2. Adams Museum

2.36 MILES

Recently revitalized, this museum does an excellent job of capturing the town's colorful past. There's also a small store with books on the region.

3. Main Street Shootouts

2.46 MILES

Actors reenact famous shootouts on Main St, including the 1877 saloon fight between Tom Smith and David Lunt (who lived for 67 days relatively unbothered…

4. Mt Moriah Cemetery

2.54 MILES

Calamity Jane (born Martha Jane Burke; 1852–1903) and Wild Bill Hickok (1837–76) rest side by side up on Boot Hill at this very steep cemetery. Pick up…

5. Days of '76 Museum

3.33 MILES

Tells the story of the Days of '76 celebration, an annual tradition honoring the town's inception in 1876. There's Native American artifacts, gun displays…

6. Sturgis Motorcycle Museum

13.35 MILES

This small hall-of-fame-style museum packs in a surprising number of bikes, including vintage and rare models. Its Hall of Fame honors luminaries in the…