South Pass Historic Mining Area

About South Pass Historic Mining Area

This 30-square-mile area was a focal point for the discovery of gold in 1842 and the resultant 1867 gold rush that settled this part of Wyoming. By 1868, about 1,500 people lived in the District towns of South Pass and Atlantic City, but by 1872 the boom was over and the area was all but abandoned. BLM maintains 2 campgrounds and the ghost town of Miner's Delight in the area. Other attractions in the vicinity are the South Pass City State Historic site, the Wild Iris world-class rock-climbing site, remnants of five National Historic Trails (the Continental Divide, Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California, and Pony Express Trails), and a Volksmarch Trail.This area is near historic trails. Please do not collect or damage these resources. There are a few maintained BLM roads in the area and multiple two-track routes.

How to Get There

The site is located approx 25 miles south of Lander and 90 miles north of Rock Springs near the towns of Atlantic City and Pass City. This area is accessed from Hwy 28 via county roads 515 and 516.

Plan Your Visit to South Pass Historic Mining Area

Heading to South Pass Historic Mining Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)