Exploring Arizona Abandoned Mines: Big Eye Mine

Exploring Arizona Abandoned Mines: Big Eye Mine

The Big Eye Mine and its cabin remain a very popular hiking and jeeping destination in the far reaches of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and its Castle Dome Mountains in Yuma County, Arizona. This particular video of my documentation and exploration of Arizona’s Big Eye Mine was originally filmed and posted in August of 2012. I am re-posting the same video again after making some minor edits for continuity and running time. This video highlights the well-maintained cabin, the many various artifacts in it, and provides some history behind the mine. I also explore and document the main Big Eye Mine tunnel as well as an upper level higher on the mountain. Enjoy this fascinating glimpse back into our mining history!

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50 Comments

  1. JD on October 18, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    Considering the number of relic hunters and just plain vandals, the cabin is well preserved.

  2. 🏴‍☠️Sarah Gold on October 18, 2021 at 5:13 pm

    Clean building. Silly, but love the desert 🌵 look. Here’s the silly part… love looking at the river rocks. End up with pockets full and can hardly walk. Low and a bit sketchy looking. Safety First. Ty

  3. RJDCR on October 18, 2021 at 5:13 pm

    thanx Frank…..very kool vid…….History

  4. Anthony W Stanton on October 18, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    An excellent video sir! I am pleased to see the vandals haven’t destroyed another piece of history!

  5. lee sherman on October 18, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    Model A Ford parts in the early section of vid.

  6. Lisaa on October 18, 2021 at 5:19 pm

    Cabin is nice would be a great place and area to live.

  7. FAT LOLO on October 18, 2021 at 5:20 pm

    I was the one that placed the mailbox @ the cabin around 2012 , I walked in the mine with my Coleman lantern 228F

  8. Stephen Rader on October 18, 2021 at 5:22 pm

    I’m surprised that the cabin didn’t look that bad

  9. Jumex 82 on October 18, 2021 at 5:23 pm

    We’re planning on going here in the fall. We have friends in Roll Az which is just south of the mine. I read on line you can pretty much drive up to the cabin if you have 4×4, but you mention that the road has been closed?!? How far of a hike is it from the end of the nearest Rd. to the cabin? Thank you!

  10. Amos Maclin on October 18, 2021 at 5:23 pm

    Cool

  11. Zut Man on October 18, 2021 at 5:24 pm

    How long of a hike is it ?

  12. My Mystical Nature on October 18, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    hey. new subscriber here. I wonder where to start…Is there an order I could follow? Do you have a playlist with all your videos that can be watch in order??? So older to newer, and not the opposite like most people do? THanks

  13. Vegas Cycling Freak on October 18, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    How would they get water in these remote and very arid areas?

  14. a targeted individual on October 18, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    It’s funny I found this channel I used to do this back in the early 80s with a guy named Russ brought back a lot of memories

  15. Uncle Ruckus on October 18, 2021 at 5:28 pm

    What about the ones near oatmen I heard there creepy shit there

  16. Tthe survivalist on October 18, 2021 at 5:29 pm

    you can find an image of author Rogers and a bit of history

  17. Andy & Amys Arizona Adventures on October 18, 2021 at 5:30 pm

    That’s cool,we will be going into the Gladiator Mine by Crown King Arizona coming up this Saturday.

  18. dbache on October 18, 2021 at 5:34 pm

    Beautiful scenery🌵🌄. That extensive stope must have been a quality ore/gold seam. I haven’t seen this video. I will have to check out your other earlier vids👍.

  19. TheGrinddcore on October 18, 2021 at 5:34 pm

    Beautiful final shot of the sunset and Cactus.

  20. Amona Maria on October 18, 2021 at 5:35 pm

    Superstitious mountains of dead Giants from Noah’s flood.

  21. xXMC84Xx on October 18, 2021 at 5:36 pm

    Hi I was wondering where you guys get the coordinates for some of these mines in Arizona or do you just know people who know where they are??

  22. AAGR on October 18, 2021 at 5:36 pm

    #hantavirus

  23. Russ The merciless on October 18, 2021 at 5:38 pm

    I have to appreciate the respect you and your group take in not disturbing or the collecting of artifacts that so many do when exploring abandoned places. I also invite you to come to British Columbia Canada to explore the rich mining history that excists here.On a side note check out Forgotten British Columbia’s website and FB page (shameless plug)

  24. Benjamin Stafford on October 18, 2021 at 5:39 pm

    Thank you for posting! we were here several months ago and could not find the entrance! partly due to time constraints as we had to get rental car back to PHX by later in the day so we were in a bit of a rush…now we know and we will certainly be back someday soon. Curious if you’ve done any exploration in the Madera Canyon area?

  25. Az Ironlungz on October 18, 2021 at 5:41 pm

    Have you been to the Monte Cristo mine in Arizona ? Says there’s a 1500ft incline shaft and 3 miles of drift tunnels I hope to check it out soon !

  26. chill3n456 on October 18, 2021 at 5:42 pm

    Wtf. That abandoned cabin is in better condition than my apartment. How much for rent?

  27. Fox Racing on October 18, 2021 at 5:42 pm

    i live in yuma,az and have been to big eye mine hundreds of times… Good review… There is a mine in Salome, Az you should check out….Would be great to see your review on it

  28. BoatyMcBoatFace • 45 years ago on October 18, 2021 at 5:43 pm

    I used to live in Yuma, the desert trails were always cool to walk around, the areas rich in mines.

  29. S.J.'s DIY Adventures on October 18, 2021 at 5:43 pm

    It looks like someone is still taking care of that cabin.

  30. joet1994ify on October 18, 2021 at 5:46 pm

    Are there minerals

  31. Niklas on October 18, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    Now while in quarantine im binge watching your videos its so good 😀

  32. angela diaz on October 18, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    Cool I take a artifact for a souvenir from there

  33. Kokopilau77 on October 18, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    You should check out the Lutz tunnel in the Huachucas. Not too big, but was fun to explore in the 90s.

  34. Daniel Sears on October 18, 2021 at 5:48 pm

    I love those orange chairs 🪑👍👍

  35. Harry Hyde on October 18, 2021 at 5:48 pm

    I’m surprised that of all the videos I have watched of people exploring mines, I have yet to see any rattle snakes just inside the entrance to escape the heat. Have the videos been edited to exclude that?

  36. Beryl M. Wright on October 18, 2021 at 5:49 pm

    Amazing video

  37. grandprismatic on October 18, 2021 at 5:49 pm

    On a re watching binge Frank…. thanks for the videos as per usual. Remember the *Right Hand Rule*
    cmcrescue.com
    ~B

  38. ThePsychonaut on October 18, 2021 at 5:51 pm

    Wow! did not expect the inside of tbose cabins to be so well preserved! It looks like it was painted last week, almost like time traveling.

  39. anza boy on October 18, 2021 at 5:52 pm

    What’s the directions to get there I live in Yuma and want to see this

  40. Michael Allen on October 18, 2021 at 5:53 pm

    I used to go here when i was a kid in the early eighties. An elderly couple use to stay here and take care of the place for Pauline. I can remember being in the mine. Believe it or not the place looks exactly the same.

  41. David Lane on October 18, 2021 at 5:55 pm

    I was wondering do you get a sense about how dangerous a mine may be based on how the entry way looks?

  42. bdbeatle1 on October 18, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    Great, great video!!

  43. Mike 1958 on October 18, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    What would happen if you were in a gold mine that was supposedly mined out. In the process of exploring you find a fresh vein of gold. Who’s property does it fall to, you, or the former owners or the BLM ? I find it hard to believe that the West has been completely mined out when you have mines like the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah that have been in existence for over hundred plus year and no signs of ending. I understand there are place in the U.S. where silver and gold are still being mined. Granted some of these mines are digging hundreds of tons of ore just to get one, two or three bars of 24k gold bullion. Just curious?

  44. Lee Hilton on October 18, 2021 at 6:02 pm

    Do ya think any of these old mines would be worth tryin to reopen?

  45. Spartanskiy's Channel on October 18, 2021 at 6:02 pm

    2 beds? An entire workforce slept in 2 beds?

  46. NickyViola on October 18, 2021 at 6:03 pm

    Don’t get down to Yuma County often. When you say it is a "very popular destination" does that mean there will be like a couple dozen hikers there if I go on a weekend, or what?

    Good video.

  47. Jackspedicey 69 on October 18, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    anybody from outlast2

  48. Steve Wright on October 18, 2021 at 6:06 pm

    I know this old video.that old cabin in good shape.

  49. A Ww on October 18, 2021 at 6:09 pm

    Nice video.

  50. GoldProspecter on October 18, 2021 at 6:10 pm

    Nive video! Here is a video I made outside of Yuma Arizona in an abandoned gold mine:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qfhFs1Wgfg

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