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!

#ExploringAbandonedMines
#AbandonedMines
#MineExploring
#UndergroundExploration
#BigEyeMine

50 Comments

  1. Andy & Amys Arizona Adventures on March 16, 2022 at 6:12 pm

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

  2. Zut Man on March 16, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    How long of a hike is it ?

  3. grandprismatic on March 16, 2022 at 6:15 pm

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

  4. bdbeatle1 on March 16, 2022 at 6:16 pm

    Great, great video!!

  5. My Mystical Nature on March 16, 2022 at 6:17 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

  6. lee sherman on March 16, 2022 at 6:17 pm

    Model A Ford parts in the early section of vid.

  7. Lisaa on March 16, 2022 at 6:17 pm

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

  8. Uncle Ruckus on March 16, 2022 at 6:19 pm

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

  9. 🏴‍☠️Sarah Gold on March 16, 2022 at 6:19 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

  10. JD on March 16, 2022 at 6:22 pm

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

  11. RJDCR on March 16, 2022 at 6:23 pm

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

  12. Jackspedicey 69 on March 16, 2022 at 6:24 pm

    anybody from outlast2

  13. anza boy on March 16, 2022 at 6:24 pm

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

  14. TheGrinddcore on March 16, 2022 at 6:25 pm

    Beautiful final shot of the sunset and Cactus.

  15. ThePsychonaut on March 16, 2022 at 6:30 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.

  16. Jumex 82 on March 16, 2022 at 6:30 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!

  17. Tthe survivalist on March 16, 2022 at 6:31 pm

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

  18. Feesh on March 16, 2022 at 6:33 pm

    2 beds? An entire workforce slept in 2 beds?

  19. BoatyMcBoatFace • 45 years ago on March 16, 2022 at 6:33 pm

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

  20. Vegas Cycling Freak on March 16, 2022 at 6:34 pm

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

  21. Niklas on March 16, 2022 at 6:36 pm

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

  22. Beryl M. Wright on March 16, 2022 at 6:37 pm

    Amazing video

  23. NickyViola on March 16, 2022 at 6:38 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.

  24. Mike 1958 on March 16, 2022 at 6:38 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?

  25. Steve Wright on March 16, 2022 at 6:39 pm

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

  26. Amos Maclin on March 16, 2022 at 6:39 pm

    Cool

  27. Harry Hyde on March 16, 2022 at 6:41 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?

  28. angela diaz on March 16, 2022 at 6:42 pm

    Cool I take a artifact for a souvenir from there

  29. dbache on March 16, 2022 at 6:45 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👍.

  30. Kokopilau77 on March 16, 2022 at 6:45 pm

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

  31. Michael Allen on March 16, 2022 at 6:46 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.

  32. Stephen Rader on March 16, 2022 at 6:47 pm

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

  33. Fox Racing on March 16, 2022 at 6:51 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

  34. AAGR on March 16, 2022 at 6:51 pm

    #hantavirus

  35. Amona Maria on March 16, 2022 at 6:52 pm

    Superstitious mountains of dead Giants from Noah’s flood.

  36. S.J.'s DIY Adventures on March 16, 2022 at 6:57 pm

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

  37. David Lane on March 16, 2022 at 6:58 pm

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

  38. xXMC84Xx on March 16, 2022 at 6:58 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??

  39. Russ The merciless on March 16, 2022 at 7:00 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)

  40. Anthony W Stanton on March 16, 2022 at 7:02 pm

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

  41. a targeted individual on March 16, 2022 at 7:02 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

  42. joet1994ify on March 16, 2022 at 7:03 pm

    Are there minerals

  43. Benjamin Stafford on March 16, 2022 at 7:03 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?

  44. chill3n456 on March 16, 2022 at 7:05 pm

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

  45. GoldProspecter on March 16, 2022 at 7:06 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

  46. Lee Hilton on March 16, 2022 at 7:08 pm

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

  47. A Ww on March 16, 2022 at 7:09 pm

    Nice video.

  48. Az Ironlungz on March 16, 2022 at 7:10 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 !

  49. FAT LOLO on March 16, 2022 at 7:11 pm

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

  50. Mowing, Trimming, & Edging on March 16, 2022 at 7:11 pm

    I love those orange chairs 🪑👍👍

Leave a Comment