New Almaden Walking Tour Plus Mining Museum

You may have visited the sites of Spanishtown and Englishtown in Almaden Quicksilver Park, but have you explored New Almaden, a third center of businesses and homes of the Quicksilver Mining Company? We'll meet at Casa Grande, the former home of the mine manager, then take a 1.6-mile walking tour of the historic homes and landmarks of the area. For lunch, please bring something for yourself and something to share with the rest of us. We'll eat behind the Casa Grande before going into the mining museum there. Part of the exhibit contains period furnishings of the latter 19th century, and part of the exhibit is dedicated to the mining, refining, and uses of mercury. Suggested donation of $2 for the museum.

The walking tour is mostly flat (~50 ft. elevation gain) with brick or asphalt under foot. Bring water and wear clothing suited to the weather. A mix of sun and shade. No restrooms before lunch.

Since this is a Sierra Club hike, you must complete and carry with you a paper copy of the Local Outings Medical Form and sign a Liability Waiver at the trailhead at the start of the hike.

The Ohlones used cinnabar (mercury ore) as paint pigment. In 1845 Don Andres Castillero, a Captain in the Mexican Cavalry trained in geology and metallurgy, verified the ore contained mercury and hired Ohlones to build rudimentary furnaces to work his mine. Production was well underway when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in 1848. Suddenly there was even more demand for mercury, and miners from Mexico and Cornwall worked long hours to extract it from the ore. Our tour will give us a glimpse of the life they lived.

Unfortunately repeated exposure to mercury is toxic, causing neurological and various other symptoms for both humans and wildlife. Mine tunnels in the park have been closed for our safety. We can help by looking for non-mercury alternatives in products and disposing of any mercury items as hazardous waste.

Directions: From Hwy 85 take the Almaden Expwy exit. Turn left onto Almaden Plaza Way, then right onto Almaden Expwy. After 4.2 miles turn right at Almaden Rd. After 2.5 miles, Casa Grande will be on your left.