The Copper Queen/Stenson Mines

There is some confusion between the Stenson & The Copper Queen Mines. The Mining History & Minerals Resources page shows that the Stenson Mines consisted of three adits at the same Latitude/Longitude coordinates as the Copper Queen.  All topographical maps I’ve seen, show the Stenson and Copper Queen mines next to each other.  My guess is that when the mines first went into production in 1910 it was as the Stenson Mines and at some point the mines were sold and renamed the Copper Queen Mines.  Silver, lead, zinc and copper were mined at this location, even though the output of the mines never met expectations, production continued up until 1956.

There are three mine openings at  different elevations, the highest opening has been back filled, there is no trail leading to it and the climb up to the tailing dump is hardly worth the effort.  The mid-level mine seems to have been the center of much activity. It was more built up, with two large tailing dumps and the debris of a work camp scattered about.  The adit was not sealed, however  a large pile of dirt and rock almost blocked the entrance.   There was an ominous smell of sulfur coming from inside the mine and large sections of the roof had collapsed.  Although there were signs that others had ventured into the opening,  I had my doubts and did not go in.

A large black tailing dump makes the lower level mine stand out.  There was a strong musty odor emitting from the open adit,  upon further inspection I found the portal to be unstable.  The ribs of the adit showed signs of excessive moisture,  large rocks and debris along the adit floor  indicated that the roof was decaying and crumbling.   All evidence would indicate that this is not a safe opening to enter.  There was an amazing lack of debris at this mine site with almost no garbage to be found.  Just down the slope from the lower level mine was the scattered remnants  of what was once a small camp.  This included the ruins of a small stone dwelling, fairly common to this region.

How to Get There: Take NM Highway 11 south to Sunshine Rd. turn east, the pavement ends at the intersection with Tapia Rd. continue on as the road winds its way towards the Floridas. The road is not bad, there are some bumpy patches, but nothing a two wheel drive pick-up can’t handle.  The road runs parallel to Capitol Dome Draw as you get closer to the mountains.  Once you get to the spot where the road intersects the draw, you have to decide if you want to continue further.  The road gets much rougher and is more suitable for ATV’s or  sturdy four wheel drive vehicles.  I chose to hike up to the mines from this point, if you walk along the road it’s any easy hike, the distance from the draw to the mines is under a mile.

Worth The Trip?: Yes
Accessibility: Easy, Bumpy
Public or Private: Public
Mine Danger: High!
Snake Danger: show caution