If you are looking for a family activity associated with the Cobalt Silver Rush, then the Cobalt underground mine tour is a must, especially with children. They will truly experience the reality of early mining in an underground tunnel when the work was done by hand.
The visit of the Cobalt Mining Museum is also fascinating and could be an activity for a rainy day. The Heritage Silver Trail is a unique self-guided tour of many of Cobalt’s famous mine sites.
So much has been written about the underground mine tour, the mining museum and the Heritage Silver Trail that we will basically provide you with a few links to web sites, articles, and blogs so that you can learn a bit more and decide if this is something you want to do during your stay in our Temiskaming region.
The following link to the Cobalt Mining Legacy web site provide a good summary of what can be discovered walking around Cobalt.
The Cobalt Underground Mine Tour
Tour information and registration are at the Cobalt Mining Museum. In the summer time, tours are offered daily. We strongly suggest that you call ahead of time to inquire about the times and reserve your spot at (705) 679-8301.
The Cobalt underground mine tour will take you in the Colonial Mine, which was in operation from 1907 to 1937 and produced 1,25 million ounces of silver. You will see how the men carved out the tunnels with hand-steel, searching for the silver veins. The tour takes approximately an hour and is a good family activity with children over 5 years old. Adults will also enjoy.
Tour hours and costs
The tour is approximately an hour long. You will need to wear a sweater as the temperature in the mine is approximately 55 def F (12 deg C). Children under 6 are free.
The Heritage Silver Trail
The Heritage Silver Trail is a unique self-guided tour of many of Cobalt’s famous mine sites. The sites of many of the mines and processing mills are still there, with some foundations almost intact while others show only a few remains.
You can obtain a trail guide book at the Mining Museum. In the summer time, guided tours can be arranged with the mining Museum personnel. The Silver trail will probably take you half a day and you might want to bring along a picnic or a snack. A few interesting surprises will be waiting for you along the way.
Great Geotour of Cobalt
The Cobalt Mining Museum
The Cobalt Mining Museum strives to preserve as much of Cobalt’s past as possible. You will want to spend a few hours in the museum.
Few people realize that Cobalt was the birth of Canadian mining. At one time, over 100 mines were in operation and at its peak 10,000 people lived in Cobalt not including the surrounding communities of Haileybury, New Liskeard and Coleman Township. Cobalt prospectors, mine owners, engineers, managers fanned out across the globe to become the foundation of the Canadian mining industry.
The museum is located at 24 Silver Street in Cobalt and it can be reached at (705) 679-8301.
Town of Cobalt link
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Foundations of a Cobalt processing mill.
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Heritage Silver Trail Map
The Cobalt Underground Mine tour, the Heritage Silver Trail and the Mining Museum are great activities during your visit in our beautiful Temiskaming region.
