Mines

Monarch Mine – Atlanta, Idaho

The Monarch Mine is located south of Atlanta, Idaho. It’s part of the mine hill located outside of town. If you are even remotely into mining history, the town of Atlanta is worth a visit. There are countless mine sites located outside of town and the town was established in the 1860s when gold was found. There are currently 38 residents.

The town is located on the southern side of the Sawtooth Range and much less visited than the north side. It’s extremely beautiful.

There are several established campsites around town and a ranger station. We camped the night right outside of town.

I made my way up to the Monarch Mine down Quartz Street. The street quickly becomes narrow and rocky. You will need a four wheel drive vehicle to get anywhere close. I had to park the Jeep almost a mile away from the site because the road was too narrow. The Monarch Mine site is well dug, has lot’s of artifacts and several buildings. The entire area is littered with mining history. I wish I had more time to explore the area.

Directions

Accessing Atlanta is difficult. You will need to approach it from either forest road 227 and then cross James Creek Summit or access it via Phifer Creek Road. Both passes are narrow and steep and you will need some experience driving in rugged terrain to take these routes. You can also approach from the west and take the Middle Fork road from highway 21. It’s a long drive.

More Information

Monarch Mine

Leave a Reply