View
of Sunshine looking SSE down Sunshine Canyon. c.1898
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Approx. G.P.S. Location:
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40.16.534 N - 112.11.628 W (topo) |
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Approx. Elevation:
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6128' (topo)
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30 x 60 Minute Map:
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Utah
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7.5 Minute Map:
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Mercur, Utah
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Brief history
The town of Sunshine was located in Sunshine Canyon a little
over 3 miles south of Mercur. The camp grew up around the Sunshine mine and mill and would grow as other mining properties
in the area were developed.
Though there
were many prospects and smaller operations, the two largest were, and would remain, the Overland on Overland Ridge, and the
Sunshine on the north face of Sunshine Hill. Each of these two properties were well developed with not only fine hoisting
works, but state of the art mills as well.
The
camp could be accessed from four different directions: From the north by way of a wagon road over the ridge from Mercur, from
the east and the town of Manning by way of Clay Canyon, from the South-east through Wells Canyon, and from the South-west
by way of lower Sunshine Canyon.
Both
the Wells Canyon and the lower Sunshine Canyon roads connected with the old state road, but on different sides of the county
line. The former being in Tooele County, and the latter being in Utah county.
Getting there
Travel west from Lehi, Utah on Highway 73 past Cedar
Fort and Fairfield to 5-Mile Pass, OR, travel south from Tooele, Utah on Highway 36 past Stockton, turn left (east) on Highway
73 travel beyond the Depot, Ophir and Mercur turns and you are close.
3.33 miles north of the Utah / Tooele County line at 5-Mile Pass on State Road
73, or 3.6 miles south of the Mercur Canyon road on the same state highway is a well traveled dirt road that goes east from
the highway and enters Sunshine Canyon. The road is marked at the highway and is not difficult to find. From that turnoff
it is 2.4 miles up the rough canyon road to the Sunshine site and a junction of several dirt roads.
Regular passenger cars may be able to make it to the Sunshine site, but no further. The road
is rough and rocky, so I would recommend something with a high ground clearance. It doesn't have to be 4-wheel drive for this
one, but the more off-road worthy the better!
What remains
Ore dumps, a few broken aged timbers, and a number
of cement & re-bar enforced shaft collars are all that remains in and around Sunshine.
There were few structures in the area before UDOGM came and sealed a number
of shafts and adits. There are some structures in other local canyons, but this area is pretty much devoid of anything other
than waste rock dumps.
OVERLAND MINE & MILL
SUNSHINE MINE & MILL
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