Our Story

Our family embraced the hospitality industry in 1990 by managing private home cabin rentals in Big Bear Lake. Although enjoyable, an interest to develop a deeper involvement with guests and the visitor experience led to a commitment to explore ideas.  

The process led to recalling a cherished family memory of sharing a gold panning experience with my parents and grandparents during a visit to the Knott's Berry Farm theme park in Sothern California. The thrill I experienced has never left, it will forever be a valued memory. As years past, the experience awakened my interest in the elements of earth which continued to strengthen into a deeper appreciation of rocks, crystals and minerals of all kinds as I matured.

Many people are unaware of the gold history within the back area of Big Bear Lake. During the mid 1800's, William Holcomb struck gold, the news brought many settlers to the valley in search of their own fortunes. The town was aptly named Holcomb Valley which became responsible for yielding the largest gold strike in Southern California.  

We believe learning a bit of history about the places you visit make the visitor experience more meaningful and interesting. With that in mind, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to blend our appreciation of earth's elements with the history of Big Bear and the Gold Rush Mining Company was born. 

What began in 2013 as a simple still water trough and three mining ore options has grown into two professional running water sluices/troughs, two digging stations, pearl harvesting, a gem and cosmic cave exploration, a variety of mining ore options (as many as 16), the Gold Mine Gift Shop and the Glitter Gulch Ghost Town. 

We are pleased to say that we've enjoyed welcoming thousands of guests, first timers and returning visitors to our attraction since our inception. We are dedicated to continually develop fun in extraordinary ways intended to visually impress and inspire imagination!

Our adventure activities are thoughtfully created to emphasis a variety of earth treasures offered in a fun and imaginative way. 

The individual stones, gems, crystals, fossils, jewelry, toys and souvenirs we offer in our store are carefully chosen to appeal to all ages and interests as well as mindful of all budgets! There's truly something for everyone!

We are proud that our destination has become a favorite of many. 

We look forward to greeting you with a warm smile and sharing our hearty enthusiasm in what we offer!