Bingham Canyon Mine, operated by Rio Tinto Kennecott in the Oquirrh Mountains southwest of the city, is the kind of place that shifts your sense of scale. Copper has been dug here since the 1860s, the pit has been worked continuously since the early twentieth century, and the excavation is now more than 2.5 miles wide and about 0.75 miles deep, a stepped bowl so large that the giant haul trucks working its benches look like toys from the overlook. The site is a National Historic Landmark and a defining part of Utah's economy, having produced millions of tons of copper along with gold, silver and molybdenum. The visitor experience is a self-guided stop at the pit's rim. You reserve a time slot, park at the visitor center, and ride a shuttle up to an overlook with a view over the active pit, with exhibits that explain the mining process and show examples of the equipment, including a truck bed and engine that give a sense of the size of the machines. Most people spend about an hour in total, and the combination of the view and the engineering story makes it a genuinely different outing from anything else in the valley.
The history is dramatic and worth knowing before you go. Mormon settlers took notice of ore here in the 1850s, but large-scale mining began after the railroad arrived, and the real revolution came in 1903 when engineers proposed treating enormous quantities of low-grade copper ore as a bulk operation instead of chasing rich veins. That approach, scaled up with steam shovels and later with electric trucks, turned a mountain into a pit and made Utah a copper state.
Over the century the mine has also shaped the valley's social fabric, drawing waves of immigrant workers from across Europe and Asia into company towns, some of which have since been swallowed by the pit or by the smelter's reach.
A note on the landscape
In 2013 one of the largest nonvolcanic landslides in North American history sent the pit's northeast wall down in a single event, and no one was hurt thanks to advance monitoring. The incident is part of the interpretive story, and it helps explain why the visitor program is managed carefully. Operations are active, so you are viewing a working mine, not a museum, and the experience can be paused or closed for weather, thunderstorms or road conditions, with refunds handled by the operator.
Practical sense
The experience is seasonal, running through the warmer months and closed in winter, so plan around that and check the operator's reservation page for the current season and the small per-person fee. Tickets are timed and can sell out on weekends and holidays, which makes weekday mornings the easy choice. The shuttle ride is short, the overlook has limited shade and seating, and there is no food on site, so bring water and a hat.
The site is accessible, and strollers fold onto the shuttle. Combine it with a morning at the Great Salt Lake or an afternoon in the city for a day that shows both the natural and the industrial sides of Utah, and consider it a good rainy-day alternative only if the weather is not stormy, since lightning pauses the shuttles.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided visit: park at the visitor center, ride a shuttle to the overlook above the active pit, and explore two levels of exhibits and equipment displays.
Best time
Weekday mornings in the open season; clear days give the best views and avoid thunderstorm closures.
How long
About an hour on site, plus the short shuttle ride each way.
Tips
Reserve a timed slot online, bring water and a hat, and check the season before you plan; the site is closed in winter.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone curious about industrial scale, geology or Utah's mining heritage.
- Families
- Kids tend to love the haul-truck displays; the experience is short and accessible.
- Couples
- A distinctive, off-the-usual-list outing with sweeping views.
- Pair with
- The Great Salt Lake boat tour or a late lunch in the city.
- Time needed
- A half-day with driving included.
Good questions
Is Bingham Canyon Mine open year-round?+
No. The visitor experience is seasonal and closes for the winter. Check the operator's reservation page for the current season before you plan.
Do I need to reserve?+
Yes. Entry is by timed online ticket, tickets are limited and are not guaranteed at the gate, and weekends often sell out.
How big is the pit?+
More than 2.5 miles wide and about three-quarters of a mile deep, which makes it one of the largest human-made excavations in the world.
Can I see the mine from the road?+
Not usefully. Access to the overlook is by shuttle from the visitor center, and everyone must use it.
Is food available?+
No food is sold on site. Bring your own drinks and a snack, plus sun protection.