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The Isinglass Mine is one of those mines that has a lot of hearsay but not a lot of facts. Â I have done some research in this mine to find out if it did indeed intersect Holbrook and Ward Canyons but I have found no evidence to support this claim. Â Most likely, if it did go through the mountain, it ended in the canyon between Holbrook and Ward, but that is just my theory.
The Isinglass Mine is located in Bountiful Utah and is rumored to have intersected Holbrook and Ward Canyons. Â There is little evidence to support this rumor but it is still interesting to check out.
I heard about this mine from a lady I recently met who lives in Bountiful. Â She said her husband grew up in the Bountiful area and he explored a mine that went from one side of the canyon to the other (that’s over 5000+ feet!). Â There is little to no evidence to support this theory though.
The name “Isinglass” comes from the mica that was supposedly mined to create glass viewing windows in old fashioned stoves, furnaces and even lanterns.  Even though most people don’t care about mica, it is an interesting mineral nonetheless and is used in electronics, drilling and even optical filters.
Enter the mine at your own risk!
The trailhead begins at the Holbrook Canyon parking lot which is located just a little south and east of the Bountiful LDS Temple. Â This is a very short hike and it can take less than 20 minutes to complete.
Park in Holbrook Canyon parking lot and hike up the trail to the north. Â Do not hike along the main access dirt road because you will pass right by the mine. Â You will need to take one of the small side trails to the mine and you will soon be hiking on the tailings pile. Â After about 50 yards of hiking you will see the opening to the Isinglass Mine. Â It is still open but you will need to belly crawl to get inside of it.
Once inside, the mine opens up to the right so you are able to stand completely up. Â You will see all the mica all over the walls and a few other cool formations and that is basically all there is to see. Â Someone must have collapsed the mine because you can clearly see that it went in farther.
I’ve heard the same rumors and came to the same conclusions about this mine. There could’ve been another portal that is now collapsed or filled in, but there would have to have been a massive tailing pile for a mine that size. Plus, the lack of actual records of such a supposed operation lead me to believe that this is more of a local legend. Kind of like when I heard that there were teachers at Davis High that belonged to a secret coven and sacrificed students. Entertaining but not real, I’m afraid. Great post, sir!
Thanks for your comment Matt! Inside this mine it looked like it was back filled so I bet it went in a little more ways but I really doubt it went to another canyon! I somehow believe your story about the DHS teachers more than the story of this mine going through the canyon 😉
Yep. I’ve been through that mine as a young boy and we came out in the first canyon over the hill, not Wards Canyon. You can still find the rock filled portal. As an adult it took me a while to find it again.
Hey Dave! So basically it went a few hundred feet?
Yes, I guess about that far.
If you look at the hillside now it is not the same as back then. in the 80s or early 90s they dug up other parts of the hill and graded it leaving only the small cave and entrance you now show in your pics. What other mines are now lost.