There are several parking areas available. Difficulty: 3/5 on north side, 4/5 on south side which is rocky and muddy.Can continue on north side to picnic area and Millstream Gardens Trail Length: 1.2 mile loop trail or 2.4 miles if you have to backtrack on each side.When water levels are low enough, the trail can be hiked as a full loop. A 2 mile trail follows both sides of the rushing St. Today, visitors to the Silver Mines Recreation Area can discover a beautiful area of Missouri perfect for hiking or camping. Water flow was diverted to a turbine which powered machinery for hoisting and crushing ore. The mining company also constructed an elaborate stone dam in 1879.
The mining operation was not widely successful, but a small company town sprung up for the miners.
Silver, Tungsten, and Lead were mined here until operations ceased in 1946. In 1877, the Einstein Mining Company began operations along the scenic St. While most people think of Colorado or California as the place to hunt for gold or silver, silver ore could be found even in Missouri. Back in the 1800s the rush was on to discover precious metals.