DWR conservation officers see uptick in trespassing at old Tintic Mill on Goshen Warm Springs Wildlife Management Area

Salt Lake City — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers have seen an increase in trespassing violations at the old Tintic Mill on the Goshen Warm Springs Wildlife Management Area and are reminding the public that the area is closed because it is unsafe.

The Tintic Standard Reduction Mill was built in the 1920s and mostly processed silver. However, operations were closed only five years after the mill opened. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and then ownership transferred to the DWR in 1986. The mill is now part of the Goshen Warm Springs WMA.

In 2002, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality sampled the water and soil on the WMA and found elevated levels of arsenic and lead. Breathing high levels of arsenic can give you a sore throat or irritated lungs, and ingesting very high levels of arsenic can result in death, according to the Department of Environmental Quality. Exposure to lead can result in increased blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, decreased kidney function and an impaired immune system.

After receiving the sampling results, the DWR then closed the property to the public. Despite misinformation online that identifies the old Tintic Mill near Goshen as a good place for a photoshoot, the area is actually closed to the public due to safety concerns, and violators will be cited for trespassing. Criminal trespass is a class B misdemeanor, which can result in a fine up to $1,000.

The area is posted with multiple "no trespassing" signs and is under 24-hour video surveillance. DWR conservation officers and officers from the Santaquin Police Department and Utah County Sheriff's Office also patrol the area to keep people from entering.

"Some of the old landmarks may look interesting, but it is an extremely unsafe area," DWR Conservation Officer Tod Morgan said. "There are high levels of arsenic, and the state has deemed it a health hazard. In addition, the old buildings are crumbling and there are frequent chunks of concrete falling in the area. We need people to stay out of this area so that someone doesn’t get hurt."

Since July 2023, over 292 trespassing violations have been detected on the property by the DWR, Santaquin City Police Department and the Utah County Sheriff's Office.

Along with trespassing, people have also been caught using illegal drugs near the mill, vandalizing the property with graffiti and trashing the WMA with their litter.

"This entire area is currently closed to the public, including for hunting and fishing," Morgan said. "We want everyone to stay safe, and that means staying out of this area."

Due to prohibitive costs, the state currently has no plans to remediate the site.