The mine and town survived for only a short time before closing down in the 1930s due a drop in silver prices. Very little work has been done to the mine since then. After climbing for three miles the road enters upon a high plateau with large meadows and parks and stands of lodgepole pine forest with small streams flowing through. In early morning and late evening hours, deer and elk can be seen feeding at the timberline. At Crystal Park , visitors can dig for quartz crystals.
Crystal Park has a new parking area with picnic tables and toilets.
Areas are designated where crystals can be dug. Amethyst crystals can be found and many are of high quality. The diggings at Crystal Park are on Forest Service land and they are becoming very popular. During the summer months, the parking area may have twenty to thirty vehicles parked there. Leaving Crystal Park the Byway climbs a short distance to Price Creek where the pavement ends and the road starts to descend to the Grasshopper Valley.