But when those rich resources went bust, dozens of towns were
abandoned—leaving behind saloons, mercantiles and other hallmarks of
Wild West life. Catch glimpses of this bygone era in the remains of
ghost towns tucked amid high peaks and remote wilderness. Though you’ll
have to drive a portion of the way to these deserted destinations, take
an intrepid approach for the final leg.
1. ATV/OFF-ROAD VEHICLE
Ghost towns in Colorado range from mere ruins to surprisingly intact hamlets—for the latter, venture St. Elmo, where a few lingering residents run a general store and a guesthouse. Seek the help of Buena Vista’s ATV Mountain Adventure Rentals,
which will drop you and your rented ride off trailside (and pick you up
later), leaving you to explore the dusty, straight-out-of-a-movie set
streets on your own. An ATV also comes in handy for a bonus trip to
nearby Tin Cup.
Set your sights on Animas Forks, located high in the San Juan Mountains. Just 12 miles away in Silverton, Rock Pirates Backcountry Adventures can hook you up with one of its rugged Tomcar OHVs for a bumpy-yet-scenic excursion up the Alpine Loop Scenic & Historic Byway. Check out nine remaining structures, including the two-story Duncan House with its impressive bay window.
2. HIKE
The North Park area is home to Teller City,
a former silver-mining camp that at one time boasted 27 saloons,
hundreds of log cabins and more than 1,500 residents—not too shabby
given its dense-forest location. Head southeast of Walden to
the Teller City Interpretive Site, then hit the .75-mil loop trail that
winds arounds scattered remains of cabins and other artifacts.
The high-altitude setting of Carson (almost 12,000 feet) makes it all the more rewarding for its views of massive peaks. Lake City, situated near the Continental Divide, is your base for this adventure. Hop on the Alpine Loop Scenic & Historic Byway to
Wager Gulch Trailhead. The moderate-to-difficult hike is a steady,
3.4-mile climb leading through open meadows and aspen stands to the
Carson site.
3. BIKE
Eleven miles south of Aspen, Ashcroft is
one of a few ghost towns that can be visited year-round. But it would
be a shame to miss the vivid colors of wildflower season in late summer
or fall’s brilliant foliage—both ideal times for a two-wheeled ride
along Castle Creek Road. Named to the National Register of Historic
Places in 1975, Ashcroft is currently maintained by the Aspen Historical
Society, and highlights include the still-standing post office, Blue
Mirror Saloon and town jail.
Central City escaped a boom-to-bust fate, but hidden just up the hill is Nevadaville,
which bustled with some 4,000 people in its heyday. Several original
buildings and a few gravesites are left, in addition to the Nevada Lodge
No.4, still used by Freemasons for monthly meetings. The route up
gravelly County Road 1-S is just over a mile and makes for a nice
mountain-bike jaunt.
4. SNOWSHOE/CROSS-COUNTRY SKI
Wintertime doesn’t always mean you can’t visit—in fact the scene might have a more ethereal vibe blanketed in snow. South of Ouray lies
Ironton Park, home to the slumbering remnants of the Ironton townsite. A
local group maintains and grooms Nordic trails after fresh snows,
including the roughly 2-mile Townsite Loop, which passes by a two-story
Victorian house and the Larson Brother’s Mine.
Close to Summit County’s popular ski resorts is Mayflower Gulch Trail. Go six miles south of Copper Mountain to
the trailhead, then strap on your showshoes for a four-mile round trip
to Boston Mine. Your path follows a gently sloped wagon road through
forest before opening up to a bowl peppered with old mining cabins and
an ore chute at the base of Fletcher Mountain.
5. JEEP TOUR
Sometimes it’s easier—but no less thrilling—to let the pros take
the wheel. Telluride Outside guide service is happy to oblige with its
4WD tours in beefed-up Chevy trucks. The Imogene Pass itinerary departs
from Telluride toward Tomboy
Strike out from Marble on
an expedition to Crystal City, courtesy of Crystal River Jeep Tours.
Your guide will navigate the terrain while you enjoy dramatic
landscapes. Just before the town entrance is the exceptionally
picturesque Crystal Mill, perched above the river. Two shops and a dozen
cabins are reminders of the once-thriving community, but a few friendly
summer residents also carry on.
PIT STOP: HISTORIC COLORADO WATERING HOLES
Detour from the ghost-town quest and relive the Old West at some of Colorado’s oldest places to quench your thirst
- The Centennial State’s longest-surviving gold-rush-era business, Buffalo Rose Saloon in Golden, got its start as the international Bowling Saloon in 1859.
- Though established in 1862, the original building of The Mint in Silverthorne has been taken apart and moved three times.
- Inside Aspen’s historic Hotel Jerome, J-Bar has been slinging boozy concoctions to the likes of John Wayne and Hunter S Thompson since 1889.
- Not much has changed at the New Sheridan Bar in Telluride since its 1895 construction within a hotel of the same name, from the mahogany wood paneling to stiff pours.
- Dining and drinking venues have been operating in The Minturn Saloon’s Vail Valley location since 1901.
*Exercise caution around all sites and be mindful of rapidly
changing weather conditions, especially at high altitude. Taking
souvenirs is strictly prohibited, but snap all the photos you like.
