What to do and see in Colorado, United States: The Best Ghost Towns

November 1, 2021 Elouise Mccaul

Colorado is home to no less than twenty-six ski resorts such as those in Vail and Breckenridge; other winter activities include snowboarding, sledding, sleigh rides, snow hiking and snowmobiling. The state is blessed with national parks, grasslands and forests where in warmer weather you can enjoy hiking, mountain biking or rock climbing. Wildlife abounds, from bears to moose and raccoons to wolverines. More interested in local history? Head for either the Ute Indian Museum or the Koshare Indian Museum, and don't miss the forts such as Fort Garland and Bent's Old Fort. For a complete change, why not take a ride in a hot air balloon from South Park Valley or Boulder and admire Colorado's picturesque landscape from above?
Restaurants in Colorado

1. South Park City Museum

100 4th St, Fairplay, CO 80440-9903 +1 719-836-2387 http://southparkcity.org/
Excellent
85%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 287 reviews

South Park City Museum

Reviewed By O2152XFdeborahs - Olathe, United States

Enjoyed this self guided walk back in history to the 1860s to 1890s mining town community! There are a little over 40 buildings, along a mainstreet as well as many period items including covered wagons, train cars. Very complete picture of mining in this time period for a very reasonable fee.

2. Skagway Power Plant

Victor, CO 81240
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1 reviews

Skagway Power Plant

3. Douglass City

Leadville, CO
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1 reviews

Douglass City

4. Crested Butte Mountain Resort

12 Snowmass Road, Crested Butte, CO 81225 +1 800-810-7669 [email protected] http://www.skicb.com
Excellent
69%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 417 reviews

Crested Butte Mountain Resort

This ski resort with its Victorian look offers all types of terrain for the skier.

Reviewed By slosh26 - Denver, United States

Great mountain with every (and I mean EVERY) staff member super friendly and helpful. Skied 3 days, son did 1/2 day lesson, and loved every minute on the mountain. Even getting rentals, finding lesson and exploring the mountain and village, we enjoyed. Every staff member you pass, you get a hello, Happy New Year, can I help you, and all of them really went out of their way to help. They also understood the Vail Resorts on-line system was (and still is) having plenty of issues. Rentals and lessons all worked out great thanks to the staff on the mountain. My favorite mtn to ski in Colorado. Mtn is steep and you can find some nice steep groomers. Great small pockets for short runs, short lifts near Umbrella Bar) and avoid the bigger crowds. Paradise has great steep runs.

5. Gothic

Gunnison, CO +1 925-434-4343 http://www.rmbl.org
Excellent
72%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 68 reviews

Gothic

Now a research station and learning center, once was one of the wildest wild west towns.

Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States

Colorado is home to hundreds of deserted ghost towns that have remained untouched and forgotten for many years. Nestled in Colorado's West Elk Mountains, secluded just north of Mount Crested Butte, Colorado's last great ski town, in the shadow of 12,631-foot Gothic Mountain in Gunnison National Forest, the town of Gothic was once home to a thriving silver mine that operated from 1879 to 1896. After the collapse of the silver boom, the town of nearly 1,000 people was next to abandoned, leaving behind only a handful of residents and 200 empty buildings. During its heyday, Gothic welcomed a number of dignified guests, including President Ulysses S. Grant (1880) and the wealthy Bonanza King of Leadville, Horace Tabor, who financially backed the area newspaper. In 1928, more than a decade after Gothic had been designated as a ghost town, the land was purchased by Dr. John Johnson and converted into the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, which specializes in the research of climate control, ecology and the study of marmots. Today, an average of 160 scientists, professors and students live in the former town in the summer. But Gothic has other visitors from time to time, tourists who come to admire an area that is known as the "wildflower capital of Colorado" and the majesty of Gothic Mountain. My wife and I were staying in Mount Crested Butte, where a major mountain biking competition was taking place, and drove the dirt road for seven miles to Gothic. We were lured there by the story of U.S. Grant's visit. We admired Gothic Mountain, as I'm sure he once did.

6. Tin Cup

Gunnison, CO
Excellent
54%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
14%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 76 reviews

Tin Cup

Former ghost town now a Summer resort.

7. Animas Forks

Ouray, CO
Excellent
72%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 229 reviews

Animas Forks

Reviewed By andersmorrison - Sacramento, United States

This place was a blast. It is fun to wandering through the old buildings and just explore. I love that they haven't restored anything and the town appears just as it was left. Would definitely recommend as a must do if you are in Silverton. You can get here by two wheel drive and lots of people do. However, we rented a RZR in Silverton and that was a much better and more fun way to get here.

8. Summitville Ghost Town

Summitville Ghost Town, Del Norte, CO http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/summitville.html
Excellent
58%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 19 reviews

Summitville Ghost Town

Reviewed By williamkH7880FD - Miami, United States

Easy gravel road well kept. You can get out and walk around old town site from the old days. Place to park and read about the mine site and what was there and when

9. Winfield

Buena Vista, CO
Excellent
44%
Good
56%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 9 reviews

Winfield

10. Independence Ghost Town

620 W Bleeker St, Aspen, CO 81611-1230 +1 970-925-3721 [email protected] http://aspenhistory.org/tours-sites/independence-ghost-town/
Excellent
38%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
21%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 47 reviews

Independence Ghost Town

Visitors can tour the remnants of this former mining town, deserted in the late 1800s after a severe storm knocked out supply routes.

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