These 13 Abandoned Places In Colorado Will Give You Goosebumps
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Annie
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Does anyone else find deserted, abandoned places in (and out of) Colorado ghost towns to be fascinating? It makes you wonder who lived in this home or what happened to the people who worked in this old mine. There is something hauntingly beautiful about old, dilapidated structures that intrigue adventurers, photographers, and historians alike and make them set out in search of these places to explore in Colorado. Here are some amazing abandoned places in Colorado that are sure to give you as many goosebumps as they give us.
Ashcroft, CO 81611, USA
"Ashcroft, originally known as Castle Forks City then Chloride until 1882, was a mining town located ten miles south of Aspen, Colorado, United States. A few buildings remain standing as a testament to the town's past." (via Wikimedia)
Capitol City, Lake City, CO 81235, USA
"This ghost town in Colorado once had a population of 400; its founders wanted it to become the capitol of Colorado. The post office, some outbuildings, and brick kilns remain." (via Wikimedia)
As you might be able to tell, this is one of the most fascinating abandoned places in Colorado.
As you might be able to tell, this is one of the most fascinating abandoned places in Colorado.
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Eastonville, CO 80831, USA
"Eastonville was a town in eastern Colorado from c.1880-1935. It is no longer incorporated. The area in which it occupied is now taken over by urban sprawl from Colorado Springs. The former town limits now reside in El Paso County, in the Colorado Springs metro area, near Black Forest." (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Sunnyside Mine, Colorado 81433, USA
"The Sunnyside Mine in Colorado has been an on-again off-again operation since the late 1880s, and has riddled much of the surrounding area with underground shafts, galleries, and tunnel workings. The mine itself is extensive; it encompasses the area between the headwaters of Eureka Creek (the top of the mine opens near Bonita Peak at about 12,000 feet) and Gladstone (where the bottom portal exits at about 10,000 feet). The top of the mine was quite isolated from the local towns of Silverton, Eureka, Animas Forks, and Gladstone — so a high-altitude tramway was constructed to transport the rich ore down the rugged mountain to lower elevations for processing at the Sunnyside stamp mill." (via Photographer Mitch Zeissler)
St. Elmo, co, Nathrop, CO 81236, USA
"St. Elmo is a ghost town in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1880, St. Elmo lies in the heart of the Sawatch Range, 20 miles southwest of Buena Vista and sits at an elevation of 9,961 feet. Nearly 2,000 people settled in this town when mining for gold and silver started. The mining industry started to decline in the early 1920s, and in 1922 the railroad discontinued service. The community is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the St. Elmo Historic District. It is one of Colorado's best-preserved ghost towns." (via Wikimedia)
Take a look at this video by @ghosttownsandmore:
Take a look at this video by @ghosttownsandmore:
No further information was provided, but this is one creepy place in Colorado we'd rather forget about. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the most haunted abandoned places in Colorado!
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RMBL, 8000 Co Rd 317, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
Editor's note: Over the years, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has been building new cabins and removing the older, abandoned ones. Many of these may no longer exist.
"RMBL was founded in 1928 on the remains of an abandoned mining town in Gothic, Colorado. Approximately 160 people are in residence there during the summer field season. Over 1500 scientific publications have been based on work from the Laboratory (currently 30-50 per year)." (via Wikimedia)
"RMBL was founded in 1928 on the remains of an abandoned mining town in Gothic, Colorado. Approximately 160 people are in residence there during the summer field season. Over 1500 scientific publications have been based on work from the Laboratory (currently 30-50 per year)." (via Wikimedia)
Argo Tunnel Mine, Colorado 80452, USA
"Although no longer actively used, the Argo Tunnel continued to drain acid water from the mines, and was recognized as a major continuing source of dissolved metals in Clear Creek. In May 1980, a surge of water flowed from the mine and turned the water in Clear Creek orange for some distance downstream. The temporary large increase in flow was attributed to a roof collapse somewhere within the tunnel damming a large volume of water behind it, then failing suddenly." (via Wikimedia)
Take a look at this video by @UADestinations:
Take a look at this video by @UADestinations:
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Animas Forks, CO 81433, USA
"The town's first log cabin was built in 1873 and by 1876 the community had become a bustling mining community. At that time the town contained 30 cabins, a hotel, a general store, a saloon, and a post office. By 1883 450 people lived in Animas Forks and in 1882 a newspaper, the Animas Forks Pioneer, began publication and lasted until October 1886. Every fall the residents of Animas Forks migrated en masse to the warmer town of Silverton. In 1884 a 23-day blizzard inundated the town with 25 feet of snow, the residents had to dig tunnels to get from building to building. Mining, speculation and processing mills helped Animas Forks grow." (via Wikimedia)
Climax, CO 80461, USA
"Climax was an unincorporated mining village and a former U.S. Post Office located in Lake County, Colorado, United States. Climax is known for its large molybdenum ore deposit. Climax is located along the Continental Divide at an elevation of about 11,360 feet. It was the highest human settlement in the United States, and it holds the record for having had the country's second highest Post Office and the highest railroad station. The residential houses were all transported to the West Park subdivision of Leadville, Colorado, before 1965, leaving only the mining buildings standing." (via Wikimedia)
Como, CO 80432, USA
Editor's Note: this stone roundhouse in Como has been restored in recent years.
"A six-stall, stone roundhouse in Como, Colorado. Built around 1880, the structure served the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad." (via Wikimedia)
Take a look at this video by @SouthParkNHA:
"A six-stall, stone roundhouse in Como, Colorado. Built around 1880, the structure served the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad." (via Wikimedia)
Take a look at this video by @SouthParkNHA:
Crystal Mill, 11520 Co Rd 3, Carbondale, CO 81623, USA
"Crystal is a ghost town in a valley on the upper Crystal River in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States, on a four-wheel-drive road between Marble and Crested Butte. Many buildings still stand in Crystal, but its few residents live there only in the summer." (via Wikipedia)
When it comes to abandoned places in Colorado, this one might just be the most breathtaking.
When it comes to abandoned places in Colorado, this one might just be the most breathtaking.
Dearfield, CO 80644, USA
"Dearfield is a ghost town and a historically black majority settlement in Weld County, Colorado, United States. It is 30 miles east of Greeley. The town was formed by Oliver T. Jackson who desired to create a colony for African Americans. In 1910, Jackson, a successful businessman from Boulder, filed on the homestead that later became the town and began to advertise for "colonists." The name Dearfield was suggested by one of the town's citizens, Dr. J.H.P. Westbrook who was from Denver. The word dear was chosen as the foundation for the town's name due to the precious value of the land and community to the town's settlers." (via Wikimedia)
Have you seen any of these abandoned places in Colorado in person? Which is your favorite? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Want to take a road trip to see some of these abandoned places in Colorado? If so, check out our road trip essentials packing list, and don’t forget the road trip snacks!
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More to Explore
Abandoned Places in Colorado
What are some creepy abandoned places in Colorado?
The following are some creepy abandoned places in Colorado:
- Perhaps the creepiest abandoned place in Colorado is the old Titan 1 Missile Silo, in Deer Trail, which is actually one of six silos of its kind in the state. It’s by far the spookiest and most popular with urban explorers, though, and is well worth a mention.
- In Trinidad, there’s the beyond infamous site of the Ludlow Massacre, the site of a bloody gun battle over workers’ rights in which more than two dozen people – including women and children – ended up dead. The area is designated and specified with a monument and a worn old cellar door.
Are there any allegedly haunted abandoned places in Colorado?
If there are any haunted places in Colorado, there’s no way the above-mentioned site of the Ludlow Massacre isn’t packing a few ghosts – and there are plenty more to consider as well:
- There’s the spooky Argo Tunnel, which was built in 1892 and abandoned in the 1940s when a deadly accident claimed the lives of four miners. Today, the mine is not operational, though you can do tours of it and maybe catch a ghost or two!
- There are the ghost stories behind an eerie abandoned hospital in Colorado – the St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs. Good luck getting in to investigate, though – trespassing is frowned upon and the history of this place is as dark as any other medical place you’ll find.
Where are the most interesting abandoned places in Colorado?
Among the most interesting abandoned places in Colorado are the following:
- Wonder View Tower in Genoa. It’s been abandoned since the death of its owner in 2014, and it’s certainly quite unique (if not a little creepy).
- Ghost towns in Colorado like the towns of Gothic, Ironton, and Climax.
- Crystal Mill, which was built in 1893 to generate power abandoned in 1917. It’s easily one of the most photogenic places in Colorado – especially for lovers of fall foliage.