Gold Rush Ghost Towns

Prospectors out exploring often look for, or stumble onto, old ghost towns left behind by the gold rush. These can be fascinating to explore whether they are truly abandoned, preserved, or even still in use. In my book I give directions to visit virtually every significant gold mining ruins area in Colorado. My wife and I visited a few in summer 2019:

Here’s some good info on ghost towns worth visiting as you travel around Colorado: https://crazyaboutcolorado.com/category/colorado-ghost-towns

Some cautions and reminders are important to highlight:

• Don’t enter old, unmaintained structures.
• Don’t remove anything (not even ‘trash’) that may be over 50 years old; it’s a federal felony!
• Do take lots of pictures, many of these old buildings are aging rapidly at this point and falling apart, even collapsing so getting a record of their fading beauty is important.
• Do respect private property and the privacy of people who live in, and care for, old places.
• Do follow old roads and trails heading away from the ghost town or mine; often you’ll find more ruins!
• Do some land status research in advance so you know where you can prospect in the area. Keep in mind that virtually every mining district was found by following placer gold upstream. Prospecting Tip: Often there is decent gold just downstream of old mining camps due to their inefficient ore processing. While the actual ghost town may be a “no touch zone” for prospecting, the creek downstream may be just what you and your gold pan are looking for! Of course, I include many of those prospecting sites in my book.

There are very cool exceptions to the “don’t touch, don’t go in” rules, including real historic miner’s cabins you can camp in! Learn and reserve here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/psicc/recarea/?recid=12461 These cabins are upstream of Clear Creek Reservoir In Chaffee County. Just west of them, along the same dirt road, are a couple of nice ghost towns worth visiting too. All the details about this area are in Chapter G of my book http://www.findinggoldincolorado.com/buy-the-book/ There are details on the ghost towns, other camping options, and of course where you can prospect.

I’d also highly recommend a visit to the Silverton area. They have quite a few buildings you can tour through. The county historical society has done a lot to preserve structures. Please visit, pay their small entry fees, and support their efforts to preserve our mining heritage. The BLM has also stabilized old buildings so you can tour through them. Learn about the local ghost towns, the museum and more here https://sanjuancountyhistoricalsociety.org and here https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sanjuan/recarea/?recid=43354 The area around Silverton has a whole chapter in my book too. I’ve included info on old ghost towns and abandoned mine sites, public prospecting, driving tours and more. http://www.findinggoldincolorado.com/buy-the-book/ of course!

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