This is a list of some notable
ghost towns in the
U.S.State of Colorado. A ghost town is a former community that now has no year-round residents or less than 1% of its peak population. Colorado has over 1,500 ghost towns, although visible remains of only about 640 still exist. Due to incomplete records, no exhaustive list can be produced.
Abandonment
Colorado ghost towns were abandoned for a number of reasons:
Mining towns were abandoned when the mines closed; many due to the devaluation of silver in 1893.
Mill towns were abandoned when the mining towns they serviced closed.
Farming towns on the eastern plains were often deserted due to rural depopulation.
Coal towns were abandoned when the coal (or the need for it) ran out.
Stage stops were abandoned when the railroad came through.
Rail stops were deserted when the railroad changed routes or abandoned the spurs.
Others were abandoned for more unusual reasons. Some were resort towns which never brought in enough tourists. At least seven former townsites are now underwater, caused by the creation of reservoirs; a few are covered in mining tailings, as noted below. Of the list below, some involve settlements with visible tangible remains such as structures or cemeteries, while the precise location of others is known only through maps and historic accounts.
This is a sortable table of some of the ghost towns in Colorado. Select the OpenStreetMap link in the box at right to view a map showing the location these towns.
^Located at an elevation of 11,185 feet (3,409 m), the
Animas Forks, Colorado Territorypost office (became
Animas Forks, Colorado on August 1, 1876) was the highest in the United States from February 8, 1875 to February 9, 1876 and again from September 25 to October 15, 1879.
^On January 7, 1862, county voters selected
Laurette as the new seat of
Park County, Colorado Territory. On December 21, 1865, Laurette changed its name to
Buckskin, commonly known as
Buckskin Joe.[2] Buckskin Joe served as county seat until November 7, 1867.
^Located at an elevation of 11,574 feet (3,528 m), the
Carson, Coloradopost office was the highest in the United States from September 16, 1889 to June 14, 1895.
^Located at
Tennessee Pass at an elevation of 11,342 feet (3,457 m), the
Climax station on the
Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad was the highest railroad station in North America from its construction in 1884 until 1904 and again from 1928 until it was removed in 1937.
^Located at an elevation of 11,342 feet (3,457 m), the
Climax, Coloradopost office was the highest in the United States from March 31, 1919 to January 4, 1974.
^Located at an elevation of 11,428 feet (3,483 m), the
Holy Cross, Coloradopost office was the highest in the United States from November 11, 1883 to September 15, 1889.
^Located at an elevation of 10,708 feet (3,264 m), the
Oro City, Kansas Territorypost office (became
Oro City, Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861) was the highest in the United States from February 16 to November 13, 1861, and again from January 25, 1873 to February 7, 1875.
^Located at an elevation of 11,431 feet (3,484 m), the
Rexford, Coloradopost office was the highest in the United States from January 9, 1882 to November 10, 1883.
^San Juan City served as the original seat of
Hinsdale County, Colorado Territory from the time the county was created on February 10, 1874, until 1875. On June 4, 1874, San Juan City officially shortened its name to
San Juan, although it was still commonly known as San Juan City.[2]
^Located at an elevation of 11,287 feet (3,440 m), the
Summit, Colorado Territorypost office (became
Summit, Colorado on August 1, 1876 and name changed to
Summitville, Colorado on November 17, 1880) was the highest in the United States from February 10, 1876 to September 24, 1879, and again from October 16, 1879 to January 8, 1882.
^Ula served as the original seat of
Custer County, Colorado from the time the county was created on March 9, 1877, until 1878.
^Wason served eight months as the original seat of
Mineral County, Colorado, from the creation of the county on March 27, 1893, until November 7 of that year.
^
ab"An Act Defining the Boundaries of Counties and for other purposes". Provisional Laws and Joint Resolutions of the General Assembly of Jefferson Territory. General Assembly of the Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson. November 28, 1859. Retrieved November 12, 2023.