summitville ghost town

If you like mountain views and "ghost" towns, and do not mind a long bumpy mountain road, this is an excellent excursion. To explore the area, you must be able to climb a short incline, and walk over rough terrain. Be sure and take a local map of the area forest roads so that you do not get lost.

Colorado rancher John Esmond and a companion stumbled into a rock laced with gold sometime in the early 1870s. He collected 50 lbs of gold but did not file proper claims and went back home. When he returned to the area a couple of years later, Esmond found hundreds of prospectors who had managed to take over his claims and filed several new ones. In any event, he soon discovered more gold and filed, this time correctly, claims to the Little Annie, Del Norte and Margaretta mines. The town, originally called Summit, then renamed Summitville, got its Post Office in 1875 and quickly grew, despite the annual snowfall of 40 feet at the camp's 11,500-foot elevation. By 1883 Summitville was one of the largest gold producers in the State of Colorado. Nine mills operated 155 stamps, it had its own newspaper, 14 saloon and about 600 people. As often was the case with the gold boom-towns of Colorado, the gold diminished and the town slowly died. Several attempts were made to revive it in the aftermath, but it just was not meant to be. The current ruins can be found at 26 mls South East of Del Norte (from 149 West bound, take Pinos Creek road at .4 out of Del Norte, then follow the signs). 11 miles are paved, the rest is dirt road, but easy. If it's dry you can even go with a sedan. In winter and mud you do need 4 wheel vehicle. There are two sets of structures, some completely collapsed. The most interesting is down in the river, it was a pump house and it features an entrance built from the roof, in order to reach the pump in the winter when the snow will cover the houses... The road provides gorgeous vistas and plenty of wildlife (see photos)