Crestone - Colorado Ghost Town

CRESTONE

NAME: Crestone
COUNTY: Custer
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 8
CLIMATE: Cool winter with snow, cool summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: Many ranches in the area.
REMAINS: Current residents, many original buildings.

The mining camp of Crestone came into existence during the 1880s at the foot of the mountain range Sangre de Cristo-Blood of Christ. Prospectors had been working the mountain range starting in 1879 with considerable success but not to the extent of creating a boomtown anywhere along the range. In 1890, free-milling gold was discovered but before anyone knew the veins were comparatively shallow, Crestone was built. The town began to look like a ghost when in 1899 another vein was discovered and the town boomed. A railroad came in, a hotel was built and the population reached 2,000. As did the others, the vein pinched out and the town lay down and died. As vacationers drive through the area today, ranchers’ homes dominate the land at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

The mining camp of Crestone came into existence during the 1880s at the foot of the mountain range Sangre de Cristo-Blood of Christ. Prospectors had been working the mountain range starting in 1879 with considerable success but not to the extent of creating a boomtown anywhere along the range. In 1890, free-milling gold was discovered but before anyone knew the veins were comparatively shallow, Crestone was built. The town began to look like a ghost when in 1899 another vein was discovered and the town boomed. A railroad came in, a hotel was built and the population reached 2,000. As did the others, the vein pinched out and the town lay down and died. As vacationers drive through the area today, ranchers’ homes dominate the land at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo.
Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

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