64 Old Ruins to Explore in Colorado
Checkout places to visit in Colorado
ColoradoIt is home to no less than twenty-six ski resorts such as those in Vail and Breckenridge; other winter activities include snowboarding, sledding, sleigh rides, snow hiking and snowmobiling. The state is blessed with national parks, grasslands and forests where in warmer weather you can enjoy hiking, mountain biking or rock climbing.
Old Ruins by destinations in Colorado
Popular Activities And Trips in Colorado
Filter By Date
//
Sort By
Old Ruins to Explore in Colorado
Alpine Tunnel Alpine Tunnel is a 1,772 ft narrow gauge railroad tunnel located east of Pitkin, Colorado on the former Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad route from Denver to Gunnison. It was a 1,772 feet long tunnel built for a narrow gauge rail line that ran from Denver to Gunnison. It opened in 1882, and was the first tunnel crossing of the Continental Divide in the state.
Amache National Historic SiteThe Amache National Historic Site is located in Prowers County, Colorado. It was established in 1965 to preserve the site of the Amache Internment Camp, which was used to imprison Japanese Americans during World War II. Today, the site is open to the public and features a variety of interpretive exhibits. Visitors can also explore the remains of the camp, including the foundations of buildings and surfaces where internees wrote messages on the ground.
Argo Gold Mill and TunnelArgo Gold Mine & Mill is a national historic site located about 45 minutes from Denver. featuring an intact gold mill built at the entrance of the Argo Tunnel. The tunnel was built between 1893 and 1910 to drain the gold mines in Virginia Canyon, Gilpin Gulch, Russell Gulch, Quartz Hill, Nevadaville, and Central City and allow easier ore removal. It began in 1893 with the construction of the Argo Tunnel. After 17 years it reached Central City, about 4.5 miles away.
Ashcroft Ghost TownAshcroft was once a booming town in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, but today it is a ghost town. Founded in 1880, Ashcroft was a silver-mining town located in what is now Pitkin County, Colorado. At its peak, the town had a population of over 2,000 people. However, the silver mines began to play out in the early 1900s, and as the population dwindled, so did the businesses and services in town. The last residents left Ashcroft in the 1950s, and today only a few buildings remain standing.
Bent's Old Fort National Historic SiteBent's Old Fort National Historic Site commemorates a significant chapter in American history. Founded in 1833, the fort was a key trading post for goods flowing between the United States and Santa Fe. For nearly two decades, the fort was a thriving community, with traders, trappers, Native Americans, and other passersby all coming together to trade goods and share stories. Today, visitors can explore the restored fort, which contains original and replica buildings, as well as a museum.
Bents New FortBent's New Fort was a historic fort and trading post along the banks of the Arkansas River in what is now Bent County. It features a reconstructed 1840s adobe fur trading post on the mountain branch of the Santa Fe Trail where traders, trappers, travelers, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes came together in peaceful terms for trade.
Big Boy Steam Engine 4004Big Boy, one of the largest and most powerful series of steam locomotives ever built. Produced from 1941 to 1944 by the American Locomotive Company of Schenectad and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in revenue service until 1962. They were the only locomotives to use a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement: four-wheel leading truck for stability entering curves, two sets of eight driving wheels and a four-wheel trailing truck to support the large firebox.
Bishop CastleBishop Castle is an "elaborate and intricate "one-man project" named after its constructor, Jim Bishop, that has become a roadside attraction in central Colorado.The "castle" is located in south central Colorado on State Highway 165 in the Wet Mountains of Southern Colorado in the San Isabel National Forest, southwest of Pueblo, Colorado.
Boggsville Historic SiteBoggsville is a former settlement in Bent County, Colorado. It includes a 39-acre National Register District with two early territorial-style adobe structures, the 1866 Boggs House and the 1867 Prowers house. The site is owned by the Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County and operated as a seasonal interpretive museum. The surviving structures are among the earliest examples of Territorial architecture in Colorado. Boggsville was the last home of frontiersman Kit Carson.
Camp Bird MineThe Camp Bird Mine was a gold and silver mine located in Ouray County. It was one of the most productive mines in the San Juans, and at its peak, it employed over 400 workers. The mine operated for over 20 years, until it was finally closed in 1991. During its time, the Camp Bird Mine produced over $50 million worth of gold and silver. Today, the mine is a popular tourist attraction, and visitors can take a tour of the tunnels and see the equipment that was used to extract the precious metals.
Canyons of the Ancients National MonumentCanyons of the Ancients National Monument is located in Montezuma County, Colorado. The monument consists of canyons, mesas, and other natural features carved by the wind and rain over millions of years. The area is home to a variety of plant and animal life, as well as a rich Native American history. archaeological sites have been found that date back more than 10,000 years. Visitors to the monument can enjoy hiking, camping, picnicking, and birdwatching.
Cathedral of the Sacred HeartThe Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is a beautiful church located in Pueblo County, Colorado. The church was built in 1902 and is one of the oldest churches in the area. The cathedral is made of stone and has a traditional design. The main features of the cathedral include a large dome, two towers, and a nave with stained glasswindows. The cathedral is also home to a number of important works of art, including a statue of the Virgin Mary and a painting of the Last Supper.
Charlie Tayler Water WheelThis largest water wheel in the state of Colorado, was constructed in 1893 by Charlie Tayler. Tayler used this water wheel to power an ore processing stamp mill at his gold mining operations on Ute Creek. It was moved to its present site in 1946, a gift to the people of Idaho Springs by his estate. It was restored during the spring and summer of 1988 by volunteers and private contributions. It was dedicated during Gold Rush Days, July 16-17, 1988.
ChautauquaColorado Chautauqua is one of three remaining Chautauquas in the United States, and the only site west of the Mississippi River, in continuous operation, with its original structures intact. It is also home to the Colorado Music Festival and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. According to its governing body, the Colorado Chautauqua Association, it is also unique in that it is the only year-round Chautauqua.
Chimney Rock National MonumentThis is a sacred place that celebrates the life of Ancestral Puebloans over 1000 years ago. It lies on 4,726 acres of San Juan National Forest land surrounded by the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. Housing approximately 2,000 ancient Pueblo Indians between AD 925 and 1125, the settlement included a Great House Pueblo with round ceremonial rooms, known as kivas, and 36 ground-floor rooms.
Cliff PalaceCliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. The structure built by the Ancestral Puebloans is located in Mesa Verde National Park in their former homeland region. The cliff dwelling was constructed over a period of centuries, starting around 1200 AD and continuing until the late 1300s. It is thought to have been home to as many as 100 people at its peak. Cliff Palace was rediscovered by American settlers in 1888 and has been open to visitors since 1906.
Comanche Crossing of the Kansas Pacific RailroadThe Comanche Crossing of the Kansas Pacific Railroad is a site where the last spike was driven into the first continuous transcontinental railroad on August 15, 1870. The site is east of Strasburg, Colorado. In 1970 the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places to honor the centennial of the railroad’s completion.
Como RoundhouseThe Como Roundhouse is a historic site located in Park County. The roundhouse was built in 1881 by the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad, and served as a repair shop for locomotives. The site includes the remains of the roundhouse, engine house, turntable, and water tank. The Como Roundhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Today, the site is open to the public for tours and events. This is a unique and important part of Colorado's history.