The Colorado town where 450 people lived at 11,200 feet during the silver boom

Animas Forks Ghost Town

At 11,200 feet, Animas Forks became a bustling mining town by 1876 with silver fever driving hundreds to this harsh alpine location.

Winter was so brutal that residents dug tunnels through 25 feet of snow just to reach the saloon.

The massive Gold Prince Mill, built in 1904, was Colorado’s largest with 100 stamps crushing 500 tons of ore daily. When metal prices crashed in the 1920s, the last miners packed up and left.

Here’s the story of survival and boom times, with nine original buildings you can walk through today.

Otto Mears Constructs Toll Road In 1877

Otto Mears built a wagon road in 1877 connecting Animas Forks to nearby mining towns. His toll road linked Ouray, Animas Forks, and Lake City.

Daily stagecoaches began running between Animas Forks and Lake City once the road opened. Before this, the isolated camp got supplies only by dangerous mule trails.

Mears charged $3 for using his Uncompahgre Toll Road. This route allowed the movement of supplies, mining equipment, and ore shipments to and from the remote location.

The Bonanza Tunnel Project Begins

Franklin Josiah Pratt started the Mineral Point Tunnel project in 1877. Locals called it the Bonanza Tunnel, showing their hopes for finding rich minerals inside.

The 6,000-foot tunnel would access silver between Animas Forks and the higher Mineral Point camp. This big project aimed to cut through Houghton Mountain.

The Bonanza Tunnel Company hired many men who drilled through solid rock using hand tools and black powder. These jobs made the company a major employer in early Animas Forks.

William Duncan Builds Victorian House In 1879

William Duncan built a two-story wood-frame house in 1879. The home featured fancy Victorian elements including a distinctive bay window.

Duncan came from Pennsylvania with his wife Mary and three children – daughters Mary and Sarah, plus baby son Willie Grant. Records from 1880 list William as a hardrock miner.

The family lived in Animas Forks until 1884, when they left the harsh mountain setting. Their house still stands today as the most photographed building in the ghost town.

Population Peaks With Mining Boom In 1883

Animas Forks reached its peak in 1883 with 450 summer residents. The town became official in 1881 as San Juan County’s second municipality.

The Animas Forks Pioneer newspaper started in 1882, printing at the highest elevation press in United States history. The paper ran until October 1886.

The town had three general stores, two assay offices for testing ore, a drug store, and several saloons. Animas Forks later got electricity, telephone, and telegraph service.

Epic Blizzard Buries Town In 1884

A massive blizzard hit Animas Forks in winter 1884, lasting 23 straight days. Snow piled up 25 feet deep, burying the entire mining town.

Trapped residents dug tunnels between buildings to move around. Snow sealed doors shut, forcing people to use windows to enter and exit buildings.

The town went 23 days without fresh supplies. After this disaster, more people started moving to Silverton during winter months, where temperatures were warmer at lower elevation.

Devastating Fire Destroys Business District In 1891

Fire started in the Kalamazoo House hotel kitchen on October 22, 1891. Flames quickly spread through the wooden buildings of the business district.

The fire destroyed 14 buildings including the town’s main hotel. Damages reached $20,000 – about $630,000 in today’s money.

The post office closed within a month as most residents moved away. A few mines like the Sunnyside Extension kept running, but the once-busy town nearly emptied after the fire.

Silverton Northern Railroad Arrives In 1896

Otto Mears extended the Silverton Northern Railroad to Animas Forks in 1896. The narrow-gauge train line connected Silverton, Eureka, and Animas Forks.

Mears planned for the tracks to reach Lake City, but building stopped at Animas Forks. The railroad moved ore from mines more efficiently than wagons.

The rails stayed until 1938, when workers removed the tracks and turned the path into the county road used today. This railroad was the final transportation improvement for the mining town.

Gold Prince Mill Construction Revives Town In 1904

The Gold Prince Mine Company bought the Sunnyside Extension claims near Animas Forks in 1904. They spent $500,000 to build the Gold Prince Mill, a huge amount for that time.

Builders used structural steel instead of wood, making it Colorado’s first steel-framed mill. The mill had 100 stamps for crushing ore.

It could process 500 tons of ore daily, making it the largest mill in the state. A 12,600-foot-long aerial tramway carried ore from the mine to the mill in hanging buckets.

Frisco Mill Built With Novel Construction In 1912

The Frisco Mill appeared near the Bagley Tunnel in 1912, using new building methods. The San Juan Lumber Company in Durango built the entire structure off-site.

Workers put together, numbered, and took apart all support beams at the lumber yard. The railroad brought these pieces to Animas Forks for reassembly.

The 150-ton mill used the newest ore processing equipment. Unlike standard mills built piece by piece on location, this approach allowed faster building in the harsh mountain environment.

Second Fire Hastens Town’s Decline In 1913

Another big fire hit Animas Forks on September 3, 1913. This one burned four of the largest buildings, including several saloons and a boardinghouse.

The Frisco Mill closed in 1914 after the fire, leaving the town with little purpose. The post office shut down for good in November 1915, showing the community was failing.

Workers moved Gold Prince Mill machinery to Eureka in 1917, marking the last industrial activity in Animas Forks. By the 1920s, the once-successful mining center had become a true ghost town.

Visiting Animas Forks Ghost Town

Animas Forks Ghost Town waits for you 12 miles northeast of Silverton via County Road 2. The site requires a high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle during summer months (June-September) when snow doesn’t block access.

The Bureau of Land Management maintains the grounds with interpretive signs explaining each preserved building. You can explore all nine remaining structures, including the famous Duncan House with its bay window.

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