One of the most remote areas, yet very popular for photographers and 4WD enthusiasts, Crystal City is a ghost town in the Elk Mountains dating to 1881. After decades of prosperous mining, the "city" was abandoned around 1917. The few remaining buildings are actually occupied in the Summer, despite the difficulty getting there on an extremely rough road. We hired a tour guide to take us there in his Jeep from the village of Marble, about six miles away.
The main attraction is the old Crystal Mill (actually not a mill, but a power station that produced compressed air for mining tools), one of the most photographed spots in the state. Marble is itself famous for producing pure white marble used in constructing many of the monuments in Washington, D.C.
Lake City is another of those quaint Colorado towns left over from the 19th century mining days.
This entire region was highly volcanic millions of years ago, so the roads around Lake City show signs of it. The town itself is actually located within an ancient caldera.
About 700 years ago, an earthslide blocked the Gunnison River to form Lake Cristobal, now home to upscale development while retaining its natural beauty.
Darling well maintained church
ReplyDeleteYes, it is. The people in those towns keep them in great condition.
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