Travelers to this area appeared in the early 1800s. Tom Boggs, a brother-in-law of Kit Carson , farmed at Wagon Wheel Gap in the summer of 1840. The first silver discovery was made at the Alpha mine in 1869, but the silver could not be extracted at a profit from the complex ores. Ranchers and homesteaders moved in when stagecoach stations (linking the mining operations over the Divide with the east) were built in the 1870s, but the great “Boom Days” started with the discovery of rich minerals in Willow Creek Canyon in 1889.

Creede was the last silver boom town in Colorado in the 1800s. The town leapt from a population of 600 in 1889 to more than 10,000 people in December 1891. The Creede mines operated continuously from 1890 until 1985.

Today, the intact 1890’s storefronts invite you to shop, dine and stay at local lodgings. Every summer, the town hosts the Creede Repertory Festival, which lasts most of the season and features a mix of classical and new productions. Because it's situated at the headwaters of the San Juan and Rio Grande rivers, there's plenty of good fishing here, as well as rafting, hiking and mountain biking. In winter, trade those for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and ice-skating.

Map: Creede

Region: Colorado South Central Regional Information

County: Mineral

Proximity to other towns: Located 162.5 miles from Colorado Springs, 23.1 miles from South Fork, 29.4 miles from Lake City, 40.8 miles from Pagosa Springs, 41.1 miles from Del Norte, 48.2 miles from Gunnison, 50.7 miles from Silverton

Population: 409

Elevation: 8838 feet

WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT...if you have additional information or photos about this town you would like to share PLEASE LET US KNOW