Animas Forks, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Animas Forks, Colorado
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Unincorporated
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | San Juan |
| Elevation | 11,185 ft (3,409 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
Animas Forks is an old ghost town in San Juan County, Colorado, United States. It used to be a busy mining town. You can find it about 12 miles northeast of Silverton.
This area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Animas Forks is very high up, at 11,185 feet (about 3,400 meters) above sea level. This makes it one of the highest mining towns ever built in North America!
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Finding Animas Forks
Animas Forks is located along a special road system called the Alpine Loop. This loop is about 65 miles (105 km) long and made of unpaved roads. It connects three small mountain towns: Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton.
Most of the land around here is managed by the U.S. Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. More than 100,000 people visit the Alpine Loop every year. Animas Forks is more than two miles (3 km) above sea level.
The road from Silverton to Animas Forks is usually fine for regular cars in the summer. But if you want to go past Animas Forks over Engineer Pass to Lake City, you might need a four-wheel drive vehicle. Cars that sit low to the ground will find the Alpine Loop very difficult to drive on.
A Look Back: Animas Forks History
The very first log cabin in Animas Forks was built in 1873. By 1876, it had grown into a busy mining community. At that time, the town had 30 cabins, a hotel, a general store, a saloon, and a post office.
By 1883, about 450 people lived in Animas Forks. In 1882, a newspaper called the Animas Forks Pioneer started printing. It lasted until October 1886. Every fall, the people of Animas Forks would move to the warmer town of Silverton.
In 1884, a huge blizzard hit the town. It snowed 25 feet (7.6 meters)! The residents had to dig tunnels just to get from one building to another. Mining, investing, and processing mills helped Animas Forks grow bigger and bigger.
Why the Town Shrank
Over time, the amount of valuable minerals found in the mines started to decrease. This meant that investing money in Animas Forks was no longer a good idea.
There was a short comeback in 1904 when the Gold Prince Mill was built. But the town's mining days were still coming to an end. The Silverton Northern Railroad reached the area in 1896. It hoped to bring new life to mining, but it didn't meet expectations.
The Gold Prince Mill closed in 1910. By 1917, most of its important parts were moved to a new facility in Eureka. Taking apart the mill was a clear sign that Animas Forks was nearing its end. By the 1920s, the town had become a true ghost town.
Animas Forks Today
Today, Animas Forks is a popular place for tourists to visit. In 1997 and 1998, a grant from the Colorado State Historical Fund helped fix up the remaining buildings. This work was done by San Juan County and the Bureau of Land Management.
In 2011, the townsite was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This helped open doors for more funding. After the first repairs, a bigger restoration of the buildings happened in 2013 and 2014. This work was finished just in time for the 25th anniversary of the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and San Juan County used to manage the site together. But in 2009, a land swap was completed. Now, the BLM is the only owner of the townsite. They provide maps and information for visitors in a nearby parking area. You can go inside the buildings freely.
The nine buildings that are still standing have been repaired and restored. Their floors, walls, windows, and doors have been fixed. This helps protect the buildings from the weather. Some buildings also got new cedar shingle roofs. The drainage around the buildings was also improved. The old jail building, which is the oldest on the site, had its roof rebuilt. New signs were also put up in 2014 to tell visitors more about the town.
Historic Photos
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The mining community of Animas Forks in its heyday, around 1878.
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View down main street of Animas Forks in the Animas River Valley.
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Wood buildings with false fronts line a rocky dirt street, 1880s.
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A man on a horse looking out into the valley from the Otto Mears road. The road leads down to the town and the Gold Prince Mill. Photo circa 1888.
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View of the Silverton Northern Railroad's track just below Animas Forks. You can see the Gold Prince Mill being built and the town in the distance.
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Gold Prince Mill construction, 1904: shows miners working, a horse-drawn wagon, and building materials.
