Hinsdale County, Colorado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hinsdale County
U.S. county
The 1877 Hinsdale County Court House in Lake City, Colorado.
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	February 10, 1874
Named for	George A. Hinsdale
Seat	Lake City
Largest town	Lake City
Area
• Total	1,123 sq mi (2,910 km2)
• Land	1,117 sq mi (2,890 km2)
• Water	5.9 sq mi (15 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	788
• Density	0.7/sq mi (0.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd

Bonanza-Empire Chief mine and mill, on the Alpine Loop. The mill ruins were stabilized in 2000 by the Bureau of Land Management and Hinsdale County Historical Society. In 2007–2008, the mill ruins were demolished by an avalanche.

Hinsdale County is a county in the state of Colorado, USA. It is known for its beautiful mountains and remote areas.

In 2020, about 788 people lived here. This makes it one of the least populated counties in Colorado. Its main town and county seat is Lake City. The county is named after George A. Hinsdale. He was an important pioneer and a former Lieutenant Governor of Colorado Territory.

Geography of Hinsdale County

Hinsdale County covers about 1,123 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

This county is one of the most remote places in Colorado. It is filled with many tall mountains. Some of these mountains are called "fourteeners." These are peaks that are over 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) high. The county also has large areas with no roads.

The Continental Divide crosses Hinsdale County twice. This divide is a line that separates rivers flowing to the Atlantic Ocean from those flowing to the Pacific Ocean. Much of the county is part of different national forests. It also includes the Weminuche Wilderness area.

Neighboring Counties

Hinsdale County shares borders with these other counties:

• Gunnison – to the north
• Saguache – to the northeast
• Mineral – to the east
• Archuleta – to the southeast
• La Plata – to the southwest
• San Juan – to the west
• Ouray – to the northwest

Main Roads

• State Highway 149 is the main road in the county.

Population and People

Hinsdale County has a very small population. It is one of the least crowded places in Colorado.

In 2000, there were 790 people living in the county. Most people in Hinsdale County are White. A small number are Native American or Asian. Some people are also of Hispanic or Latino background.

About 23% of households had children under 18. Many families were married couples living together. The average age of people in the county was 44 years old.

Fun Activities and Nature

Hinsdale County offers many outdoor activities. It is a great place for nature lovers.

National Forests to Explore

• Gunnison National Forest
• Rio Grande National Forest
• San Juan National Forest
• Uncompahgre National Forest

Wilderness Areas

These are special protected areas where nature is kept wild:

• La Garita Wilderness
• Powderhorn Wilderness
• Uncompahgre Wilderness
• Weminuche Wilderness

Hiking Trails

You can find many trails for hiking and exploring:

• Colorado Trail
• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
• West Lost Trail Creek National Recreation Trail

Scenic Drives

Enjoy beautiful views from these special roads:

• Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway
• Silver Thread Scenic Byway

Towns and Settlements

Hinsdale County has one main town and some smaller communities. It also has several interesting ghost towns.

Capitol City, Colorado, a ghost town on the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway. Capitol City once had a population of 400; its founders wanted it to become the capital of Colorado. The post office, some outbuildings, and brick kilns remain.

Main Town

• Lake City is the only official town in the county.

Smaller Communities

These places are not official towns but have some residents:

• Cathedral
• Piedra

Ghost Towns

These are towns that were once busy but are now mostly empty:

• Beartown
• Burrows Park
• Capitol City
• Carson
• Henson
• Old Carson

Schools

Children in Hinsdale County attend schools in these districts:

• Hinsdale County School District RE-1
• Archuleta County School District 50-JT

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Hinsdale para niños