The Light Rail, the Denver Art Museum, the Convention Center…it seems like every year, Denver is racing into the future. It’s great fuel for our Colorado pride, but what about Colorado nostalgia? Where can you go to show your kids what the old Colorado was like?
Why, Leadville of course! Tucked between the soaring, rocky peaks of Lake County, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in North America at 10,430 feet above sea level. This staggering elevation has preserved the town from both major change and major tourism, making it one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets. It’s only a two-hour drive from Denver, so hop in the car for this unforgettable family road adventure!
For its quaint size, Leadville has a lot to see. Lovers of history have several essential pit-stops in Leadville. The legendary Tabor family of silver-mine fortune once called Leadville home; tour the Tabor Home or see a show at the Tabor Opera House, then head to the Matchless Mine where the widowed “Baby Doe” Tabor spent the last 35 years of her life in a tiny hut. Check out the Hopemore Mine Tour, plunge 700 feet underground, and get a feel for what a miner’s life was really like. Leadville is steeped in its mining heritage: if you’re interested, don’t miss the Dexter Cabin, built in the 1870s by Colorado’s first millionaire; the lavish Healy House, built by another Leadville mining mogul; the Heritage Museum about Colorado’s colorful past; and the National Mining Hall of Fame, filled with artifacts, life-size replicas, and a huge collection of mining tools that traces mining’s history.
If history isn’t your scene, don’t worry, because scenery lovers are in luck too. Leadville sits in the shadow of Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive—Colorado’s two highest peaks—as well as other scenic, climbable mountains below and above 14,000 feet, giving Lake County the nickname “Fourteener Country.” But you don’t have to break timberline to get a great view: check out Twin Lakes or Mayflower Gulch nearby for spectacular scenery. If you’re looking for something different outdoors, head to the Leadville Colorado and Southern Railroad for an authentic and panoramic train ride, shoot nine holes at the Mount Massive Golf Course, or tour the Leadville Natural Fish Hatchery. And if you find yourself in Leadville in the winter, bring the family to Ski Cooper, a small but very natural and historic ski mountain and a great place to dodge the crowds!
All this plus a wide array of eating, shopping, and lodging make Leadville a perfect destination for a family road adventure. Plan your trip today!
How to use this Information
If you’re planning a road trip (or if you just got back from an ill-fated one), take your car in to Accurate Auto Body for any necessary tune-ups and repairs. Whether you’re returning to Denver with hail damage or leaving it with unaligned tires, let your Colorado collision center give you the best help you can find. Call us at 303-344-2212 or contact us online; no Colorado auto body shop does it better.
Tell us about your time in Leadville, or share any additional sites that we didn’t list!
