Things to do in Leadville

Embrace Mountain Life in Leadville, Colorado

Named as one of the nation’s Top 20 Dream Towns in America by Men’s Journal, Leadville, Colorado is a hidden gem located within driving distance of both Denver and Colorado Springs. It sits along the top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway, offering breathtaking views and refreshing mountain air to those who plan their [...]

Two-Mile High Leadville: Rich with Mining History

Feverish mining activity in the late 1800s put Leadville, Colorado on the map. Its rich mines of lead, gold, silver, and other ores produced billions during its heyday and turned many miners, like Silver King Horace Tabor into millionaires. In 1879, this mining magnate built Leadville the Tabor Opera House, which was once billed as [...]

On Track: Hop a Ride Into the Past

Few sounds evoke Colorado’s history more than the mournful call of a train whistle echoing through a canyon.
You still can hear that sound in many of the state’s mountain towns. It was by train that many settlers came, that miners plied their trade and commerce got its foothold on the state. It was by train [...]

10th Mountain Division Huts: Backcountry Sanctuaries

Last Dec. 31, the crisp air at the trailhead between Leadville and Vail felt invigorating. I had been looking forward to this day since March when I’d first thrown my name into the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association’s lottery system.
Because I simply filled out an application and sent in the $25 membership fee, 16 happy [...]

Lofty, Laid-Back Leadville: No Starbucks Here

Leadville, at nearly 2 miles above sea level, is one of Colorado’s loftiest living mineral towns. The community of 2,800 sits at an elevation of more than 10,000 feet and lies near the headwaters of the Arkansas River.
Opulent Aspen rises 29 Learjet miles to the west. Trendy Breckenridge sits even closer toward the northeast. All [...]

Winter in Leadville: Crystal Carnival

Leadville, Colorado, celebrates winter during the annual Crystal Carnival March 4-6, 2011, highlighted by the town’s time-honored tradition of ski joring, a unique winter sport combining horses and skiing.
Since 1949, Leadville’s streets have been converted to winter racetracks for the annual ski joring competition. Horses and their riders pull skiers along the snow-packed roadways and [...]

Leadville’s Delaware Hotel: History Comes to Life

At the center of Leadville’s National Historic District, the Victorian-era Delaware Hotel stands as a monument to a different time. A member of the Historic Hotels of the Rockies, the Delaware was built in 1886 during the town’s gold and silver rushes. Today, the hotel is still known as the “Crown Jewel of Leadville,” and [...]