Entry No. 6 — the Boulder file — filed under: ghost town

Caribou Ghost Town

At 10,000 feet in the mountains west of Nederland, Caribou was once one of Colorado's most productive silver camps. Founded in 1869 after the discovery of rich silver ore, the town swelled to roughly 3,000 residents by the mid-1870s, supporting hotels, saloons, and a school. The Caribou Mine produced millions in silver before the ore played out and the population collapsed. Today the townsite is a scattering of stone foundation walls, collapsed cellars, and rusted debris half-reclaimed by lodgepole pine and alpine scrub. The Indian Peaks Wilderness frames the skyline. On a weekday you may have the whole ghost town to yourself, which sharpens the silence considerably.

The move: Drive the rough dirt road up from Nederland, pick your way through the stone foundation walls, and piece together which building was which. Bring a thermos and sit on the cellar stones while the Indian Peaks fill the horizon. Eerie and strangely intimate on a quiet afternoon.

📍 Before you go The dirt road to the townsite (County Road 128 / Caribou Road) requires a high-clearance vehicle; a standard SUV is usually fine in dry conditions. Snow can block access October through May or later — check conditions before going. The site sits on BLM land and is open to the public with no fee or permit required. No facilities, no cell service. Bring layers; wind at 10,000 feet is no joke even in summer. Do not remove artifacts — the site is protected under federal antiquities law.

• 📍 Nederland, CO
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Caribou Road (CR 128), approximately 3 miles west of Nederland, CO 80466

Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-11