Entry No. 15 — the Boulder file — filed under: historic mining town
Gold Hill General Store and Pub
Gold Hill was the first permanent mining camp in the Colorado mountains — gold was struck on January 16, 1859, predating Boulder's founding. The General Store, built in 1873 during the town's telluride-silver revival, is still operating out of its original building on Main Street at 8,300 feet. Inside: a potbelly stove, an old pine bar, antique furnishings, and sandwiches named after local dogs. Every resident of Gold Hill (population ~200) keeps a physical tab in a wooden box. The store doubles as a music venue on weekends, capacity 60 people. Outside, the hand-built Victorian miners' cabins that line the unpaved streets are entirely intact — no chain businesses, no stop signs, and one gravel road in and out.
The move: Drive the winding ten miles up Lefthand Canyon Road, arrive for lunch or a late afternoon beer on the porch, and linger for live music on a Friday or Saturday night. The setting — a real 19th-century mining town that never modernized — does all the work.
📍 Before you go Open Wed–Thu noon–7pm, Fri noon–9pm, Sat 9am–9pm, Sun 9am–5pm; closed Mon–Tue. Hours may contract in winter — confirm via goldhillstore.com before making the drive. The road up Lefthand Canyon is unpaved near Gold Hill and can be icy or muddy in shoulder seasons. No reservations needed for the bar and cafe; special dinners (Valentine's, pop-ups) book out. No cell service in town.
- 📍 Gold Hill, CO (Boulder County)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 531 Main St, Gold Hill, CO 80302
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