Entry No. 26 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: ghost town

Manhattan Ghost Town & Cemetery

In the 1880s, a gold rush drew hundreds of prospectors to a remote ridge above the Poudre Canyon, and by 1887 a full town called Manhattan had been platted with twenty streets, a hotel, saloon, general store, and a newspaper called the Manhattan Prospector. The three main mines — Laugh-a-lot, Little Tipsy, and Katy's Pet — never hit a mother lode, and by 1900 the post office had closed. The Forest Service dismantled the last remaining structures in the 1930s as fire hazards. Today almost nothing is visible except faint cabin-foundation depressions hidden in the grass and, on the hillside, a small cemetery dating to 1892 — including two graves of miners killed in the Black Hawk mine explosion of November 1892. The site sits at 8,474 feet, 45 miles west of Fort Collins.

The move: Drive out through Poudre Canyon or up Red Feather Lakes Road in late summer, walk the quiet meadow where twenty platted streets once ran, and sit together at the 1892 cemetery reading the weathered markers. Bring a picnic — there is nothing else for miles.

📍 Before you go High-clearance vehicle strongly recommended; roads are unpaved and rough, especially after rain. No services, cell signal, or signage once you leave the main roads — download offline maps or note GPS coordinates before leaving. Best visited late May through October; roads can be snow-blocked or muddy in shoulder seasons. The townsite is on or near National Forest land but portions may border private property; stay on the road corridor. Cameron Peak Fire burned through the area in 2020, so expect altered tree cover.

• 📍 Red Feather Lakes
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: County Road 68C/162, approximately 4 miles north of Rustic, Larimer County, CO (near 40.7322°N, 105.6000°W)

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