Entry No. 36 — the Pueblo file — filed under: ghost-town

Phantom Canyon Road

The road doesn't pave over history here — it is the history. Thirty miles of gravel trace the exact grade where the Florence & Cripple Creek narrow-gauge ran gold ore out of the mountains starting in 1894, until a flash flood on July 30, 1895 tore out miles of track and killed three people at the ghost town of Adelaide. You'll thread one-lane stone tunnels the railroad crews hand-cut, cross a steel bridge built in 1897 that's the only original F&CC span still standing, and pass the cellar-hole silhouette of Wilbur — a town of fifteen families that had a schoolhouse and then didn't have anything. The canyon got its name from something people saw out here; locals disagree on the specifics, which is exactly the kind of answer a place like this deserves.

The move: Drive the full 30 miles south-to-north from Florence to Victor in a single morning — stop at the 1897 steel bridge, poke around the Adelaide and Wilbur ghost town sites, and come out in Victor with grit in your teeth and a story.

📍 Before you go Unpaved gravel road, climbs from 5,500 to 9,500 ft over ~30 miles. Vehicles over 25 feet (including trailers) are prohibited. Some sections are single-lane with two-way traffic and sheer drop-offs; allow 2 hours minimum. Road can close without notice for bridge work or weather — check Fremont County road conditions before driving. No services between Florence and Victor.

• 📍 Florence
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Hours: Added 2026-06-21 — 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: 2026-06-21