Top ghost towns
Ghost TownClimax
Ghost TownSt. Elmo
Ghost TownCrystal
Ghost TownLudlow
Ghost TownSneffels
Ghost TownCapitol City
Ghost TownAltman
Ghost TownAnimas Forks
Ghost TownVulcan
Ghost TownCaribou
Ghost TownBuckskin Joe
Ghost TownIndependence
Ghost Towns by county
- Chaffee County5
- Eagle County3
- Gunnison County4
- Huerfano County3
- Lake County3
- Las Animas County4
- Ouray County4
- Park County3
- Pitkin County3
- San Juan County3
- Summit County4
All ghost towns (61)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climax | Lake County | 3,462 m | Leadville North | 3 |
| St. Elmo | Chaffee County | 3,050 m | Buena Vista | 2 |
| Crystal | Gunnison County | 2,728 m | Snowmass Village | 2 |
| Ludlow | Las Animas County | — | Trinidad | 2 |
| Sneffels | Ouray County | 3,237 m | Telluride | 1 |
| Capitol City | Hinsdale County | 2,960 m | Ouray | 1 |
| Altman | Teller County | 3,240 m | Cripple Creek | 4 |
| Animas Forks | San Juan County | 3,409 m | Ouray | 1 |
| Vulcan | Gunnison County | 2,720 m | Gunnison | 2 |
| Caribou | Boulder County | 3,039 m | Nederland | 4 |
| Buckskin Joe | Park County | 3,289 m | Leadville | 3 |
| Independence | Pitkin County | 3,326 m | Aspen | 2 |
| Dyersville | Summit County | 3,316 m | Breckenridge | 3 |
| Tomboy | San Miguel County | 3,508 m | Telluride | 1 |
| Guston | Ouray County | 3,306 m | Telluride | 1 |
| Gilman | Eagle County | — | Minturn | 3 |
| Holy Cross City | Eagle County | 3,483 m | Minturn | 3 |
| Preston | Summit County | 3,161 m | Breckenridge | 5 |
| Saints John | Summit County | 3,281 m | Keystone | 3 |
| Uravan | Montrose County | — | Delta | 1 |
| Needleton | San Juan County | — | Telluride | 1 |
| Virginia Dale | Larimer County | — | Wellington | 3 |
| Ashcroft | Pitkin County | — | Aspen | 2 |
| Eureka | San Juan County | — | Ouray | 1 |
| Lulu CityRocky Mountain | Jackson County | — | Estes Park | 3 |
| Oro City | Lake County | — | Leadville | 4 |
| Calumet | Huerfano County | — | Walsenburg | 2 |
| Antero Junction | Park County | — | Buena Vista | 3 |
| Nevadaville | Gilpin County | — | Idaho Springs | 4 |
| Tincup | Gunnison County | — | Buena Vista | 2 |
| Ironton | Ouray County | — | Ouray | 1 |
| Lenado | Pitkin County | — | Aspen | 3 |
| Mary Murphy Mine | Chaffee County | — | Buena Vista | 2 |
| Mayday | La Plata County | — | Mancos | 2 |
| Pando | Eagle County | — | Minturn | 3 |
| Tioga | Huerfano County | — | Walsenburg | 2 |
| Dearfield | Weld County | — | Kersey | 3 |
| Bloom | Otero County | — | Rocky Ford | 2 |
| Delcarbon | Huerfano County | — | Walsenburg | 2 |
| Haybro | Routt County | — | Steamboat Springs | 2 |
| Mystic | Routt County | — | Steamboat Springs | 2 |
| Winfield | Chaffee County | — | Buena Vista | 2 |
| Garo | Park County | — | Buena Vista | 3 |
| Red Mountain Town | Ouray County | — | Telluride | 1 |
| Henson | Hinsdale County | — | Ouray | 1 |
| Keota | Weld County | — | Pine Bluffs | 3 |
| Russell Gulch | Gilpin County | — | Idaho Springs | 4 |
| Carbonate | Garfield County | 3,330 m | Glenwood Springs | 2 |
| Madrid | Las Animas County | 1,916 m | Trinidad | 2 |
| Vicksburg | Chaffee County | — | Buena Vista | 2 |
| Iola | Gunnison County | — | Gunnison | 2 |
| Mount Vernon | Jefferson County | — | West Pleasant View | 6 |
| Parkville | Summit County | — | Breckenridge | 3 |
| Bakerville | Clear Creek County | — | Georgetown | 3 |
| Alpine | Chaffee County | 2,825 m | Buena Vista | 2 |
| Tungsten | Boulder County | 2,437 m | Nederland | 4 |
| Adelaide | Lake County | 3,299 m | Leadville | 4 |
| Manhattan | Larimer County | 2,583 m | Estes Park | 3 |
| Primero | Las Animas County | 2,077 m | Trinidad | 2 |
| Delagua | Las Animas County | 2,038 m | Trinidad | 2 |
| Chandler | Fremont County | 1,749 m | Lincoln Park | 4 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph ghost towns
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.