Animas Forks, Former mining settlement in San Juan County, Colorado.
Animas Forks is a former mining settlement in San Juan County located at about 11,200 feet (3,400 meters) elevation in Colorado's mountains. Nine buildings from the mining era remain standing, including a hotel, general store, and residential structures.
The settlement emerged during Colorado's silver boom in the 1870s when miners rushed to work nearby ore deposits. Mining activity declined in the early 1900s as resources became exhausted, leading to the community's gradual abandonment.
The buildings show how mining families organized their daily lives in this remote mountain setting. Visitors can see how the community relied on a few essential structures to support residents living far from towns below.
The site is only reachable by four-wheel-drive vehicle due to steep and unpaved roads. Visitors should prepare for changing weather conditions and high elevation, especially during colder months.
During the severe winter of 1884, residents were so isolated by snow that they dug tunnels connecting the buildings together. These underground passages show how resourcefully people adapted to survive extreme mountain winters.
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