Animas Forks, Former mining settlement in San Juan County, Colorado.
At 3,414 meters elevation, Animas Forks contains nine remaining structures including a hotel, general store, and private residences from its mining period.
The town flourished during the Colorado Silver Boom in the 1870s, reaching a population of 450 residents before its decline in the early 1900s.
The preserved buildings and mining remnants demonstrate the determination of 19th-century settlers who established communities in extreme mountain conditions.
Access to Animas Forks requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle, as the site connects to the 105-kilometer Alpine Loop connecting mountain settlements.
During the severe winter of 1884, residents created a network of tunnels through 7.6 meters of snow to move between buildings.
Location: San Juan County
Elevation above the sea: 3,414 m
GPS coordinates: 37.93080,-107.56700
Latest update: May 13, 2025 23:18
Colorado features natural areas and historical sites away from common routes. The locations range from sand formations at Paint Mines Park to Zapata waterfalls. Bishop Castle displays hand-built stone architecture in the forest, while Devil's Causeway presents narrow rock bridges in the wilderness. Fossil discoveries, dinosaur tracks, and abandoned mining towns document the state's history.
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