St. Elmo

St. Elmo is an abandoned mining settlement in Chaffee County, Colorado, sitting at around 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) elevation in the Rocky Mountains. The wooden buildings line an unpaved road, surrounded by pine forests and mountain peaks.

The settlement began in 1880 when prospectors found gold and silver nearby, and it reached its peak in the 1890s with thousands of residents. The decline of mining after 1920 led most people to leave, and the buildings were left standing empty.

The settlement was originally called Forest City before residents renamed it after a novel popular in America at the time. Visitors today can walk along the main street and see how mining camps were built in the late 19th century, with wooden structures standing close together.

The access road remains plowed during winter, but snow often stays on the ground until May and temperatures can be very low. A walk along the main street takes about 20 minutes, and the buildings can be viewed from the outside.

Skunks and chipmunks live among the buildings and often approach visitors hoping for food. In summer, hikers come here to continue further into the mountains toward abandoned mines and passes.