Animas Forks, Colorado

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Animas Forks, Colorado
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settlement_type = Unincorporated
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subdivision_type = Country
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United States
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Colorado
subdivision_type2 = County [http://www.blm.gov/education/feature/1999/co/ Animas Forks] : Bureau of Land Management]
subdivision_name2 = San Juan
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timezone = MST
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latd= 37
latm= 55
lats= 51
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longd= 107
longm= 34
longs= 3
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elevation_m = 3414
elevation_ft = 11200
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Animas Forks is a ghost town located twelve miles (19 km) northeast of Silverton in San Juan County, Colorado, United States. The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Location

Animas Forks is located on a system of roads known as the Alpine Loop. The loop is a convert|65|mi|km|sing=on system of unpaved roads which connects the small mountain towns of Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton. Most the land in the area is managed by either the U.S. Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. The Alpine Loop is visited by over 100,000 people each year. Animas Forks, at an elevation of convert|11200|ft|m is more than two miles (3 km) above sea level.

The unimproved road from Silverton to Animas Forks is passable in summer by two-wheel drive vehicles. Beyond Animas Forks, the road over Engineer Pass to Lake City requires four-wheel drive.

History

", began publication and lasted until October 1886. Every fall the residents of Animas Forks migrated en masse to the warmer town of Silverton. In 1884 a 23 day blizzard inundated the town with convert|25|ft|m of snow, the residents had to dig tunnels to get from building to building. Mining, speculation and processing mills helped Animas Forks grow.

Decline

When mining profits began to decline investment in Animas Forks was no longer justified and although mining made a brief 1904 rebound with the construction of the Gold Prince Mill, the town's mining days were nearing an end. A rail line ran through the area and also restimulated interest in mining in the community but the railroad never reached its expectations. The Gold Prince Mill closed in 1910 and in 1917 most of the mill's major parts were removed for a new facility in Eureka. The mill's dismantling signaled the beginning of the end for Animas Forks and the town was a ghost town by the 1920s.

The ghost town today

Today visitors can stroll through the many abandoned buildings at Animas Forks. The site is managed collaboratively by the Bureau of Land Management and San Juan County. Interpretive brochures are available at the parking area and provide a map and historical information about the town to facilitate self-guided visitation. Although entry into the buildings is unrestricted, visitors should be careful in their explorations and be particularly conscious to watch their step and not fall through the fragile floors. Considerable effort took place in 1997 and 1998 to stabilize the standing structures at the site. The work was financed by a Colorado State Historical Fund grant to San Juan County, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, in recognition of the historic importance of Animas Forks and that the mining landscape of the San Juan Mountains is quickly vanishing. Thousands of people visit Animas Forks during the summer months - a testament to how important our historic past is to the general public. With thoughtful use, Animas Forks can remain a delightful destination for history afficiendados and lovers of the high country for years to come.

Image gallery

ee also

List of ghost towns in Colorado

References

External links

* [http://www.rockymountainprofiles.com/Animas%20forks.htm Photos from 2005 and 2007 of Animas Forks Colorado Ghost Town site provided By Rocky Mountain Profiles]