LAKE CITY &HINSDALE COUNTY WELCOMELAKE CITY & HIN T

Visit Hinsdale County and the town of It’s easy to leave civilization behind Lake City and actually get away from it all. in minutes as Hinsdale County offers seemingly endless miles of trails, 21 Made up of 96% public land, Hinsdale public campgrounds, five fourteeners, is the most remote county in the lower three National Forests, one BLM 48, making it the ideal getaway for district, four wilderness areas, and two visitors seeking peace of mind and a wilderness study areas–—much of which respite from their busy lives at home. is accessible just miles from downtown Lake City. COMEY & HINSDALE TO COUNTY

Summertime draws visitors who delight in hiking, biking, boating, and more. , the second largest natural lake in , is especially popular with anglers, and the Alpine Backcountry Byway–a network of four-wheel drive roads connecting Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton–draws OHVers, and showcases old mine, ghost towns, natural wonder, beautiful wildflowers, and abundant wildlife. Visitors also enjoy more leisurely activities like driving the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, exploring Lake City's rich at the Hinsdale County Museum, walking the wooden boardwalk of the preserved, downtown historic district.

During the winter, visitors relish Hinsdale County’s quiet beauty and great outdoors. Recreational opportunities include over 100 miles of snowmobile and multipurpose groomed trails, a local ski hill and terrain park, and the Hinsdale County Haute Route. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing, and ice climbing at Lake City’s Ice Park are also popular.

Regardless of what visitors choose to fill their days–climbing, ghost towns, fishing, history– Lake City offers something for everyone and a remote, yet enthralling experience unlike anything else. LAKE CITY’S ANNUAL EVENTS

FEBRUARY HISTORIC, CEMETERY, AND GHOST TOURS ICE CLIMBING FESTIVAL The Hinsdale County Historical Society hosts tours Top-roped and lead speed events with prizes. throughout the summer.

MATT MILSKI MEMORIAL SKI RACE SAN JUAN SOLSTICE RACE Downhill, telemark, and snowboard races for all ages. A 50-mile run benefiting Lake City EMTs. BBQ, firepit, and prizes. JULY SNOWSHOE RACE OLD FASHIONED FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION 5k and 10k snowshoe races (1k for the kids), BBQ, fire This long-standing tradition of family entertainment pits, and prizes. includes a parade, races in town park, delicious ICE FISHING DERBY food and drink, live music, fireworks, and more.

Join fisherman from all corners on Lake San Cristobal. DUCKY DERBY A rubber ducky race where ducks race from Henson JUNE Creek to Memorial Park. LAKE SAN CRISTOBAL RACE ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL A scenic 5k/10k race from Lake San Cristobal into Fine arts and crafts and good food. Lake City. EVENTS

AUGUST UNCORKED WINE & MUSIC FESTIVAL STICK HORSE SHOW Good wine, good music, good friends, and a Just like a real rodeo, but with stick horses. Events celebration of fall colors. include bucking horse, pole bending, calf roping, NOVEMBER barrel racing, a farrier race, and English jumping. TURKEY TROT BACK IN THYME VICTORIAN TEA Warm refreshments and light snacks await sprinters A very special tea time organized by the Lake City and casual walkers returning from the 2-mile trek, Historical Society. which starts and ends at the museum. SEPTEMBER DECEMBER OHV RALLY AND FESTIVAL CHRISTMAS IN LAKE CITY Three nights of free, live music, a cash bar, a community Experience the peaceful past of holiday shopping dinner, raffles, and more. and fun in today’s beautiful, historic Lake City while also participating in seasonal festivities. LAKE CITY STATS & INFO Lake City reconstructed over 500 feet of original HINSDALE COUNTY boardwalks in its historic ENCOMPASSES downtown MORE THAN 1,000 Lake City’s Lake San Cristobal SQUARE MILES OF is the second largest natural lake in Colorado UNTAMED Summer daytime highs are COLORADO BEAUTY typically in the 70s or low 80s F, while lows are in the 40s or upper 30s F

Lake City is located at the HINSDALE crossroads of two major COUNTY scenic byways—Silver Thread IS MADE UP OF Scenic Byway and Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway Lake City was designated a 96% National Historic District in 1978 and boasts over 200 PUBLIC historic structures LANDS and Wetterho Six game management units POR occur partially in Hinsdale OR AT C ED N County: 65, 66, 67, 76, 77, I T O Y and 751. W L N N Hinsdale County has the O LAKE fewest miles of roads per CITY person and the most land H area located far from roads, Y IN T making it the most remote SD N ALE COU county in the lower 48

Hinsdale County is made up A typical winter day may of four wilderness areas: have high temperatures in the upper teens to low 30s, with lows at night from 10° to 30° below zero F. The San Juans surrounding Lake City make up the largest mountain range in Colorado And two wilderness study areas: There are 5 fourteeners in Hinsdale County: Wilderness Uncompahgre, Redcloud, Study Area Sunshine, Handies, Handies Peak Wilderness Study Area LAKE CITY HISTORY LESSON

Harry Henson and three others AUGUST 27, discovered the Ute-Ulay vein AUGUST 16, located about five miles upstream 1871 from the mouth of present-day 1875 The town of Lake City was Henson Creek. officially incorporated.

A prospecting party of six men, one of FEB/MAR whom was Alfred Packer, camped along the SEPT 20 Lake Fork of the Gunnison and around Lake 1874 San Cristobal. Five of the party met their 187 demise due to Packer’s supposed cannibalism. SON

AUGUST 15, The first passenger train of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad's e City was 1889 Lake Fork Branch arrived in Lake officially incorporated. City from Sapinero.

The Lake City Historic District was PT 20 MID placed on the National Register of Susan B. Anthony Historic Places in recognition of its 1877 addressed the town's 1978 significant contribution to the citizens on women's suffrage. heritage of the State of Colorado. OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Fishing Hunting Camping Ice climbing Hiking Snowmobiling Rock climbing Snowshoeing Boating Downhill skiing Rafting Cross-country skiing

OHVing Ice fishing

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHERE IS LAKE CITY LOCATED? Grande Ave. in Gunnison. This is about 1 hour from Lake City is located in the of Lake City. southwestern Colorado, about 55 miles south of WHAT IS THE CLOSEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT? Gunnison on State Highway 149 and 74 miles north The closest international airports to Lake City are of South Fork. the Denver International Airport (279 miles) and the HOW CLOSE IS LAKE CITY TO DENVER? Albuquerque International Airport (324 miles). Lake City is 255 miles, or about 4 hours and 45 minutes WHAT IS LAKE CITY’S POPULATION? from Denver. The quickest route is along Hwy 285 into Approximately 400 Poncha Springs and then west on Hwy 50 into Gunnison. From Gunnison, you'll drive south on Hwy 149. WHAT IS LAKE CITY’S ELEVATION? 8,661 feet WHERE IS THE LAKE CITY VISITOR CENTER LOCATED? The Lake City Hinsdale County Chamber of WHAT IS LAKE CITY’S MAJOR INDUSTRY? Commerce & Visitor Center is located at While the town was founded on mining, tourism is 800 Gunnison Ave., Lake City. today’s major industry

DOES LAKE CITY HAVE AN AIRPORT? HOW MANY DAYS OF SUNSHINE DOES LAKE CITY Unfortunately, no. The closest airport is the Gunnison- AVERAGE PER YEAR? Regional Airport located at 711 W. Rio 300+ days

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WHAT IS LAKE CITY’S AVERAGE SNOWFALL? have to be? With over 1,000 miles of wilderness, 80 inches there are plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities.

WHEN IS LAKE CITY’S PEAK SEASON FOR TOURISM? ARE THERE ANY 14,000-FOOT MOUNTAINS IN Memorial Day through Labor Day is the busiest times HINSDALE COUNTY? of year for Lake City. Yes! There are five—Uncompahgre, Redcloud, Sunshine, Handies, and Wetterhorn HOW DID THE TOWN OF LAKE CITY GET ITS NAME? DO I NEED A FISHING LICENSE, AND IF SO WHERE Lake City is named after nearby Lake San Cristobal. CAN I GET ONE? Yes. Colorado fishing license and a free copy of ARE THERE GHOST TOWNS IN LAKE CITY OR current regulations, available at several locations in HINSDALE COUNTY? Lake City. There are five ghost towns in Hinsdale Country: Sherman, Rose's Cabin, Carson, Burrows Park, and WHERE CAN I FIND A HANDICAP-ACCESSIBLE Capitol City. TRAIL IN LAKE CITY? A loop around Memorial Park in downtown Lake City ARE THERE ANY COLORADO STATE PARKS NEAR is handicap accessible. Other accessible trails include LAKE CITY? the River Access Trail, Henson Creek Trail, and the There are no state parks in Hinsdale, but does there Historical Loop. ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS

TOWN OF TIMELESS CHARM THE GAZETTE, JULY 8, 2018

FINDING OLD, FADING SHEEP TRADITION THE GAZETTE, AUGUST 1, 2018

TOURING THE ALPINE LOOP THE GAZETTE, AUGUST 6, 2018

HAPPY TRAILS THE GAZETTE, SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 S

contact bryan jordan [email protected]

lindsay diamond [email protected]