City of Glenwood Springs CRYSTAL RIVER VALLEY
To Glenwood Springs Roaring Fork River Town of Town of RUEDI WATER & POWER AUTHORITY Carbondale 1 Basalt 2 Lewis Lake To Aspen & Snowmass Village North of Fork Thompson Creek Nettle Creek
River Colorado River District Protecting Western Colorado Water Since 1937 Lake Ridge Lakes Thomas Lakes Stream Orchid Crystal 3 Mt. Sopris Avalanche 4 Coal Snowmass 5 Snowmass Creek Village Village of Village Redstone Creek 6 Crystal River Watershed Legend 7 Avalanche Lake
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep 10 Points of Interest River Geneva Lake Unpaved/4WD Road 8 Village of Marble Lizard Lake Local Road 10 Beaver Lake Paved Highway (133, 82) 9 Watershed Boundary Galena Lake Yule Lakes Campground
Muddy Picnic Area Creek 0 5M 10 miles Fishing Bald Eagle Visit the RFC website
the town was largely abandoned until the 1950s when the 1 TOWN OF CARBONDALE CARBONDALE: e Town of Carbondale (pop. 6,500) is located at mines reopened. By the time the mines closed again in 1991, the con uence of the Crystal and Roaring Fork Rivers. Redstone had established itself as an artist colony, second- HUB OF Founded in 1888, the town was named a er Carbondale, home resort, and tourist destination. Coal Creek Road RECREATION Pennsylvania, the birthplace of many of its original provides access to National Forest lands but please check local The Crystal River Valley settlers. Carbondale is the historic agricultural center maps to ensure respect for private property. Additionally, offers a host of recreational of the Roaring Fork Valley and annually celebrates Redstone Campground located one mile north of Redstone opportunities. Carbondale is a has 37 campsites that can be reserved in advance. Potato Days in honor of its most famous crop. In 2013, natural jumping off point for Carbondale was recognized by Outside Magazine as one REDSTONE CASTLE exploring Thompson Divide, of America’s best small towns. 6 Spring Gulch, Red Hill, Mt. Sopris Redstone Castle was built in 1897 by mining and steel and other backcountry areas not CRYSTAL RIVER HATCHERY magnate John Osgood, who also established the town 2 of Redstone and built the Redstone Inn to accommodate readily accessible from Highway e Crystal River Hatchery is a cold water facility 133. Check with the Carbondale operated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. e hatchery workers at his Coal Basin mines. Osgood’s Redstone Castle estate was named Cleveholm Manor and was the site Chamber of Commerce and the raises rainbow and cutthroat trout brood sh (mature sh Aspen-Sopris Ranger District used to produce and fertilize eggs) and harvests millions of lavish entertainment for prominent visitors Offi ce for information, maps of eggs for other sh rearing facilities. e hatchery is such as President eodore Roosevelt and John D. and directions. open to the public and features a self-guided tour. Public Rockefeller. For information about tours, please visit shing can be accessed near the hatchery along the east redstonecastle.us. side of the Crystal River. 7 MCCLURE PASS AVALANCHE CREEK McClure Pass divides the Roaring Fork watershed (of MOUNT SOPRIS 3 Although not among Colorado’s 100 highest peaks, Mt. Sopris A bridge over the Crystal River at mile marker 12 which the Crystal River is a tributary) and the Gunnison is one of the state’s most prominent and visible mountains. on Highway 133 provides access to the Avalanche Creek River watershed. Although the pass, at 8,763’, is low by Overlooking the Town of Carbondale and the confl uence Campground and trail. e campsite has 6 rst-come- rst- Colorado standards, it is known for treacherous winter of the Crystal River and the Roaring Fork River, Mt. Sopris served sites. e trail leads deep into the west side of the driving and frequent rockfalls. Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and provides access to is visible throughout the valley and is a popular recreational Hell Roaring Creek, East Creek, Capital Lake, and Avalanche 8 MARBLE destination for hiking, skiing and snowmobiling. Both of the Lake. Check with the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District O ce for Marble was founded in the 1880s and became a mountain’s twin summits reach 12,953’, creating an iconic seasonal closures, as certain areas are closed in the winter to thriving community in the early 1900s with the development landmark for the Roaring Fork Valley. help protect the bighorn sheep population. of the Yule Marble Quarry. Quieter today, Marble is a gateway to National Forest and Wilderness Areas and is a popular starting point for four-wheel drive touring. 4 PENNY HOT SPRINGS/FILOHA MEADOWS Open year round, Penny Hot Springs is located FISHING IN THE at mile marker 13.5 on Highway 133. Across the Crystal 9 YULE MARBLE QUARRY CRYSTAL RIVER VALLEY River is Filoha Meadows, a thermal wetland that is home First developed in the late 1870s, the quarry sits on a There are abundant opportunities to fi sh the Crystal to some of Colorado’s rarest plants and animals (including sleep slope at 9,500’ in elevation. e quarry’s high quality River along Highway 133 with most public access points orchids and re ies). Roaring Fork Conservancy marble, considered to be on par with Carrara Marble from upstream of the confl uence with Nettle Creek. Public (roaringfork.org) leads tours of Filoha during the Italy, was used to build many well-known buildings and fi shing access opportunities also exist throughout summer months or one can access by way of a public trail memorials including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Carbondale, Redstone and Marble. High-elevation lake the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. e mine is originating in Redstone. Filoha Meadows is only open fi shing in the Crystal River Valley is predominantly currently owned and operated by an Italian company and is from July 1-September 30. Both properties are owned by accessible by foot. It is an angler’s responsibility to know closed to the public. Pitkin County Open Space and Trails. public access points. Please contact the local Colorado CRYSTAL MILL Parks and Wildlife Offi ce for maps, regulations, and 5 REDSTONE/COAL BASIN 10 additional information. e Coal Basin mines were developed in the late e Crystal Mill was built in 1883 and produced 19th and early 20th century to provide high-grade coal to power for the silver-mining town of Crystal City for many the Pueblo steel mills. The restored coke ovens along years. It was structurally stabilized over the years through Highway 133 were used in Redstone’s early mining community e orts and remains one of the area’s most days to convert coal to lighter and more energy- popular scenic attractions. e Mill is located 5 miles east of efficient coke. In 1909, the mines went into disuse and Marble and can be reached via Gunnison County Road #3 (four-wheel drive, hike, horseback or mountain bike only). Crystal River Valley: Then and Now
Mount Sopris looms over Carbondale today just as it did 100 years The restored coke ovens in Redstone are a reminder of its industrial The Marble Mill fell victim to fi res and fl oods. Marble Mill Site Park ago. This view looks south from Red Hill. origins during the early coal mining era. Highway 133 follows the now holds the ruins of this once vast factory. former coal train route.
Crystal River Valley e Crystal River is one of Colorado’s few rivers una ected by major dams or transbasin diversions. Water storage project e Crystal River Valley’s geology, while creating the coal and marble resources that brought the valley proposals have never gone beyond the planning stages due to wealth and development, also contributes to present-day hazards. e sedimentary sandstones and shales lack of community support. e Crystal River upstream of the that color the valley are subject to sudden erosion events, and landslides have impacted and shaped the ompson Creek con uence is eligible for federal designation valley throughout its history. Present day rockfalls and mudslides close Highway 133 occasionally. as a Wild and Scenic River, which would help ensure that it
remains free- owing.
Crystal River and Chair Mountain by Richard Wampler Richard by Mountain Chair and River Crystal
Crystal Mill by Jeremy Swanson Jeremy by Mill Crystal Supported by: Supported and Power Authority Power and Water Ruedi Conservancy, Fork Roaring
Valley and come back soon! back come and Valley
Map: Colorado River District River Colorado
the valley its name. Enjoy visiting the Crystal River River Crystal the visiting Enjoy name. its valley the
Historical Society, Eugene Priebe, Jeremy Swanson, Richard Wampler Richard Swanson, Jeremy Priebe, Eugene Society, Historical
opportunities and the free- owing river that gives gives that river owing free- the and opportunities
Photo Credits: Photo Mark Fuller, Oscar McCollum, Christina Medved, Mount Sopris Sopris Mount Medved, Christina McCollum, Oscar Fuller, Mark
rare plant and animal communities, recreational recreational communities, animal and plant rare
ranching heritage, red rock cli s, abundant wildlife, wildlife, abundant s, cli rock red heritage, ranching
redstonecolorado.com/living_history.html redstonecolorado.com/living_history.html
own unique history. e area is renowned for its its for renowned is area e history. unique own
Redstone Historical Society Society Historical Redstone
Carbondale, Redstone and Marble, each with its its with each Marble, and Redstone Carbondale,
Crystal River Valley connects the communities of of communities the connects Valley River Crystal
mtsoprishistoricalsociety.org mtsoprishistoricalsociety.org
of recreational variety and natural beauty. e e beauty. natural and variety recreational of
Oscar McCollum and Mount Sopris Historical Society Historical Sopris Mount and McCollum Oscar
scenic and historic areas, o ering an abundance abundance an ering o areas, historic and scenic
Special thank you to: you thank Special
e Crystal River is one of Colorado’s most most Colorado’s of one is River Crystal e
fs.usda.gov/whiteriver
(970) 963-2266 (970)
Aspen-Sopris Ranger District Offi ce Offi District Ranger Aspen-Sopris
White River National Forest: Forest: National River White
rwapa.org rwapa.org
Ruedi Water and Power Authority Power and Water Ruedi
roaringfork.org
(970) 927-1290 927-1290 (970)
Roaring Fork Conservancy Fork Roaring
cvepa.org
Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association Protection Environmental Valley Crystal
cpw.state.co.us
(970) 947-2920 (970)
Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Parks Colorado
carbondale.com
(970) 963-1890 963-1890 (970)
Carbondale Chamber of Commerce of Chamber Carbondale
RESOURCES
Redstone Castle by Eugene Priebe Eugene by Castle Redstone
Visitor’s Guide Visitor’s Crystal River Valley River Crystal
Crystal River Valley River Crystal Welcome to the the to Welcome