2020 Visitor Guide Available Online
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Page 2 Page 3 Inside the Guide... Gold Belt Tour Page 10 Trails of Gold Map Page 7 Cripple Creek Parks Page 32 Events Page 8 Fishing Page 31 Gambling Page 17 Historic Cemeteries Page 30 Lodging Page 9, 26 Mine Tours Page 29 Modern Mining Page 28 Museums Page 24, 25 Scenic Overlooks Page 33 Shuttle Website Info Page 7 Theater Page 22 Train Ride Page 20 Victor Ice Rink Page 32 Cripple Creek Page 16, 17 Victor Page 12, 14 Thanks to our advertisers for their support and to our contributors for their content. This guide is a product of ZStudios, POB 244, Victor, CO 80860. This guide and more information available online at VictorColorado.com. All contents copyright April 2020. Page 4 old! Few words can change the character of an entire region like the cry of “gold fever”. Gold was discovered here in 1890; the fever spread like wildfire, bringing thousands to the PiGkes Peak region. Prospectors Bob Womack and Winfield Scott Stratton discovered the gold ore that touched off the legendary Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Rush. The ranching country on Pikes Peak's western slopes was transformed as thousands flocked to the area to seek their for - tunes. Towns sprang up on the mountainsides serving 500 gold mines, all requiring fuel, sup - plies, transportation, and a large supply of labor. It became a priority to link the Cripple Creek and Victor Mining District to places beyond. Two stage roads and three railroads were built to carry lumber, food, coal, ore, and people to and from the mining district towns. Some of the historic rail routes comprise the segments of a loop of back country adventure called the Gold Belt National Scenic Byway (see map inside). Today the towns are linked with a shuttle service - park in one town at your hotel and ride the Gold Camp Connector to the other to hike and shop. The famous Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining District is known as The World’s Greatest Gold Camp. The Mining District, an integral part of the Gold Belt, offers an up-close look at the 1890’s mining structures via The Trails of Gold, scenic drives, mountaintop overlooks, historic and mod - ern mining operations, remnants of railroads, active ranching, museums, as well as the cities of Cripple Creek and Victor. Venture off the beaten track - pan for gold, tour a modern and a his - toric gold mine, ride an 1890’s train, take in a theatrical performance, or experience a special event. At the end of the day, find one of our historic inns and hotels for a home away from home. Page 5 ike through time on a series of trails that winds through the mining district’s backcoun - Map Legend tryH. The Trails of Gold and several historic sites offer Cities up-close looks at the remnants of the 1890’s gold Cripple Creek rush legacy as well as the active modern mining ac - Victor tivities, ranching, and old town sites. Scenic Routes Most of the trails are open to foot, horse, and bicy - lNewmont Mining Corp. Tours - VLT Museum cle traffic in summer, and skiing and snowshoeing in lCC&V Narrow Gauge Railroad l winter. See trailhead information on STCFG.com for Gold Camp Road lPhantom Canyon Road details. No motorized traffic is allowed on the trails. lShelf Road You can access most all of the Victor side trails from lState Highway 67 downtown Victor or the Battle Mountain Kiosk just lTeller County Rd. 82 east of town. Cripple Creek trails are accessed from Historic Sites To Visit the Cripple Creek District Museum area; you can also 1. Gillett use the city shuttle service to get back and forth be - 2. Goldfield tween the two towns. 3. New American Eagles Overlook The Southern Teller County Focus Group, a Col - 4. Independence Mine/Cresson Ore Sorting orado non-profit, works with the local mining com - 5. Independence Mill Site/Outdoor Amphitheater panies, governments, and smaller private land 6. Cresson Headframe owners to provide and maintain this series of trails 7. Gold Coin Mine that lead you through the wealth of gold mining that 8. Battle Mountain Kiosk made Victor and Cripple Creek famous. 9. Victor Lowell Thomas Museum/Walking Tour 10. Sunnyside Cemetery Visitors - please remember you are crossing pri - 11. Mollie Kathleen Mine vate land and must stay on the trails for your safety; 12. Cripple Creek Heritage Center do not enter open mine shafts or historic structures. 13. Poverty Gulch The trails are through mountain terrain at eleva - 14. Mount Pisgah Cemetery tions of 9,500 to 10,500 feet above sea level. Dress 15. Cripple Creek District Museum appropriately for mountain weather and bring a hat, 16. Old Homestead House Museum sunscreen, and a jacket in case of a rain or snow 17. Cripple Creek Jail Museum shower. Some trails are remote and rugged and 18. Victor’s Gold Camp Ag & Mining Museum wildlife may be present; please respect their natural 19. Rittenhouse Headframe territory. 20. Grassy Valley Mining Overlook Access areas to the Theresa, Vindicator, Little Trails Grouse, Gold Camp, and Independence mines are 21. Vindicator Valley Trail 22. Battle Mountain Trail To The Ajax Mine handicap accessible; trails beyond the parking areas 23. Independence Mill Site Trail are on mountain terrain. Cross country skiing and 24. Golden Circle Trail snowshoeing are best in February to mid-April. 25. Little Grouse Mountain Trails There are no services at the trails; no camping or 26. Lawrence Trail overnight parking is allowed. These are dog-friendly 27. Gold Camp Trail trails, but please keep pets under your control and 28. Victor Downtown Trail remove from the trail any messes they make. 29. Cripple Creek Community Trails There are GPS trail maps located at trail heads and 30. Sunnyside Trail on line at STCFG.com. 31. Purple Fluorite Trail Page 6 The Gold Camp Connector Shuttle Service provides transporta - tion between Cripple Creek & Victor. See VisitCrippleCreek.com or CityofVictor.com for information. Page 7 everal events are September 18-20 planned throughout Rocky Mountain Rambler, Sthe year, some of which Cripple Creek are not finalized before September 19-20 this publication’s date. Mt. Pisgah Speaks Ceme- See VictorColorado.com tery Tour and VisitCrippleCreek.com September 20 for final dates, times, and Visits with History, Cripple changes in this schedule. Creek Heritage Center Woods Empire - Walking Tour September 26-Oct. 4 May Downtown Victor Two Mile High Club Aspen Tours, May 16 July 17-19 Cripple Creek, weekends Woods Empire - Walking Tour Victor Gold Rush Days September 26-27 Downtown Victor July 17-mid-October Big Aspen Happin’, Cripple Creek May 17 Ghost Walk Tours, Cripple Creek Visits with History, Cripple Creek District Museum October Heritage Center July 25 October 3 May 23 Pearl DeVere Day, Old Homestead Stories at the Strong, Victor Sunnyside Cemetery Tour, Victor House Museum Cripple Creep, Cripple Creek Dis- May 23 - September Corvair Show, Cripple Creek District trict Museum October 2-31 Mine Tours, Victor LT Museum Museum July 25 - August 2 Haunting at the Old Homestead, May 24 Teller County Fair, at the Fair- Butte Theater Trolley Tours, Cripple Creek grounds, Cripple Creek October 30 June July 26 BOOzaar Cripple Creek Parks and 2nd & 4th Saturdays Visits with History, Cripple Creek Recreation Sunnyside Cemetery Tour, Victor Heritage Center October 31 Trick Treat Street, Victor June 12- August 15 August Under the Colorado Moon, Butte 2nd & 4th Saturdays Theater November Sunnyside Cemetery Tour, Victor June 13-14 November 22 August 21- Sept.19 Cripple Creek Top of the World Visits with History, Cripple Creek I Ought to Be in Pictures, Butte Rodeo Heritage Center Theater June 19-21 November 27 - January 1 August 21-23 Annual Victor Gem & Mineral Show Gold Camp Christmas Headframe Annual Cripple Creek Salute to June 19-July 5 Lighting American Veterans Once Upon a Time in the West Art November 27 - December 28 August 23 Show, Cripple Creek Heritage Center A Cripple Creek Christmas Carol, Visits with History, Cripple Creek June 26-Aug. 15 Butte Theater Heritage Center Gentlemen Prefer Blonds, Butte November 23 August 29 Theater Victor Elks Lodge Turkey Shoot BMX Races, Cripple Creek June 27-28 December Cripple Creek Donkey Derby Days September December 11 2nd & 4th Saturdays Victor Highlights Christmas Parade July Sunnyside Cemetery Tour, Victor 2nd & 4th Saturdays December 12 September 5-7 Sunnyside Cemetery Tour, Victor Gold Camp Christmas Cripple Victor Celebrates the Arts July 3-4 Creek and Victor September 12 July 4th Celebration, Cripple Creek Victor Pack Burro Race. July 10 February 2021 September 12-13 Poker Run, Cripple Creek Parks & February Cruise Above the Clouds Car Show, Recreation Cripple Creek Ice Festival and Victor Cripple Creek July 11 events; ice skating and more. Victor Elks 125th Celebration Page 8 rich in history/modern comfort n the breathtaking Colorado mining town of Victor, foliage gleams from mountain vistas, trails wind thIrough vacant mine sites, and streets of 1890’s build - ings beg exploration. In the center of town stands a for - mer elite gentleman’s club - casino and brothel - renovated beautifully to reflect its rich history and in - trigue - The Black Monarch Hotel. If the walls could talk, they’d whisper the town’s lore of hauntings, a Wild West history of barkeep gun fights, a bustling gold rush, a phoenix-like revision after a great fire in 1899 and even some history with Nicola Tesla. In modern times, The Black Monarch has been the beauti - ful backdrop of countless modern indie films and photo shoots as well as writer’s conferences.