Top-of-the-word Views

One of the most impressive views of the mining district is from atop the American Eagles Scenic Overlook. Below is the still-active, massive Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company surface operations. The mine’s shaft was the deepest in the district at over 1,540 feet, and it is the highest mine in the district at 10,570 feet above sea level.

Visitors today can observe equipment extracting gold ore from the caldera of the extinct volcano that made this area rich with gold and can explore displays of 1890s mining equipment, a blacksmith shop and the American Eagles headframe.

The American Eagles Drive starts in Victor on east Diamond Avenue and  continues up Range View Road.

Ride the Rails into History
Cripple Creek & Victor NG 

Getting to and from Cripple Creek in the 1890s was a matter of determination. Most miners rode horseback, packed mules or walked.

Stage routes were developed as mining activity grew. Railroads transported goods, ore and passengers up the winding canyons that led to the gold fields. The first railroad to open was the Florence & Cripple Creek on July 1, 1894. The next day the train derailed. Two other railroads soon served the district — the Short Line and Midland Terminal from Colorado Springs. Afer mining declined, the last train to run to Cripple Creek was in 1949.

Now the trains are back! The locals know it’s summertime when they first hear the wail of the authentic steam train whistle from the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad. The railroad, established in the 1960s, boasts three 100-plus-year-old engines and four more modern passenger cars.

The train winds through the historic mining region and affords breath-taking scenery along the route. An added bonus is narration by the engineer telling the passengers about the different sights along the way. The trip lasts about 45 minutes. There is also a gift shop housed in an  historic building that was originally built in 1894 as the Anaconda train station.

A ride on the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad is not to be missed while you visit the historic Cripple Creek Mining District! The train station, Fifth and Bennett Avenue, is open mid-May to mid-October. Information: (719) 689-2640 or visit www.cripplecreekrailroad.com.

Drive and walk through historic gold mining country.

BY RUTH ZALEWSKI
Photography, courtesy ZStudios

At nearly 10,000 feet, on the southwestern side of Pikes Peak, Victor is a quiet, historic mining town full of character and adventure. Follow the “Trail of Gold” to experience over 100 years of Victor’s mining history.

The Vindicator Valley Trail
Begin your adventure into gold rush history with access to the Theresa Mine and the Vindicator Mine near Victor, Colo. The two-plus-mile loop winds through remnants of 1890s gold mines. Interpretive signs explain the legend of gold mining in The Golden Loop, a circle of railroads that once served the gold mines and the town of Independence.

Gold Coin Mine in Victor
At Diamond and Fifth, see the Woods Brothers’ famous Gold Coin Mine. The brick foundations and grand hoist are the remains of the Woods’ gold mining empire — the legacy that built Victor, “The City of Mines.”

Little Grouse  Mountain Trail
A short climb up Little Grouse Mountain offers views of the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company’s valley fill operations as well as a 360-degree view of the mountains to the west and surrounding mountain tops. The trail  begins at the parking area just west of Victor on the south side of the bridge over Arequa Gulch. At the trailhead is an historic mining equipment display.

Gold Camp Trail
Hike up or down the trail through Poverty Gulch, where Bob Womack found gold in 1890. The trailheads are just to the west of Hoosier Mine on County Road 83, and at the Cripple Creek Welcome Center near the Cripple Creek District Museum on Bennett Avenue. End your hike at the museum, where gold mining history is displayed.

Independence Mine & Battle Mountain Trail
July 4, 1891 Winfield Scott Stratton staked claim to the Independence Mine, the 
richest in the Mining District. The rest is gold rush history. Stroll up to the Independence, then walk across the base of Battle Mountain, below the Portland and Ajax Mines, above the Strong & Gold Coin Mines and take in the bird’s-eye view over historic Victor.

Independence Millsite Trail
The trail and interpretive site here are just above Victor off the American Eagles Road. The trailhead is below the county road, across from the Independence Mine and Battle Mountain Trail. This new trail makes it 
possible to access the Vindicator Valley and Battle Mountain trails from the parking area. Stratton’s Independence Mill segment of the Battle Mountain trail system is an excellent way to see the foundations that are the remains of the gold recovery operations from the turn of the century.

Golden Circle Trail
A new trail now makes it possible to walk or bike from downtown Victor to the Vindicator Valley Trail near Goldfield. The Golden Circle Trail which follows an 1890s railroad route of the same name, begins at the new Independence Millsite Trailhead off American Eagles Road. The newest trail is now open to the public and provides an easy walk for all ages. For more info, visit victorcolorado.com.

For information on Victor, visit www.victorcolorado.com.