Cripple Creek Travel Guide

Cripple Creek is a little mining town tucked high in the Rockies. Built on gold and rare turquioise mines (turquoise run through with gold veins), today's Cripple Creek is a gambler's paradise. The high street could have come straight from an old silver photo, lined with beautiful brick buildings and colorful awnings. Though nearly every storefront is now a casino, a few local gems remain. The general store is filled with local treasures and friendly faces, as well as unusal candies, fudge, and homade ice cream. Cripple Creek Coffee is a great place to start your morning (with free wifi courtesy of Leanna) and sits just across the street from the historic Butte Opera House. This renovated theatre is perched above the local firehouse and offers a range of classic melodrama, vaudeville, musical reviews and modern musicals year round. The Mollie Kathleen gold mine and Narrow Gauge Railroad offer adventure for history buffs, as well as the Mt. Pisgah cemetery and nightly ghost tours. With an elevation of 9,494 feet, Cripple Creek is an hour's scenic drive west from Colorado Springs which takes you north around Pikes Peak and up close to the tree line. Make sure to plan for all weather, as both tank tops and snow are common through the summer.