How Colorado’s Towns Hold Onto Their Wild West Roots

Colorado is a state with an exciting history. Some of our oldest towns hang onto their Wild West heritage through landmarks, architecture, murals on buildings, and the annual events that started on the frontier and are still observed today.

Read More: The Best Wild West Saloon in America is Right Here in Colorado

Keep reading to learn more about 8 locations in Colorado you can still visit to experience what the 'Wild West' was like during the earliest days of the Centennial State.

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Leadville, Colorado: Established on Feb 18^th, 1878

Tales of Leadville, Colorado, are those of a mining boomtown that included one of the state’s most popular silver camps. Wild West connections include places like the Tabor Opera House and Healy House are two of the best places to visit to learn more about the town’s rowdy mining days.

Visit Leadville during the Leadville Boom Days Festival for burro races, gunfight reenactments, and a celebration of the frontier.

Georgetown, Colorado: Established November 16^th, 1859

Georgetown’s silver mines of the 19^th century make it another essential stop on our tour of Wild West roots in Colorado. The town is well-preserved with lots of original architecture, which includes the Hotel de Paris Museum. The Georgetown Loop Railroad is a great place to learn more about the mining days of the old West. The town sits just below Colorado’s Guanella Pass, a gateway to many of the 14er mountains in the area.

Cripple Creek, Colorado: Established June 9^th, 1892

Thanks to some wild tales told by prospectors in the 1890s, Cripple Creek, Colorado brought in tons of people to the state with ‘Gold Rush Fever.’ Did you know the Cripple Creek/Victor, Colorado area is home to some of the oldest entertainment venues in the state? The Hotel St. Nicholas, Butte Opera House, and Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad are all places that show off Wild West roots. Donkey Derby Days in June is a great time to visit.

Durango, Colorado: Established April 27^th, 1881

If you are looking for saloons and western-style storefronts, Durango, Colorado, is your town. This was a major hub during the mining era of the late 1800s and a rail line that played a large role in rail expansion in Colorado. Even today, people visit Durango and Silverton to see the historic Narrow Guage Railroad running through the San Juan Mountains.

Central City, Colorado: Established on June 12, 1886

Central City was known as the “Richest Square Mile on Earth” during the Colorado gold rush, and people still call it that today. Still a popular destination, Central City is full of historic opera houses and casinos, including the Central City Opera House which still hosts live performances. You can still feel the roots of the old West here.

Read More: Colorado’s Abandoned Railroads: A Hidden History Beneath Our Feet

Grand Junction, Colorado: Established on July 22nd, 1882

You will find all kinds of evidence of the Old West on Colorado’s Western Slope. The city of Grand Junction was a key hub for settlers, trade, and rails. You will see firearms, stagecoaches, and a recap on frontier life waiting at Grand Junction’s Museum of the West. Mesa County’s “Trail through Time” lets you walk on the same trails are area settlers did, and the Grand Junction Cross Orchards Historic Site lets you see what life was like for the pioneers of the Old West.

Delta, Colorado: Established on October 24th, 1882

This mural on Main Street in Delta, Colorado, shows the Ute Indians traveling through the area in the 1800s. Want to see evidence of the Wild West in Colorado? Head to Delta, and walk the grounds of Colorado’s Fort Uncompahgre. This authentic fur trading post became a regular stop for early settlers, Ute Indians, and even the Spanish. Deltarado Days are a great time of year to visit as parades and rodeos show off the frontier spirit of the Western Slope.

Montrose, Colorado: Established on May 1st, 1882

Montrose was one of the first towns established on the Western Slope as a supply town for nearby mines and ranches. Montrose is home to the Ute Indian Museum which tells the story of Colorado's original settlers with lots of stories about the region’s past. The untamed spirit of America’s Old West can still be felt inside the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park located just outside of town. Catch the cowboy culture on display at the Montrose County Fair and Rodeo, or visit the Cimarron Railroad Exhibit.