Cripple Creek Colorado

Cripple Creek Colorado is an old mining town with a classic Western feel.

The main street is flanked by saloons and casinos, and the general view is mountains for miles.

Sitting at 9494 feet above sea level, and with a population of just over 1000, this former gold camp is a fun day-trip or weekend escape from Colorado Springs.

To get there, you'll need to take a 40-minute scenic drive, due west up the Ute Pass (Hwy 24) and through Woodland Park.

Gorgeous views of Pikes Peak will follow you almost the entire way.

Then you'll head south past Mueller State Park, with the last leg of your trip on winding roads through pine-filled slopes.

Views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range fill the western horizon.

Cripple Creek Colorado has recently become a very popular mountain town to visit largely due to the casinos.

There are 14 casinos to choose from, with names like The Brass Ass, Bronco Billy's, Johnny Nolon's and the Double Eagle. Many of these gaming facilities are very modern, and offer everything from slot machines to craps.

There are plenty of places for lodging and dining as well, some connected right to the casino, others providing a shuttle service to the main strip.

We recently took advantage of a Groupon deal and went for an overnight visit during Cripple Creek's annual Ice Festival.

The streets were lined with ice sculptures, and there was plenty of food, drink and music.

For a while, we watched the ice sculptors masterfully turn chunks of frozen water into 3D versions of Dr. Seuss characters.

But we eventually decided to take a load off and randomly picked a saloon to quench our thirsts. Not only was the bar keep friendly and eager to assist, one of the locals sitting at the front bar actually said to us, “Welcome to Cripple Creek!” and raised his drink.

So, pretty friendly folks up there in our experience.

If you're looking for more passive entertainment, check out the Butte Opera House. Even back in the late 1800s, folks enjoyed the theater.

And carrying on the tradition is the Thin Air Theater Company, who perform their plays and musicals in this renovated playhouse year round.

History buffs will have a heck of a time in Cripple Creek. Many of the buildings in the downtown have been wonderfully restored, with several of the attractions related to the past.

One favorite is the Cripple Creek Heritage Center. This dynamic visitor's center is huge! Over 11,000 square feet of interactive displays cover just about everything, from life during the heyday of gold mining to Native Americans, and even information on local dinosaur finds.

Back in the Old Days

Parade, Cripple Creek Colorado style