A Visit To The Highest City in the U.S. - Leadville Colorado - A Rocky Mountain Wonderland

(Leadville, Colorado) 68 degrees, cool, blue skies, perfect

Road to Leadville

On our two days off this week we decided to venture further out and take a trip to Twin Lakes and Leadville.  We wanted to spend a couple of days in the area.  With the price of gas and the mountain passes it seemed like a good idea to stay in a hotel for one night.  Finding a place that will also allow our dog Jimmy can be a challenge.  I looked in the Frommers Colorado guide and found out there was a hostel and dogs could stay.  That sounded interesting.  The price was right for a "couples" room with a shared bath ($35) and Jimmy could stay. 

Leadville Hostel

We first went through the small town of Buena Vista and stopped at the Chalk Creek RV Park.  They frequently advertise for workampers.  The owner Joan took us all around.  It looks like a great place to work and the sites along the creek are very nice (electric only).

Road to Buena Vista

Twin Lakes is about 15 minutes away and is spectacular.  There are lots of campgrounds in the area.  It was quiet when we visited but can be quite busy on weekends.

Twin Lakes

Leadville is very cool.  It is the highest city in the U.S. and at one time was famous for its gold and silver mines.  We had a drink at a bar where Doc Holiday hung out for several years. 

It is such a picturesque town  It is surrounded by the fourteeners - mountains that are over 14,000 feet high. 

We checked into the hostel and found it to be quite a gem.  The hosts Cathy and Bill were very welcoming.  There is a huge kitchen where you can prepare your meals and two living rooms for relaxing and watching movies.  The outside patio was the best. 

Outside patio

Kitchen

Girls bunkroom ($20/night)

Our room

Trail Marker

Our room was small but comfortable and the bathrooms were super clean.  We met a couple who were hiking the Colorado Trail.  It is a 500 mile trail from Denver to Durango.  They have hiked a portion of it for the past four years and are almost done.  Unfortunately, one portion near Leadville was impassable due to snow.  They got off and hitched a ride to the hostel. 

Judi and Todd

We offered to take them to the next portion in the morning.  It was very interesting to hear about their adventure.  They treated us to breakfast the next morning and we really enjoyed watching them continue on their trail.

Afterward we drove around Turquoise Lake and then headed to the Fish Hatchery.  It was built in 1888 and supplies cutthroat trout to much of the region.  We hiked the Nature Trail and meandered around the five lakes where the fish hang out until they are large enough to be released.  It was a beautiful trail and Jimmy was allowed to run off leash.  He was a happy dog. 

Turquoise Lake

Fish Hatchery

Baby Trout

One of the lakes on the Nature Trail

On our way home we took a backroad trip that I'll write about tomorrow.  It was a 24 mile scenic drive from Leadville to Fairplay