At a Glance
- Elevation: 11,200 ft
- Era: 1870s–1920s
- Peak Population: ~450 residents
- Access: 4WD required
- From Ouray: ~50 miles via Alpine Loop
- Preservation: Excellent — several structures standing
A Town Frozen in Time
Animas Forks was a thriving mining community of nearly 500 people at 11,200 feet in the Animas River valley, active from the 1870s through the early 20th century. When the mines became uneconomical and the railroad rerouted, the town was simply abandoned — left with its Victorian houses, mill buildings, and infrastructure in place. A century of San Juan weather has weathered the wood and the tin, but the structures remain standing and recognizable.
Several buildings are particularly well-preserved: the Walsh House (a Victorian cottage that seems impossibly out of place at 11,000 feet), the jail, and various mill and mine structures. The Bureau of Land Management maintains the site as a historic area; visitors can walk freely among the buildings.
Combining Animas Forks with the Alpine Loop
Animas Forks is the natural centerpiece of an Alpine Loop day from Ouray — sitting at the junction of the roads coming from Ouray over Engineer Pass and from Silverton up the Animas River valley. Stop for lunch at the ghost town site (bring your own food), explore the ruins, and continue in either direction depending on your itinerary.
The scenery around Animas Forks is exceptional: high peaks on every side, the river valley below, and the particular atmosphere of a place where human ambition met mountain reality and lost. It's one of those destinations that sits with you after you leave.