Cripple Creek, Colorado

 I was wanting to see the gold mining town of Cripple Creek

(especially because that is the only tune I had learned on the banjo.)

A beautiful drive from Glen Eyrie

We were surprised at the terrain - it seemed so unlike other old mining towns because it was flat and spread out.

We learned that this area is the 'crater' of a huge ancient volcano.

Cripple Creek was the last major gold rush in 1891.

Today they are still mining (open pit).

Today's "Gold Rush"  is massive building of hotels-

with casinos- of course.

Kind of ruins the neat old mining town atmosphere.

😖😖😖

This was an empty lot with painting of murals 

to show the old time Cripple Creek town.

You can still take a  ride on an authentic old train.  

The trip did not inspire me to go home and take up the banjo to relearn the tune of  Cripple Creek.

Now we leave for Buena Vista.