St. Elmo, Colorado - A "Ghost Town" In Chaffee County
(February 2006)
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St. Elmo is located approximately 11 miles west of
the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs inside Chalk Creek Canyon.
To get there, go west on Chaffee County Road 162 in Nathrop and go west. |
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Now I am not an expert on St. Elmo history,
but I'm 99% sure St. Elmo was founded around 1880 and was an old mining camp.
At one point, the town was a fairly bustling town with a railroad that came into the canyon. |
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Today, there are quite a few buildings
that have stood the test of time and are still there today. All of St.
Elmo is privately owned, and there are many signs reminding visitors
that they are not to trespass on private lands or enter into buildings. |
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Also, visitors should note that
St. Elmo does not offer any services such as gas, food or public bathrooms. |
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Having said all that, St. Elmo is arguably
one of the most interesting "ghost towns" in all of Colorado. There are many
buildings that reflect the architecture of the late 19th century. |
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Also, if you have 4-wheel drive, Tincup
Pass (part of the Continental Divide) is just another six miles to the west
and offers really beautiful Colorado mountain scenery. |
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Look at all the snow! Today, there is only
a very small handful of residents who live all year round in St. Elmo. |
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I zoomed-in on the mountains on the south side of the canyon. |
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More wintery Rocky Mountain views. |
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The building that apparently served as a store and post office. |
