Leadville celebrates its heritage as a mining boomtown and its history of larger than life characters. The first boom happened when gold that was found in area streams. As the gold played out, the discovery and mining of silver created the second “boom”. Eventually, the silver played out and mining began for a variety of industrial metals. Lead mining gives the city its name due to the amount of ore taken from the area. Molybdenum mining continues in the area to this day. Founded in 1887, Leadville once was the second most populated city in Colorado with a population of over 50,000. Today, a mere 2,700 live in Leadville.
Leadville claims the honor of the highest city in the country at an elevation of 10,152 feet. This elevation means that winters are cold and summers are mild. Lows in winter average single digits while highs in the middle of summer are in the low seventies. This northern end of the Arkansas Valley gets more precipitation than the southern at about 12 inches a year. About half of the annual precipitation comes in the form of an average annual snowfall of 150 inches.
Leadville Area Geography
Leadville sits at the northern end of the Arkansas valley among the highest peaks in Colorado. Mounts Elbert and Massive are visible from virtually anywhere in town. Despite being the tallest peak in Colorado at 14,440 feet, Mount Elbert is overshadowed by the appropriately named and slightly shorter peak just to its north – Mount Massive (elevation 14,428). Several other fourteeners surround Leadville.
With all the high mountains in the area, it should be no surprise that the Great Divide lies to the north and around to the west of town. This creates high mountain passes to other parts of the state. Independence Pass leads from Twin Lakes to Aspen. To the north, Fremont Pass leads to Copper Mountain ski resort and I-70. Ski Cooper sits atop Tennessee Pass on the way to Vail. While these are all paved roads, other passes in the area require four-wheel drive due to their rugged and unmaintained nature.
Recreation around Leadville
The San Isabel National Forest surrounds Leadville with numerous hiking and biking trails. Hikers wanting a more remote experience can explore the four wilderness areas – Collegiate Peaks, Holy Cross, Mount Massive and Buffalo Peaks. While biking in wilderness areas is not allowed, the area is renowned for mountain biking. Perhaps the most famous mountain bike race in the country is held here each summer – the Leadville 100. It is part of a series of ultra-endurance running and cycling events. For the more casual rider, a paved 11-mile trail called the Mineral Belt Trail circles the city.
Somewhat surprising, several lakes dot the area. Turquoise Lake sits a few miles west of town. A bit further away, the Twin Lakes area and Clear Creek Reservoir lie between Leadville and Buena Vista. Fishing is popular at all of them both traditional fly and rod and reel in the summer and ice fishing in the winter. Canoeing and kayaking are popular in the summer, but the water is generally too cold to enjoy swimming.
Leadville enjoys all the wintertime outdoor activities – snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, downhill skiing at Ski Cooper. Fat tire biking allows cyclists to ride year-round. Skijoring is a unique activity celebrated each winter.
Things to do in Town
The register of national historic places designated a large portion of the downtown Leadville and some of the abandoned mines east and north of town as the Leadville Historic District. This encompasses old hotels, theaters, and churches, as well as buildings that now house restaurants, bars, and specialty stores.
Leadville boasts numerous “saloons” and restaurants that cater to the boomtown theme. Most of the eating and drinking places in town are situated either right along Harrison Ave or within a block of it. The dining selections cater to almost everyone with a variety of burgers, pizzas, and such.
Several annual events occur throughout the year. In winter, the Skijoring and Crystal Carnival Weekend has skiers being pulled down the center of town by horses. In summer, Boom Days fills a weekend with parades, music, and burro races. The BBQ and Brews festival shows off the local pit- and brewmasters each June. Lastly, the finish line at the various Leadville Race Series events often takes on a festival style atmosphere.