Why You Should Not Wander the Abandoned Colorado Ghost Town of Nevadaville

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

Colorado's Central City area was one of the first places that gold was found while Colorado was still a territory. In fact, by some accounts, that gold was found at the Nevadaville site in 1859.

By the late 1860s, Nevadaville had around 4000 residents. In 2022, there are just a couple of people living at the townsite. A saloon, a general store, and a Masonic Lodge that is still in operation are really the only structures still standing in good condition.

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Where is the Ghost Town of Nevadaville, Colorado?

Nevadaville, Colorado is located near Central City in Gilpin County. It's about a 230-mile drive from Grand Junction and will take about three and a half hours to drive there. This is a great place to see if you already have a trip planned to Denver. You'll be passing right by the area which is north of Idaho Springs.

What Structures Remain in Nevadaville, Colorado?

Colorado's only working Masonic Lodge located in a ghost town can be found in Nevadaville. This structure has been maintained far more than the other remaining buildings. Across the street from the lodge is City Hall (which is also the Fire Department). There is still a small jail in the basement of this building today. You'll also find a general store and saloon here in addition to several crumbling mine structures.

Why are Visitors Warned Not to Wander the Nevadaville Townsite?

Sinkholes! The mine shafts near the mill and mine structures are not stable. Due to the pulverized granite sides of the mine shafts, the ground around the mine could collapse just from 1 person walking on it. It would be a 500-foot drop to the bottom of the shaft. The Glory Hole mine site is not far from Nevadaville and is a great example of the kind of sinkholes we are talking about. Glory Hole sinks over 1450 feet into the ground.

The Nevadaville townsite can be viewed from the Nevadaville Road. The rest of the land is private and you should not leave the road and wander the woods towards the mine structures. It's much safer to scroll through the photos below.