Ashcroft

Colorado's high-country ghost towns sit at altitudes that would give a flatlander nosebleeds — silver camps killed by an 1893 vote in Washington.

Ashcroft is an extinct mining town located in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The silver mining camp was founded as Castle Forks City in the spring of 1880. A post office named Ashcroft operated at the site from August 12, 1880, until August 5, 1881, when the name was changed to Chloride. The Chloride post office operated until January 3, 1882 when the name was changed back to Ashcroft. The renamed Ashcroft post office finally closed on November 30, 1912. On May 12, 1975, Ashcroft was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ashcroft survives as partial ruins — standing walls, collapsed roofs, and the bones of a town that once was. Ruin sites can be hazardous: watch for open shafts, unstable masonry, and wildlife sheltering in debris. Bring sturdy boots and photograph from safe distances.

Public access makes Ashcroft one of the easier ghost towns to actually stand in — though "public" in ghost-town country can still mean miles of dirt road, so check recent trip reports first.

Ashcroft is publicly accessible — but give the word "accessible" some respect. Out here it can still mean miles of unmaintained dirt road. Check recent trip reports, carry extra water and a spare tire, download offline maps, and let someone know your route. The mapped point for Ashcroft is roughly 39.0500, -106.8000 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.

The ground itself demands respect: open mine shafts, collapsing floors, and old wells hide in tall grass, cell service is often nonexistent, and help can be hours away. Tell someone your plans, pack more water than you think you'll need — and save the early morning or late afternoon light for your camera.

Want the full story? The Wikipedia article on "Ashcroft, Colorado" covers Ashcroft in more depth — find the link in Sources below. County archives, historic newspaper collections, and the state historical society are the next stops after that: plat maps, census rolls, and old photographs fill in what a short visit can't. If you make the trip, consider sharing your photos and notes — firsthand reports are how the record of Ashcroft gets better.