Bijou Basin

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

Bijou Basin is an extinct town located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The townsite is located at coordinates 39.1234°N 104.4602°W / 39.1234; -104.4602 at an elevation of 6,400 feet (2,000 m). Travelers could take post road 49 to the settlement. It was located five miles southeast of another early settlement, Sidney.

The on-the-ground condition of Bijou Basin is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Bijou Basin is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

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.