Madrid

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

Madrid is a ghost town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. It is east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 6,590 feet (2,010 m). The town is the west side of the county along State Highway 12, fourteen miles (23 km) west of Trinidad. Madrid is named for Hilario Madrid, who settled there in the 19th century from New Mexico, not after Spain's capital. Originally called Madrid Plaza, it was established as a settler's post in 1864. Hilario and his brother Juan Madrid homesteaded there in September 1879. There was a Post Office in the town from 1882 to 1917.

The on-the-ground condition of Madrid 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 Madrid 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. The mapped point for Madrid is roughly 37.1275, -104.6414 — 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.