Some ghost towns feel like museums. Perigo feels like an interruption — a place that stopped mid-sentence. A ghost town of unknown status in Gilpin County, Colorado.
Colorado's high-country ghost towns sit at altitudes that would give a flatlander nosebleeds — silver camps killed by an 1893 vote in Washington.
Gilpin County holds 10 documented ghost towns, including American City, Apex, Baltimore — Perigo keeps them company on the map.
The story of Perigo
Colorado's mountains are a timeline of American mining law written in wood and stone. The Pikes Peak rush of 1859 started it; the silver boom of the late 1870s — Leadville, Aspen, Creede — turned the high country's mineral districts into some of the richest on earth. Then came 1893: the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act crashed the price of silver overnight, and Colorado's silver camps died in a matter of months. It remains the single fastest mass-abandonment in the state's history. Perigo is a product of that cycle — built on a metal whose value was set in Washington, emptied by a vote it never saw coming.
What you'll find today
The on-the-ground condition of Perigo 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.
Getting there
Here's the honest truth: access to Perigo 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.
Good to know
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.
Survey Map
Approximate position — verify access locally before visiting
Perigo FAQs
01Where is Perigo located?
02What county is Perigo in?
03What is the history of Perigo?
04What remains at Perigo today?
05Can you visit Perigo?
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