Hahns Peak Ghost Town

Hahns Peak Ghost Town was once a booming town with its own county seat. Now it's a residential historical district in the area of Steamboat Springs. Founded in 1865 as a camp for gold mining, the town was the location of the first post office and School in Routt County.

Hahns Peak Ghost Town allows the curious visitor to peek into the past and view Native American hunting grounds, remnants of early pioneers, and more. The town once mined gold and silver, as well as coal ore. The ghost town offers you an introduction to the rich history of the region.

Before the first settlers arrived in the valley, the Yampatika Utes used the area for summer hunting. Trappers started arriving in the valley in the early 1800s - they nicknamed the area "The Big Bend" because this is where the Yampa River starts turning toward the west. Steamboat Springs came into use around this time after French trappers mistook the sound of the local stream for the tooting of a steamboat's engine.

Ranching was the main industry in the valley, until the late 1800s when a mining boom began around Hahns Peak. Today cow and sheep ranching, hay and wheat farming, and coal mining are the major industries. Tourism is the major economic contributor.