One Of Colorado's Best-Kept Secrets Is A Cliff-Cradled Town With A Charming Downtown And Unmatched Scenery

If ever a state embodied that Rocky Mountain high feeling, it's certainly colorful Colorado. John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High" is one of the state's official songs, "America the Beautiful" was inspired by Colorado's peaks, Rocky Mountain National Park finds its home there, and it's world-renowned for a variety of mountain sports. In fact, Colorado is considered to be home to the absolute best skiing in the U.S. Yet even in these oft-explored mountains, there are many secrets and hidden gems just waiting to be found by an intrepid traveler.

One of these treasures is the tiny town of Creede. Located in southern Colorado, Creede is often overlooked as it truly is tiny (it has a population of approximately 288). However, this little dot on the map punches above its weight when it comes to scenery (those cliffs!), adventure (skiing! biking! hiking!), quaintness (that Main Street!) and history (so many old mines to explore!). So strap on your hiking or cowboy boots (you'll fit in either way) and discover the historic town of Creede, just four and a half hours from Denver, two and a half hours from Durango, and three and a half hours from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Colorado has dozens of charming small towns, like Alma, North America's highest incorporated town, and Telluride, a skiing haven and home to the famous film festival. There are ritzy ski towns and rural farming hamlets, sleepy mountain villages and historic mining towns, and more. One locale that retains its original feel and small-town atmosphere is Creede. Established in the late 1800s to take advantage of the booming silver mines established nearby, such as Last Chance Mine, which is straight out of a Clint Eastwood Western, Creede was the site of Colorado's final big silver strike in 1889, at the tail end of the Colorado Silver Boom.

Nowadays, the Last Chance Mine sees only tourists. There, you can explore the underground mine and even try your hand at mining. Once a rich depository of silver, amethyst, and turquoise, the occasional visitor still gets lucky during their touristy dig. Visit the Underground Mining Museum in the cliffs for more mining history of the area or the Creede Historical Museum in town.

Make sure to visit Creede's star attraction, the historic main street that abuts right into the spectacular nearby cliffs of Willow Creek Canyon. The Old West-style storefronts feel as if they've been frozen in time, which, in many cases, is essentially true, as they've been here since Creede's earliest days. Behind these storefronts, you'll find tasty eateries, cute shops, and even a saloon or two if you want to pretend you're a gunslinger in the Wild West.

A one of Colorado's coolest mountain towns, Creede does make an ideal base camp, which means you'll want to stay there at least one night. It's far enough from most major towns to make your visit more than a long day trip, although it is possible to do so from the Durango/Telluride area. Luckily, unlike many other mountain locales, Creede is generally affordable, although there are several luxurious guest ranches outside of town. You can choose to stay downtown at the Creede Hotel, get a room riverside at the Antlers Rio Grande Lodge, or embrace Western luxury at the 4UR Ranch.

Creede is located in Mineral County, one of Colorado's best spots for outdoor recreation, thanks to the incredible peaks, forests, and open space (about 95% of Mineral County is public land). You'll find a plethora of trails to hike, waterfalls like the dramatic North Clear Creek Falls, and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, backpacking, rafting, and mountain biking. As both the San Juan and Rio Grande rivers begin in the nearby San Juan Mountains, fly fishing is particularly popular in Creede.

If you're an adventurer who prefers seeing the outdoors from your car, hit the road on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, one of Colorado's most beautiful drives. Or, you can opt to discover ghost towns and abandoned mines on the beautiful, 17-mile-long Bachelor Loop drive.