Colorado's Once-Thriving Old West Hotel Near Denver Is An Abandoned Gem In A Recreational Hotspot

For better or worse, the Wild West remains a storied period in United States history. Western entertainment and the "frontier spirit" still permeate the culture, while vestiges of these bygone days remain scattered throughout the American West. Today, you can visit Rhyolite, one of Nevada's best-preserved and most photographed ghost towns, abandoned mines, museums, and former frontier boomtowns-turned-tourism hotspots. In the state of Colorado, many of these small boomtowns disappeared when the mines dried up or the weather proved too harsh, leaving nothing but a few scattered buildings behind. 

In rural Colorado, small local communities make an effort to preserve their state's unique history, like these single, abandoned buildings. One of them sits near the unincorporated community of Conifer in Jefferson County, about 45 minutes southwest of Denver, one of Colorado's must-visit spots and America's craft beer capital, is the historic South Platte Hotel. Situated on the spot where the South Platte River and its North Fork meet, which nowadays sees more fishermen, kayakers, and hikers than stagecoaches and miners, the mysterious hotel has captured the attention of many over the years. Who wouldn't ponder its story?

The South Platte Hotel was initially built in 1887 by Charles and Millie Walbrecht, then rebuilt in 1913 after a devastating fire (caused by a gunfight). According to the story, in 1912, a disgruntled patron, sure that the Walbrechts had convinced his wife to leave him, opened fire in the lobby of the hotel, injuring the coupe and a nearby woman. The hotel then caught fire and burned to the ground. The gunman, injured by the local sheriff, committed suicide several days later in a nearby field. 

Recovering from their injuries, the Walbrechts rebuilt in 1912 closer to the river. Operating at a stop on the railroad, the hotel attracted stagecoaches, railroad tourists, and visitors from nearby Denver drawn to the mountainous escape (and the excellent trout fishing). In its heyday, a newspaper ad described the South Platte as a "cozy, homelike hotel in the heart of the Rockies." Eventually operating as a store and a post office, the building shuttered its doors in 1969 and has been abandoned ever since. 

Journey through scenic ranchlands and historic towns on your way to Conifer, the closest town to the South Platte Hotel. From Conifer, it's easy to reach the hotel in about twenty minutes by car. The hotel is also a one-minute walk from the North Fork Trail Parking Lot, connecting to the Colorado Trail, which takes you to some of Colorado's most stunning vistas. Hikers and backpackers frequent the area, as well as river runners (kayakers and boaters), fishermen, hunters, and snowmobilers. It truly is a microcosm of Colorado's epic Old West history, surrounded by Colorado's current treasure: its wilderness. 

The Wild West meets ghostly charm at this abandoned Colorado building, which is one reason the community of Conifer, especially the Jefferson County Historical Commission (JCHC) and its partner History Jeffco (HJO), have been advocating so hard for preservation. Thanks to the work of these hard-working community advocates, the former hotel was added to the Colorado Preservation Inc.'s Endangered Places List in 2023, opening the door to further preservation and renovation. The South Platte Hotel currently sits on land owned by Denver Water and was assessed (sponsored by the company) in the late 1990s as a potential historical property. To the dismay of local residents, nothing came from the assessment, and they watched as the hotel was widdled by time, neglect, and disuse. 

In 2023, after the hotel was added to the Endangered Places List, locals were able to clean the property up some, fence it off, and add coverings to the boarded-off windows. The coverings include artistic renderings of sky-reflecting windows lined with curtains, and one window even features a cat. The front door shows a man, presumably the long-gone original proprietor, Walbrecht, ready to greet his imaginary guests. The future of the historic South Platte Hotel remains uncertain, but further preservation work seems to be in the cards for this small yet integral piece of Colorado's complex history.