Once 'Colorado's Most Beautiful Resort' Is Now An Abandoned Historic Spot With Eerie Lakeside Beauty

A once-happening lakeside resort and hotel high in the spectacular Colorado Rocky Mountains is now an eerie, abandoned curiosity for adventurous hikers looking to take in some of the Centennial State's boom-days past while enjoying a relatively easy jaunt through the gorgeous San Isabel National Forest. Built in the 1870s and developed into a world-class resort in the 1880s, the Interlaken Resort was once a playground for the rich and famous, many of whom struck it rich in the gold and silver mines between the thriving mining towns of Aspen and Leadville. Today, it's a well-preserved reminder of Colorado's mining glory days and a fascinating 2-mile hike from the nearby hamlet of Twin Lakes.

Initially called the Lakeside Resort when it was constructed by mining entrepreneur John A. Staley, the resort blossomed when millionaire James V. Dexter bought and renamed the stunning lakeside property in 1883. Dexter also added an additional 2,000 acres of forest land to the resort's footprint. Here, on the shores of beautiful Twin Lakes, Dexter built a manicured resort paradise featuring fountains, a mowed and meticulously kept bluegrass lawn, a tavern, a pool hall, and a pavilion that featured a weekly symphony. Today, the Interlaken Resort stands empty and looks abandoned, but it has been remarkably preserved by the U.S. Forest Service as a reminder of Colorado's gold rush days. In its heyday, the Interlaken Resort was, by some accounts, the most beautiful resort in Colorado. Much like nearby St. Elmo (one of America's best-preserved ghost towns), the resort stands empty today.

Twin Lakes is just over two hours from Denver by car.  Explorers who leave early and arrive at the trail by the Twin Lakes dam by mid-morning can easily make the 4-mile, round-trip hike to the now-abandoned Interlaken Resort and be back at the car well before dark for the drive back to the Mile High City. The quiet walk on a generally even trail to the old hotel site winds through the pines and aspens at the base of Colorado's highest mountain, Mt. Elbert, which rises 14,439 feet above sea level. Once at the site of the old hotel, hikers can explore the outside of several intact and structurally secured buildings, including the old hotel itself and Dexter's private cabin. The latter might have a bit of a maritime look — the developer was interested in all things nautical, and that passion spread to his home at the Interlaken Resort.

The day hike is also a fantastic addition for any outdoor wanderer making the drive over Independence Pass between Twin Lakes and Aspen. The pass is one of Colorado's most breathtaking drives. It is winding and narrow, and the views from the top are absolutely relentless. At the crest of the pass, motorists will find themselves at a breath-stealing 12,095 feet, making it one of the highest paved roads in the United States. The view to the east from the shoulders of the pass allows drivers and passengers using one of several pull-offs to view Twin Lakes and the now-abandoned Interlaken Hotel.

The now-abandoned Interlaken Resort sits atop the Arkansas River drainage and is part of a beautiful stretch of high-elevation country punctuated by the tallest mountain range in the state, the Sawatch Range, home to Mt. Elbert and nearby Mt. Massive (14,421 feet above sea level). It's also home to Leadville, the highest incorporated city in North America at 10,200 feet above sea level. Here, visitors can get a first-hand look at Colorado's mining history — Leadville is (or was) home to some of the largest and most valuable mineral pockets in the world. When gold was discovered in California Gulch in the mid-1800s, prospectors swarmed the area. Over the years, many fortunes have come from the ground around this colorful Colorado town. Guests can take a fun walking tour or hop aboard one of Colorado's best train rides for unbelievably scenic mountain views.

Farther south, visitors can follow the stunning Arkansas River past the road to Twin Lakes and the Interlake Resort to the beautiful little town of Buena Vista. Here, at a modest (compared to Leadville) elevation of 7,954 feet, visitors can access Cottonwood Pass, which travels west over the Continental Divide and drops down into Taylor Park. It's a beautiful fall drive, but drivers take heed: Cottonwood Pass isn't maintained in the winter, and it generally closes to vehicle travel when the first high snows blanket the nearby Collegiate Mountain Range sometime in November. This absolutely beautiful corner of Colorado is easily accessible from Denver and is an awesome place to explore over a long weekend spent in the Rockies. If you're into eerie history and enchanting, abandoned ghost towns, Interlaken Resort must be on your bucket list.