Entry No. 9 — the Boulder file — filed under: outdoor
Crags Hotel Ruins at Rattlesnake Gulch
In 1908, the Hotel Crags opened as a grand resort perched 800 feet above Eldorado Canyon, reachable by burro, an inclined tramway, and the Union Pacific's Moffat Road trains running day-trippers from Denver. The venture lasted only four years before fire consumed the wooden structure in 1912. What remains is startlingly tangible: a stone foundation, partial masonry walls, a cast-iron cook stove still sitting in the open air, fireplace remnants, and a rock retaining wall that once supported terraced grounds. Interpretive signs at the site explain the hotel's brief, ambitious life. The 1.4-mile Rattlesnake Gulch Trail climbs through scrub oak and sandstone to deliver you to one of Colorado's most evocative Gilded Age ruins.
The story
In 1908, Denver’s well-heeled crowd didn't slog up Rattlesnake Gulch in trail runners; they paid a dollar for a Moffat Road train ticket, rode a water-powered incline tramway up the cliff face, or hired burros to deposit them at a swanky resort 800 feet above the canyon floor. The Crags Hotel was a high-altitude playground where tuberculosis patients taking the mountain air drank and played poker alongside city day-trippers dancing on timber terraces.
The whole operation lasted four short years. In November 1912, long after the summer guests had cleared out and the doors were locked for the season, a middle-of-the-night fire erased the wooden structure in hours. Officially, no cause was ever found. Unofficially—well, you don't need a badge to suspect an insurance arson job on an isolated mountain resort hitting financial hard times.
What remains today isn't just an info plaque, but a surprisingly tangible physical footprint. Push through the scrub oak and you'll step directly into the layout: a mossy concrete fountain basin now serving as a natural planter box, stone retaining walls that once held terraced grounds, masonry foundation footings, and a heavy cast-iron cook stove resting open-air right where the kitchen hearth used to feed Denver high society.
What it's like
Expect a steady 1.4-mile climb up loose rock, dirt switchbacks, and sandstone with about 800 feet of vertical gain. The canyon floor bakes on summer afternoons, so hit the trail early—aiming for an early arrival also keeps you ahead of Eldorado Canyon State Park’s small parking lot filling up by 9 a.m. (and sidesteps peak-season reservation headaches). Work your way around the foundation walls, then push another 0.8 miles up the upper loop to the Continental Divide Overlook, where active freight trains still rumble through cliffside tunnels high above you.
The move: Hike the 1.4-mile Rattlesnake Gulch Trail together and piece together the hotel's layout from the stone remains. Pack a lunch and eat it on the foundation walls with canyon views — a picnic in a place that once served Denver society on a grand terrace.
📍 Before you go Eldorado Canyon State Park charges a day-use vehicle fee (currently $10). The park gate opens at 8 a.m. On summer weekends the small parking lot fills by 9 a.m. — arrive early or park in Eldorado Springs and walk in. The Rattlesnake Gulch trailhead is near the main parking area; the round trip is 2.8 miles with about 800 feet of gain. No reservation required for the hike. Dogs allowed on leash. Trail is typically open year-round but may be icy in winter.
- 📍 Boulder
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, Eldorado Canyon State Park, 9 Kneale Road, Eldorado Springs, CO 80025
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Eldorado Springs Pool — After grinding up 800 vertical feet to the ruins, cool off in the historic artesian spring pool resting right at the mouth of the canyon.
- NCAR Mesa Laboratory — Swap turn-of-the-century hotel rubble for I.M. Pei’s sci-fi 1967 brutalist lab sitting perched on a neighboring mesa.
- Fiske Planetarium Late Laser & Liquid Sky Shows — Pair a morning of picking through Gilded Age canyon ruins with an evening laser light show under CU Boulder's 65-foot dome.
Good to know
How long is the hike to the Crags Hotel ruins?
It is a 1.4-mile uphill hike (2.8 miles round trip) gaining about 800 feet of elevation to reach the hotel site. Completing the full upper loop to the railroad overlook brings the total distance to around 3.6 miles.
What fees or permits are required to visit?
Eldorado Canyon State Park charges a $10 daily vehicle fee. Timed-entry reservations are enforced during peak months (May through October), and parking lots often fill early on weekends.
Why did the Crags Hotel burn down?
The hotel caught fire in November 1912 after closing for the winter season. The official cause remains an unsolved mystery, though historians and locals have long suspected arson to collect insurance money.
Are dogs permitted on the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail?
Yes, dogs are allowed on the trail but must be kept on a leash at all times.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: cpw.state.co.us · alltrails.com · Atlas Obscura · coloradoencyclopedia.org · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-11