Entry No. 45 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: feral-animals
Cripple Creek Wild Donkey Herd
“the only gambling town in America where a donkey might block the entrance”
When the gold mines shut down around 1901, the miners just... left. Their pack burros stayed, and the descendants of those animals — a herd of 14-16 feral donkeys — still wander the streets, casino parking lots, and shop entrances of Cripple Creek to this day. A single volunteer nonprofit, the Two Mile High Club (founded 1931), releases them onto the streets every mid-May and rounds them back up every mid-October, so the whole town quietly shares its sidewalks with semi-wild animals for half the year. Most visitors come for the slot machines and never realize they're in the only gambling town in America where a donkey might block the entrance. The herd is a living footnote to Colorado's mining era, not a petting zoo or tourist installation — they go where they want.
The story
When the underground gold mines around Cripple Creek shuttered or modernized around 1901, the miners packed up their gear and left. They turned their pack burros loose into the mountains at nearly 9,500 feet. Instead of perishing in the harsh high-country winters, the burros adapted, forming a feral herd that never quite forgot where the humans lived. By 1931, town locals established the Two Mile High Club—a 100-percent volunteer nonprofit—to ensure the town's unhired mining machinery received medical care, vaccinations, and winter feed.
Today, the 14-to-16-head herd operates under a quiet municipal arrangement. Every mid-May, volunteers open the gates of their winter pasture off C Street and let the animals loose into Cripple Creek. Until mid-October, the donkeys hold key squatter's rights. They stroll down Bennett Avenue, chew up lawn grass, knock over flower boxes, and park themselves outside casino glass doors. Most out-of-towners dropping quarters into slot machines have no idea they’ve stepped into the only gambling town in America where a semi-wild burro might block the sidewalk.
This isn't a sanitized tourist petting zoo. They are working-herd descendants that roam wherever they want and will eat almost anything offered to them. Well-meaning tourists feeding them apples, carrots, or junk food have caused several donkeys to develop equine metabolic syndrome—a dangerous equivalent of type-2 diabetes. To protect the herd, the town strictly limits hand-outs to official, vet-approved donkey biscuits sold for small donations at local spots like the Jail Museum, Heritage Center, and Double Eagle Casino.
What it's like
Driving in from Colorado Springs means winding along Highway 67 up to nearly 9,500 feet, so bring extra layers regardless of the summer forecast. The historic downtown clusters along a few walkable blocks of Bennett Avenue, so park once and explore on foot. Spotting the herd requires patience and zero rigid expectations: you might find three donkeys standing silently outside a glowing casino entrance at dusk, or a handful grazing on a steep residential side street. Keep a respectful distance, keep pet dogs on a short leash, and don't feed them human food. If you want high-energy crowds, visit during Donkey Derby Days in late June to watch burros race down the main drag; if you prefer the genuine uncanny vibe, come on a quiet weekday afternoon when it's just you, mountain air, and a feral donkey resting against a 19th-century storefront.
The move: Time a visit around the 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days (June 26-28, 2026) on Bennett Avenue — watch teams race a donkey up the main street — then wander off-festival for the stranger, quieter experience of finding a donkey parked outside a casino at dusk.
📍 Before you go Cripple Creek sits about 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs — take Highway 24 west to Divide, then Highway 67 south, roughly an hour of mountain switchbacks at nearly 9,500 feet, so dress in layers even in summer. The donkeys free-roam the compact downtown only in the warmer half of the year; outside that window they're in their winter pasture on the edge of town, so a summer or early-fall visit is the surest bet (the exact season shifts a little — check ahead). Everything — casinos, museums, shops, food — clusters within a few walkable blocks of Bennett Avenue, so park once and explore on foot. They're semi-wild working-herd animals, not pets: don't feed them people food (only the official "donkey biscuits" sold around town) and give them room. Pair it with nearby Victor, a quieter, less-restored mining town a short drive away.
- 📍 Cripple Creek
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Bennett Avenue, Cripple Creek, CO 80813
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Stratton's Independence Mine and Mill — Pair the free-roaming herd with the historic 1891 mine site just 3.5 miles away where their pack-burro ancestors hauled gold ore.
- American Eagles Mine — Drive 2.7 miles up Bull Hill to the highest underground mine in the Cripple Creek District for a look at the rugged terrain where mine pack burros worked.
- Horsethief Falls Trail — Pull off Highway 67 on your drive back toward Divide for an easy forest hike past an old railroad tunnel to a quiet waterfall.
- Paradise Cove / Guffey Gorge Swimming Hole — Head eight miles south for a short hike down into a hidden granite canyon swimming hole after walking the high-altitude streets of town.
Good to know
When can you see the donkeys roaming the streets of Cripple Creek?
The herd roams downtown freely from mid-May through mid-October. From mid-October through mid-May, the Two Mile High Club keeps them in their winter pasture off C Street and Thurlow.
Can visitors feed the donkeys?
Only official "donkey biscuits" sold around town (such as at the Jail Museum, Heritage Center, or Double Eagle Casino). Feeding them carrots, apples, or human snacks causes equine metabolic syndrome, a serious health risk.
Where is Cripple Creek and how do you get there from Colorado Springs?
Cripple Creek sits about 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs. Take Highway 24 west to Divide, then follow Highway 67 south for roughly an hour of mountain switchbacks reaching nearly 9,500 feet in elevation.
What are Donkey Derby Days?
It is an annual summer festival hosted on Bennett Avenue in late June (the 95th annual event runs June 26–28, 2026) featuring pack burro races, music, and parades to raise funds for the herd's care.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · gazette.com · fox21news.com · cbsnews.com
last checked: 2026-06-09