Entry No. 70 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: ruins
Old Town Mine
The Old Town Mine is a historic gold and pyrite mine located in the Russell Mining District near the ghost town of Russell Gulch, Colorado. Operating primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, its main shaft plunged over 2,200 feet deep and connected to the famous Argo Tunnel for drainage. Today, the site features weathered ruins, old tailings piles, and the remains of historic mining structures scattered across the rugged landscape.
The story
You're standing above a 2,200-foot vertical drop into total darkness. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, miners in the Russell Mining District spent their days dropping down the Old Town Mine's shaft to pick away at vein after vein of gold and pyrite. Above ground, it was just another high-altitude boomtown operation; below ground, it was a honeycombed abyssal network.
To keep from drowning in subterranean groundwater, the Old Town's subterranean shaft was punched directly into the famous Argo Tunnel—a colossal engineering undertaking designed to drain the flooded mines of Gilpin County and transport ore straight through the mountain. That means the rotting timber headframe you see on the surface sits right on top of one of Colorado's most interconnected underground artery systems.
Today, the active operations are long gone, leaving behind a cluster of sun-bleached mine structures, iron scrap, and gray tailings piles scattered across the mountain. You didn't hear it from us, but the real pull here isn't a guided tour—it's the eerie, quiet weight of a half-buried industrial empire left completely to the elements.
What it's like
Do not cross the fence line or attempt to scramble up the tailings piles—the land is private property and the ground is honeycombed with vertical drop-offs and decaying floorboards. The move here is a slow drive along Virginia Canyon Road (County Road 279). Pull off safely into a roadside turnout, cut your engine, and bring a good pair of binoculars or a long lens to survey the headframes and sagging timber ruins from the public right-of-way.
The move: Take a scenic drive along Virginia Canyon Road (County Road 279) to view and photograph the historic mine structures and headframes from the safety of the public road.
📍 Before you go The mine is located on private property and contains highly unstable structures and dangerous open shafts, but it can be safely viewed from County Road 279.
- 📍 Old Town Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Old Town Mine, Colorado 80452, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Blue Jay Mine — Pair this with another turn-of-the-century mining ruin to compare Gilpin County's gold shafts with Boulder County's former fluorspar operations.
- Homestead Meadows Trailhead — Trade industrial shaft-mine ruins for a hike through the decaying late-19th-century ranching and timber cabins at Homestead Meadows.
- The Birch Ruins — Swap out rusty mining headframes for the stone foundation ruins of a 1930s rustic bungalow perched above Estes Park.
Good to know
Can you go inside or walk up to the mine structures?
No. The Old Town Mine site is on private property and contains unstable timber, decaying structures, and dangerous unsealed mine shafts. Viewing is strictly limited to the roadside of County Road 279.
What were they mining here?
Miners primarily extracted gold and iron pyrite from the deep rock veins in the Russell Mining District during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
How deep is the Old Town Mine shaft?
The main shaft reached a depth of over 2,200 feet, eventually linking up directly with the Argo Tunnel for drainage and ore transport.
Where is the best place to park to view the ruins?
Look for safe public pullouts along Virginia Canyon Road (County Road 279) near the Russell Gulch area. Stay completely within the road's public right-of-way.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · 4x4explore.com · spl.cde.state.co.us · archives.colorado.gov
last checked: 2026-07-20