Entry No. 29 — the Pueblo file — filed under: outdoor-weird
Uptop Ghost Town
“Two New England sisters bought the entire town, fixed it up, and put it on the Register.”
In 1877 the Denver & Rio Grande crested Old La Veta Pass at 9,382 feet — the “Railroad Above the Clouds,” highest tracks on earth — and a depot town grew up top. The rails left, the highway moved in 1962, and Uptop rotted until two New England sisters bought the entire town in 2001, replaced 43 windows themselves, and got it on the National Register. Depot museum, one-room schoolhouse, saloon, dance hall, and a 1930 Chapel-by-the-Wayside that is usually unlocked. The night sky up there is absurd.
The story
In 1877, the Denver & Rio Grande line crested Old La Veta Pass at 9,382 feet—making these tracks, for a brief spell, the highest narrow-gauge rails on earth. Dubbed the “Railroad Above the Clouds,” the pass demanded a high-altitude settlement to keep the locomotives fed and running. A small depot town took root at the summit, surviving on coal smoke and mountain transit until the tracks were pulled up and the highway moved south in 1962, leaving the town to rot in the high-country wind.
The town’s second life is stranger than its first. In 2001, two sisters from New England bought the entire abandoned settlement outright. They spent years restoring the weathered structures, hand-replacing 43 individual window panes, and securing Uptop a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to their labor, the original depot, schoolhouse, saloon, Tumbleweed Dance Hall, and a 1930 stone-and-timber chapel still stand intact along the old dirt pass.
What it's like
Turn off US-160 onto County Road 443—the original dirt pass road—and climb through the timber until the trees clear at 9,400 feet. Because the town is private property run as a historic site, most interior spaces like the depot museum and dance hall are locked outside of special events like the September Celtic festival. The 1930 Chapel-by-the-Wayside, however, is usually left unlocked for quietly stepping inside. Aim to arrive right around dusk: pack a blanket, stay on the dirt paths, and stick around after dark to watch the stars take over Colorado’s dark-sky corridor.
The move: Drive the old pass road up around dusk, peek into the 1930 chapel, then spread a blanket near the depot and stargaze — La Veta sits on Colorado’s official dark-sky tour for a reason.
📍 Before you go The turnoff is County Road 443 — the old pass road — off US-160 roughly 12 miles west of La Veta; the climb is graded dirt, fine for most cars in fair weather but snowy at 9,400 feet well into spring. The whole town is private property run as a historic district: the chapel is generally left open to visitors, while the depot museum and Tumbleweed Dance Hall open on occasion and for events like the September Celtic festival’s welcome night, so check ahead before counting on interiors. Stay on the road and obvious paths, and pair the trip with lunch in La Veta below.
- 📍 La Veta (Old La Veta Pass)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 3652 County Road 443 (Old La Veta Pass Rd), La Veta, CO 81055
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Devil's Stairsteps — Pair the ghost town summit with a drive past these 25-million-year-old wall-like magma dikes jutting through the sandstone near La Veta.
- Walsenburg Mining Museum — Connect Old La Veta Pass's rail history to the coal mining boom down in Walsenburg, where labor organizer Mother Jones was jailed in 1914.
- Shrine of the Stations of the Cross (La Mesa de la Piedad y de la Misericordia) — Continue south into San Luis Valley history for a quiet uphill trail past fifteen bronze Passion sculptures overlooking Colorado's oldest town.
Good to know
How do I get to Uptop, and can standard cars make the drive?
Take County Road 443 (Old La Veta Pass Road) off US-160, about 12 miles west of La Veta. The road is graded dirt and easily handled by regular cars in dry summer weather, but snow can linger at 9,400 feet well into late spring.
Are the buildings open to go inside?
The 1930 Chapel-by-the-Wayside is typically left unlocked for visitors. The depot museum, schoolhouse, and Tumbleweed Dance Hall open primarily for scheduled events, so expect to view most exteriors unless an event is taking place.
What is the history behind the town?
It began in 1877 as a Denver & Rio Grande railroad town at the pass summit. After the highway bypassed it in 1962, it was left abandoned until two New England sisters purchased the entire town in 2001 and restored it.
What should I bring or keep in mind when visiting?
Dress in warm layers for the high altitude, respect the private property boundaries, and pair your trip with a meal down in La Veta.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: lavetapass.com · savingplaces.org · uncovercolorado.com · celticmusicfest.com
last checked: 2026-06-11