Crescent Mining Camp
Cabin campers can escape the city - and escape modern day amenities - by staying at the fully rustic, historic Crescent Mining Camp cabins. The cabins offer a true old fashioned taste of life on the mine in the 19th century, with no electricity or running water. Visitors can focus on the sounds of nature and the incredible views of the Rocky Mountains from its creekside location. The mining camp was built in the 1890s during the boom of mining and milling in Clear Creek Canyon. Miners sought mostly gold and silver, and attracted about 50,000 residents in the valley that is now rather remote.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 & 2 | Gravel | Full | 6 / 3 |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Pets | Allowed |
There are four cabins at Crescent, but only cabins Numbered 1 and 2 (one and two) are available for reservations. The two cabins are rented together; one cabin sleeps two, the other sleeps four. Visitors must bring furniture such as cots, portable tables and chairs; in addition, tent and RV camping is permitted for those who rent the site. No water, heat, electricity, or trash service is provided. Guests should bring plenty of water. Creek water may be boiled and treated for consumption. Other items to pack include cook stove, bedding, food, lanterns, matches, cooking utensils, dish soap, bring firewood or an axe to collect (dead/down trees only), and a first aid kit.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Buena Vista, Colorado, head north about 17 miles on Highway 24. Turn left on County Road 390 heading west. Drive about 9 miles and turn south on the cabin access drive which is gated; the cabins will be visible immediately on the right. There are 4 cabins; the rentable cabins are the first two and will be clearly marked with 1 and 2.
| Nearest town | Leadville, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 38.9919° N, 106.4147° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireWillow
17 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Colorado Kayak Supply ↗ | 18.5 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 21 mi |
| RV sales & service | Holiday RV ↗ | 37.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
The nearest spot for pay phones and a grocery store is in Buena Vista, about an hour's drive. Visitors can head to Clear Creek Reservoir, about 9 miles east, for fishing and boating. Fish species include brook trout, brown trout and tiger muskie. A few miles further is the Arkansas River, in a section where whitewater rafting is popular.
- 2.9 miSilver Basin Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 3.2 miNorth Fork Clear Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 6.6 miMoache Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 7.2 miDeception Point Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 8 miMount Elbert Picnic Area ↗Day use
- 11.1 miEmerald Lake Picnic Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.6 miSheep Gulch/Hope Pass0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.2 miMissouri Gulch ↗7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.5 miBig Willis Gulch3.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.5 miMt. Belford - Missouri Gulch1.8 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.9 miPear Lake - Clohsey Lake3.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.9 miLaplata Peak-Blackbear3.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trailheads within three miles
- 2.7 miClohesy Lake/Pear Lake Trailhead ↗Pike-San Isabel National Forests
- 2.7 miSouth Fork Clear Creek Trailhead ↗Pike-San Isabel National Forests
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.
- inCollegiate Peaks Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 165,874 acres
- 9.4 miBuffalo Peaks Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 41,281 acres
- 10.2 miMount Massive Wilderness ↗Wilderness · FS/FWS · 29,027 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Natural features
Crescent Mining Camp is located within the Leadville Ranger District, which is home to the Sawatch Range, the highest mountain range in Colorado. These rugged, glaciated mountains form the crest of the Continental Divide. Mount Elbert, at 14,443 feet, is Colorado's highest peak and 1 of 10 "fourteeners" located on the District. At an elevation of approximately 10,000 feet, Crescent Mining Camp sits at the base of Ervin Peak in Clear Creek Canyon. It is on the outskirts of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. Clear Creek passes near the cabins and the Clear Creek Reservoir and the Arkansas River Valley are 9 miles east.
Recreation
Off-road vehicle trails begin near the site of the cabins and hiking trailheads are within several miles. The most popular trails lead into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, which boasts nine mountain peaks over 14,000 feet.
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Crescent Mining Camp?
Sites at Crescent Mining Camp are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Crescent Mining Camp?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Crescent Mining Camp have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are pets allowed at Crescent Mining Camp?
Yes, pets are allowed at Crescent Mining Camp. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Crescent Mining Camp?
Off-road vehicle trails begin near the site of the cabins and hiking trailheads are within several miles. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Crescent Mining Camp?
Leadville, Colorado. The nearest spot for pay phones and a grocery store is in Buena Vista, about an hour's drive.
Source: Getting there
What if Crescent Mining Camp is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Parry Peak (5.2 mi, first-come), Twin Peaks (5.2 mi, first-come), and White Star (7.3 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby