Mining History

The Summitville Mine is located about 36 miles east of South Fork and 25 miles south of Del Norte. The mine began operation in 1870 and still shows remnants of the old buildings and roads that were once heavily used. Summitville is located 11,500 feet above sea level. This site is now home to a multi-million dollar cleanup following its last working days as a mine in 1992.

The Last Chance Mine is located about 5 miles outside of Creede, about a 30 minute drive from South Fork. The owner, Jack Morris, has been working on restoring this mine site for the past 15 years. Last Chance Mine has only been open to the public for the past 4 years or so and is only known by word of mouth. Jack says it may only be a short drive, but plan for a few hours because most people find themselves taking their time looking at everything around them.

The Underground Mining Museum is located in Creede, CO and offers a short guided tour through underground mining operations. Often, your tour guide once worked the mine themselves. To learn more about the Underground Mining Museum, visit their website.