At 10,152 feet, Leadville the United States' highest incorporated city — and those peaks are packed with history. Take a few mining tours, drive to the sky on the Alpine Loop scenic byway and soak in the history of this mining town and it's beautiful neighbor, Twin Lakes.
There are special places and unique vistas around nearly every Colorado corner. You can help ensure these places exist for generations to come by staying on roads and trails, keeping speeds in check, leaving campsites and picnic spots just as you found them, and following instructional signs while you’re out and about in our state.
When riding OHVs through the Alpine Loop, make sure you follow Colorado's off-roading motto of "Stay the Trail."
In this colorful district, see buildings built between 1880 and 1905, including the largest opera house west of the Mississippi, the saloon visited by Oscar Wilde, and two historic 1879 churches.
Make the 25-minute drive to the town of Twin Lakes. Resting in the shadow of Colorado’s tallest peak (Mount Elbert), Twin Lakes also lies adjacent to the state's two largest glacial lakes along the Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway.
Now that you've explored tiny and charming Twin Lakes, head back to Leadville for lunch and a mine tour.