Creede
Creede is a pocket-sized silver boom town tucked into a narrow canyon at the headwaters of the Rio Grande, where Main Street ends at towering volcanic cliffs. It’s remote, a little quirky and full of Wild West stories, with a world-class theater company to boot.
Creede, Colorado: Silver Boom Town on the Rio Grande
In 1890, prospector Nicholas Creede struck silver on Willow Creek with his Holy Moses claim, and by the time the Denver & Rio Grande arrived the next year, thousands of fortune seekers had poured into the canyon. Life ran around the clock, inspiring newspaper editor Cy Warman’s famous line, “It’s day all day in the day-time, and there is no night in Creede.” The boom drew colorful characters too, including Bob Ford, the man who shot Jesse James, who was himself killed in his Creede saloon in 1892. Today Mineral County is about 96% public land, so the wild country starts right at the edge of town.
Don’t miss the Bachelor Loop, a 17-mile self-guided drive the Forest Service describes as a tour of Creede’s historic silver district and ghost towns, with 14 interpretive pullouts, headframes clinging to cliffs and the old Bachelor townsite. It starts at the north end of Main Street, and a high-clearance vehicle is recommended. Right at the edge of town, the Underground Mining Museum was blasted out of solid rock by three Creede miners beginning in 1990, with 600 feet of tunnels and displays on drilling, blasting and mucking.
Then there’s the Creede Repertory Theatre, founded in 1966 when 12 University of Kansas students drove out with $32 in the bank and staged five plays in the old opera house. It now produces several shows in true rotating repertory every summer. Insider tip: Creede is a scenic drive from Wolf Creek Pass and Lake City, so make it part of a southern Colorado loop, and bring layers, because the town sits at nearly 8,900 feet.
Photo Gallery
Photo credits: Ortskern Creede by Falk Werner (CC BY-SA 4.0); Creede Main Street 2 by Jerry R. DeVault KSUJD (CC BY-SA 2.5); Creede Repertory Theatre by Jeffrey Beall (CC BY 4.0); Zang's Hotel and Annex by Jeffrey Beall (CC BY 4.0); Bachelor Loop Bergbau by Falk Werner (CC BY-SA 4.0); Creede, Bachelor Loop mine by Tim Engleman (CC BY-SA 2.0); Old lead mines here have been reopened, Creede, Colo. Creede for many years was "a ghost town," but has resumed the activities that made it an important lead producing center years ago, and LCCN2017878854 [1942 photo, Library of Congress] by Feininger, Andreas, 1906-1999, photographer (Public domain); Oberhalb Creede [view toward Creede from the cemetery] by Falk Werner (CC BY-SA 4.0); Creede America (253573505) [countryside near Creede] by Michael Harbour (CC BY-SA 3.0). Images via Wikimedia Commons.
News & Events
Creede’s Chocolate Festival is set for Friday, November 27, 2026. The Underground Mining Museum is on winter hours (Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with audio tours until 3:30 p.m.), and the visitor center at 904 S. Main St. is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In winter the east side of the Bachelor Loop (Forest Road 503) is closed to wheeled traffic. See creede.com for events.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Creede, Colorado known for?
Creede is known for its 1890s silver boom, the Bachelor Loop historic mining drive, the Underground Mining Museum carved into a cliff and the Creede Repertory Theatre, founded in 1966. It sits at the headwaters of the Rio Grande in Mineral County.
How long is the Bachelor Loop in Creede?
The Bachelor Loop is a 17-mile self-guided driving tour with 14 interpretive pullouts. Allow at least an hour, and use a high-clearance vehicle. It’s open seasonally until snow flies, and the east side closes to wheeled traffic in winter.
What are the Underground Mining Museum hours?
From Labor Day through Memorial Day, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with audio tours until 3:30 p.m. In summer it is open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 719-658-0811 to check holiday closures.
When does Creede Repertory Theatre perform?
Creede Repertory Theatre is a summer theater that produces several plays in rotating repertory each season on its 230-seat mainstage on Main Street. Check creederep.org for the upcoming season schedule.
What is near Creede?
Wolf Creek Pass and Pagosa Springs are south over the Divide, Lake City is northwest over Spring Creek Pass, and North Clear Creek Falls is a short detour off the Silver Thread Scenic Byway.
The Creede & Mineral County Visitor Center is at 904 S. Main St., Creede, CO 81130. Call (719) 658-2374, email office@creede.com or visit creede.com.