More than 100 years ago, this place was hopping. Five hundred gold mines were still being worked. More than 50,000 people lived in or near this valley. Today, the only gold visible in this now-abandoned valley is the glint of aspens in the fall. Mining is a thing of the past here, but hikers can find different sorts of treasures – solitude, views of faraway peaks, and a pleasant place for year-round walking.

To get there: Drive west on U.S. Highway 24. Turn left (south) onto Colorado Highway 67 at Divide. Drive toward Cripple Creek and turn left off the highway at Gillette (County Rd. 81). Stay on this county road as you head toward Victor, and watch for hiking signs and trailhead on the right, just before you get to the town of Victor.

Hike: Start at the parking lot off County Road 81. head slightly uphill toward the huge rusted metal structure on the left – the Theresa Mine, which was active from 1895 to the 1950s. The trail circles around, and shortly after the first turn, takes hikers up, then down, through the valley. The Vindicator mine site is the largest remaining structure on this trail – it includes an ore sorting house. Powder and magazine buildings still stand, a swell – they’re the u-shaped brick structures.As you follow the loop, check out the rocks piled on either side – the fine-grained yellow and red-stained rocks are phonolite, the pink rocks are granite. This loop has only a few breath-zapping sections (including the last bit uphill to your car). If you want to hike some more, drive into Victor to the Independence Mine and Mill and Battle Mountain Trail, a one-mile path in town.

Details: The portion of the trail from the trailhead to Theresa Mine is handicapped-accessible. 

Victor Chamber of Commerce, 689-4044.

Trip Log: 2-mile loop.