Things To Do
Victor, Colorado
Victor, Colorado - the City of Gold Mines - is located at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet on the southwest side of Pikes Peak, in the Cripple Creek Victor Mining District.
Rita the Rock Planter
Rita the Rock Planter, Thomas Dambo's new troll sculpture, is located on the Little Grouse Mountain Trail. The troll is open to visits dawn to dusk. Please be sure to respect the fragile meadow land, stay on the designated trail, do not pick wildflowers, stay off of historic structures, and pack out all trash and dog waste. The colorful bird houses mark the hiking trails that lead to the troll. The access by road is a different route and requires hiking on a .25 mile trail. See or for more info.
Trails of Gold
Thousands struck with gold fever made their way into the area on the southwest side of Pikes Peak in the 1890s. Their goal was to reach the Cripple Creek & Victor Mining District, where newly found gold was bringing promises of easy-found wealth. Today the remnants of that gold rush legacy live on, dotting the landscape, atop mountains, along valleys where city streets used to be filled with miners, wagons and mules going to and from the mines. The great Independence Mine founded by Winfield Scott Stratton, the iron marvel of the Theresa, the giant fire-warped Vindicator and the grand Gold Coin hoist are all sites to be noted in the modern gold camp. The Southern Teller County Focus Group and Newmont teamed up to create a series of trails that lead you through the wealth of gold mining that made Victor and Cripple Creek famous.
Senic Drives - Gold Belt Byway
The Gold Belt Scenic and Historic Byway was first designated as a BLM Backcountry Byway in 1989. And became one of the first 5 State Scenic and Historic Byway that same year, during this time a steering team was formed to set up the goals, visions and set up community partnership plans for the Gold Belt Byway. This team finished its work in 1997 and a smaller group than took over to form the organization that now promotes and protects the Gold Belt Scenic and Historic Byway.
Victor Lowell Thomas Museum
The Victor Lowell Thomas Museum is an original 1899 building that houses two floors of artifacts, books, exhibits and photographs depicting the life in Victor from its beginnings to the heyday of gold mining. See a diamond dust mirror, large collection of mining artifacts, themed-rooms, and old-fashioned doctor's office! The museum also displays memorabilia once owned by famous journalist, author and world traveler, Lowell Thomas.
Victor's Gold Camp Ag & Mining Museum
Victor’s Gold Camp AG & Mining Museum began with Milford Ashworth’s vision to create a place where his collection of historic farm implements and other vintage equipment could be shared and enjoyed by the public. With the simultaneous purpose of re-purposing the old abandoned Fillabaum Ford Dealership garage in Victor, Colorado, the City of Victor, Mr. Ashworth and others came together to create a one-of-a-kind look into the industrial revolution that transformed the United States into a global superpower.
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek played an integral role in the rich heritage of Colorado. The first homesteaders arrived there in the mid-1800s. In 1890, a ranch hand named Bob Womack discovered gold and Cripple Creek changed forever. By 1900, more than 50,000 people called the gold camp home. When the golden era ended in 1918, more than $300 million in gold had been mined in what would be the last great gold rush in North America. By the 1920s, only about 40 mines remained, but two decades later, in the 1940s, the town began to promote itself as a tourist destination, offering visitors a glimpse into the past. In 1991, the town was opened to limited-stakes gaming. Today, the venerable gold camp has reinvented itself as a full-service tourist destination, all the while preserving and showcasing its rich history.