Nestled in a volcanic bowl at 9,494 feet, Cripple Creek offers all the beauty of the Colorado Rockies, plus gaming in an authentic wild-west town. Founded in 1892, "The World's Greatest Gold Camp," is attracting crowds to a new gold rush of limited stakes gambling and unlimited family fun.
On Bennett Avenue, casino doors are open from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., seven days a week. Housed in quaintly restored Victorian facades, each of the 23 small casinos offers a different character. A neoclassical revival, with its festive garlands and swags, stands next to a rustic saloon with swinging doors.
Leaded glass windows sparkle. Fluffy window curtains lift like the folds of dance hall girl skirts to reveal glimpses of the tables inside. The recorded sounds of cattle bellowing and cowboys yea-hawing startle those who pass by.
Slot machines dominate the action, but there is seldom a wait at the black jack or poker tables. By playing "Let It Ride" three $5 limit bets can be made at one time.
The Imperial Hotel is a favorite spot. Tiffany-style lamps illuminate green tabletops, the dealers hold up their sleeves with garters and hats are worn pushed back from the forehead. This hotel has operated continuously since the gold rush days so even the walls have gambler's stories to tell.
With all the possibilities it is hard to imagine that even the most die-hard gambler won't want to spend all day inside. But the scenery is too spectacular and the family was promised a real vacation.
A narrow gauge train whistle blares several times daily announcing a four-mile round trip swing through the untamed areas bordering Cripple Creek. The ride is a delightful mix of turn-of-the-century mines, feats of engineering and pristine natural sites rimmed by the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Gold seekers can descend over a thousand feet into the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine. The tour is damp, but fascinating and sample ore is offered. To see a current gold mining operation, arrange a tour of the Cripple Creek/Victor Mining Company. Giant Tonka® trucks carry heavy ore through the complicated process of separating pure gold from the rocks turn-of-the-century miners left behind.
Ride the Jubilee Casino's stagecoach. Search the outskirts of town for the herd of wild burros, that until gambling traffic arrived roamed Bennett Avenue, or spend an afternoon in nearby Victor. Visit the Homestead Parlor House on Myers Avenue once "the most wicked street in the United States," or enjoy the wealth of information about the entire mining district at the Cripple Creek District Museum.
A ride up to the top of Pike's Peak is mandatory. The cog railway leaves from Manitou Springs, a nearby boutique destination, for the ascent to 14,110 feet. Dress warmly, for even in August it may snow. The view inspired Katherine Lee Bates to write "America the Beautiful," and the doughnuts alone are worth the trip.
For the outdoor enthusiasts, the opportunities are endless. Mueller State Park or the Beaver Creek Wilderness Area offers hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails. Fish for brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout in Beaver Creek, Skagway Reservoir or the Arkansas River. At the Florissant Fossil Beds even the youngest hikers will follow dinosaur trails.
Rent a 4-wheel drive to explore the twists and turns of the original railroad beds Teddy Roosevelt described as so beautiful that it, "bankrupts the English language." Popular Gold Camp Road circles the base of Pikes Peak for incredible views.
Shelf Road climbs 5,000 on a ledge blasted from the steep walls of Fourmile Canyon. Red Canyon Park is a great picnic spot and the canyon's limestone cliffs offer short, but difficult scales for experienced climbers. Scenic Phantom Canyon Road, once the busiest narrow gauge line in the west, has lovely picnic spots and an exciting ride without 4-wheel drive.
After dark the fun isn't all in front of the slots. Cheer for the guy in the white hat at an Imperial Hotel Melodrama or join Cripple Creek's mayor, Chip Page for a tour of the town's ghostly spots. Many casinos offer arcades for young players and fast food for the finicky is downstairs at the Midnight Rose.
The song, "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight," was written from a vantage point at the corner of 4th and Meyers. As the tables heat up in this National Historic District, it becomes easy to imagine why. Baseball hats fade into felt, T-shirts into silk as the dealers call their cards in a town still sparkling with the promise of gold.