| What makes it historical? |
Until the late 1800s, no railroad in the world had crossed a pass as high as this one: 9,400 feet! Nonetheless, mining in the San Luis Valley demanded transportation, so the Denver and Rio Grande Railway started building a narrow gauge line over the La Veta Pass in 1877. For 22 years, tourists from around the globe came to experience the “Railroad above the Clouds,” and the tiny town of Uptop arose around the train depot.
After the railroad moved in 1899 and a fire destroyed everything but the train depot, things did not look good for Uptop. The town went through a cycle of coal mining and saw milling, later a tavern and ski resort, but ultimately, its doom arrived when Highway 160 bypassed the old town. Today, it is seeing a revival as hikers, cross country skiiers, and music lovers have all found a way to enjoy this scenic ghost town and its depot, one of Colorado’s oldest! |
