8 Towns in The Rockies that Transport You to the Past
The Rocky Mountains have housed centuries of history through Indigenous communities and Gold Rush boomtowns that still shape the region today. Taos takes you to Taos Pueblo, a nearly 1,000-year-old village recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jackson places you within reach of Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the United States. Silverton, Virginia City, and Aspen preserve the legacy of the Rockies through their mining camps, ghost towns, and Gold Rush history. These towns show how the Rockies blend living history into unforgettable mountain settings.
Taos, New Mexico
When a town manages to survive and thrive for a full millennium, we have to take notice. Though the Spanish colonizers who settled in New Mexico started the village of Taos (about 133 miles northeast of Albuquerque) in 1540, the Tiwa Puebloan indigenous people likely developed Taos Pueblo between 1000 and 1450 CE. Today, Taos Pueblo is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its remarkable preservation of Tiwa indigenous history and culture, and the community now welcomes visitors to experience the wonder of this special place. (With this said, check ahead of your visit for operating hours and potential seasonal closures.)
For a deeper dive into local history and culture, visit Taos Plaza to experience a quintessential Southwestern village that grew between the 18th and 20th centuries. Explore the Harwood Museum of Art and the E.L. Blumenschein Home & Museum to see a rich collection of works by local Taos artists. If you’re looking to create your own outdoor story, head to the nearby Rio Grande del Norte National Monument for activities like whitewater rafting and mountain biking. During winter, enjoy skiing and snowboarding at Taos Ski Valley. After your adventures in the pueblo and on the mountain, relax for the night at the historic Taos Inn or indulge in a luxurious stay at The Blake at Taos Ski Valley, right by the slopes.
Park City, Utah
Located around 30 miles east of Salt Lake City, Park City may now be best known for its marvelous ski resorts. Indeed, you can ski or snowboard over 330 trails across 7,300 acres with up to 3,200 feet of vertical drop at Park City Mountain, and you can ski some 122 runs across 2,342 acres with up to 3,040 feet of vertical drop at Deer Valley. If you want to learn more about how and why Park City has become such a reputable winter sports destination, head to Utah Olympic Park to discover the origin story of Utah’s ski industry at the Alf Engen Ski Museum and to tour many of the venues of the 2002 Winter Olympics that will likely re-capture the world’s attention during the 2034 Winter Olympics.
Discover even more of Park City's rich history at the Park City Museum on Main Street. You'll get to explore how this charming town evolved from a lively 1880s mining town, faced near extinction in the 1950s, and then experienced an incredible comeback, transforming into the glamorous ski destination it is today. Speaking of luxury, Park City offers a wonderful selection of fancy hotels and resorts to make your visit truly unforgettable. Whether you're enchanted by the modern charm of Pendry Park City just steps from Park City Mountain or captivated by the timeless elegance of the St. Regis Deer Valley, you're sure to find a perfect place to stay.
Silverton, Colorado
Silverton might not be the most famous ski town on Colorado’s Western Slope, but it definitely has a captivating history worth exploring. Tucked away in the beautiful San Juan Mountains, about 120 miles southeast of Grand Junction and 295 miles west of Colorado Springs, Silverton first drew prospectors in 1860 during the tail end of the Colorado Gold Rush. It then flourished as a silver mining hub from the 1870s until the Panic of 1893, and afterwards experienced another gold mining boom until the Panic of 1907. To dive deeper into Silverton’s rich past, be sure to visit the Mining Heritage Center Museum—there are plenty of interesting exhibits to enjoy. Just a quick drive away, you can explore the ghost town of Animas Forks and see the remnants of an 1870s-80s mining settlement. For an unforgettable experience, consider taking the One Hundred Gold Mine Tour into Galena Mountain, where you can see real mining equipment in action and step back into history.
When you’re in the mood to make some history for yourself up the mountains, rest assured that you can reach new heights at Silverton Mountain, with the highest and steepest ski area in North America (as with a peak elevation of 13,487 feet above sea level) and 1,819 acres of skiable terrain. If that sounds a little too daunting, you can also try the more family and beginner-friendly Kendall Mountain Ski Area. Once you really need some rest, settle into the historic Grand Imperial Hotel that has welcomed guests to Silverton since 1883.
Ouray, Colorado
With a slogan like “The Switzerland of America,” Ouray sets very high standards for itself. Fortunately, this town is about 97 miles southeast of Grand Junction and 286 miles northwest of Albuquerque. Ouray really does abound in phenomenal natural beauty, and you’ll immediately start to notice it at parks like Cascade Falls and Box Cañon Falls Park & Nature Center in town. For even more glorious alpine scenery, the nearby stretch of Uncompahgre National Forest has gems like the 13,793-foot-tall Potosi Peak and the stunning Blue Lake that must be seen to be believed.
Beyond its greatest of the great outdoors, Ouray also has some great local history to explore. Check out the Ouray County Historical Museum for artifacts and exhibits inside the old St. Joseph's Miners' Hospital that first opened in 1887, and go to the Ouray Alchemist Museum for a mindblowing collection of vintage (and even ancient) medicine and pharmacy artifacts. For even more history that you can actually spend the night at, book a stay at The Western Ouray for an 1891 boutique hotel with its own Old West Saloon, or stay at Wiesbaden Hot Springs for Ouray’s longtime favorite hot springs resort with its collection of natural hot springs fed pools and relaxing spa.
Virginia City, Montana
Located about 67 miles southwest of Bozeman and 120 miles south of Helena, Virginia City arguably stands as Montana’s best-preserved gold rush town. Originating from the discovery of gold in Alder Gulch in 1863, Virginia City quickly became the leading mining hub in the area until 1875. It experienced a second gold rush in the 1930s, when gold prices surged. Visitors can explore the Thompson-Hickman Museum to see an intriguing collection of historic Virginia City artifacts. Nearby, the Nevada City Museum and Music Hall boasts the largest collection of Old West artifacts outside the Smithsonian, with 100 preserved buildings dating from 1863 to the early 1900s.
If you’d like to stay at the Nevada City site even longer, you can actually book a stay at one of the historic cabins. For something more convenient in town, try the Fairweather Inn, that’s existed in Virginia City since 1863, or book a local vacation rental for even more privacy and room to roam at a historic landmark like the Governor Meagher Cabin or the Bonanza Inn.
Jackson, Wyoming
Though Jackson may now be better known for its posh ski slopes and sky-high real estate prices, this Wyoming town wasn’t always so fancy. Located about 216 miles south of Bozeman and 275 miles northeast of Salt Lake City, Jackson—usually better known as Jackson Hole—places you close to the United States’ oldest national park. First established by Congress in 1872, Yellowstone National Park has timeless landmarks like the Old Faithful geyser, Mammoth Hot Springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Directly south is Grand Teton National Park, which was first established in 1929, then expanded in 1950 after two decades of conflict over the park’s boundaries, and is now beloved for its iconic mountain range.
For even more history in town, you’ll find the iconic Antler Arch that’s welcomed visitors to Jackson since the 1960s. Just steps away is the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, first established in 1937 and has since played host to legendary artists like Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, and Kevin Costner. Less than a block away is The Wort Hotel, a 1941 landmark that now provides luxurious accommodations to make your stay feel like a million bucks.
Whitefish, Montana
Nestled in the beautiful Northern Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana (about 132 miles north of Missoula), Whitefish is a ski town that feels less like the typical contemporary resort town and more like a lovely corner of living history. For some incredibly scenic world history, head to Glacier National Park, which became part of the world’s first International Peace Park in 1932 (alongside Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park), and still wows visitors with over 700 miles of trails and one of the contiguous United States’ most extensive collection of glaciers.
For a glimpse into the town's history, visit the Whitefish Performing Arts Center and enjoy a show at this 75-year-old venue that has been beautifully restored. Also, explore the Stumptown Historical Society’s Whitefish Museum, which houses a distinctive collection of local historical artifacts inside the historic train station, a landmark of the town. When you’re ready for modern adventures, head to Whitefish Mountain Resort for 111 ski trails spanning approximately 3,000 acres. After a day on the slopes, stay at The Firebrand, a stylish and modern boutique hotel that offers a contemporary retreat right in the heart of the historic downtown.
Aspen, Colorado
It might seem impossible to imagine Aspen as anything other than a hyper-exclusive and ultra-luxurious winter sports playground, but there was once a time when this town (about 127 miles east of Grand Junction and 197 miles west of Denver) had a more hardscrabble air about it. A short drive outside of town, the ghost towns of Ashcroft and Independence let you jump back in time to the heyday of the Roaring Fork Valley’s original 1880s gold rush. Back in town, you can also catch glimpses into Aspen’s mining and agricultural past at the Holden/Marolt Mining & Ranching Museum, and you can admire the stately elegance of the 1888 Queen Anne style manor that now houses the Wheeler/Stallard Museum.
To experience a different aspect of history, explore one, two, three, or all four skiable mountains at Aspen Snowmass, a renowned resort that elevated Aspen as a premier winter sports destination. For a peaceful escape, visit the John Denver Sanctuary, a beautiful monument to the singer-songwriter and a well-preserved wetlands park. If you want to indulge like a legend, stay at Hotel Jerome, where celebrities such as Hunter S. Thompson, Jimmy Buffett, and the Eagles have left their mark. Alternatively, enjoy The Little Nell, a luxurious five-star resort that celebrates Aspen’s history as a rugged mining town transformed into a stylish ski retreat with diamonds and denim.
Journey to the Past, and to Higher Ground
These eight towns in the Rockies do an amazing job of transporting visitors to the past. They’re also great at showing you all that’s great about the Rockies and the American West today. Whether you seek the more down-home welcoming energy of Virginia City, the proud indigenous heritage of Taos, or the ultimate rags-to-riches (then back to rags, and ultimately to wildly elite-level riches) stories of Park City and Aspen, you can find all of this and more in the Rockies. Enjoy your adventures, and discover your own great stories as you explore these amazing mountain towns.
