SILVERTON, COLORADO - FOUNDED IN 1874

Silverton, Colorado (estimated population of 700) is a Statutory Town that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in San Juan County, Colorado. It is a former silver mining camp, most or all of which is now included in a federally designated National Historic Landmark District, the Silverton Historic District. 

Silverton has been a beloved destination since its mining days, especially those pursuing outdoors, from OHV trails, backcountry camping, hiking, and fishing. In Summer, tourists enjoy seeing the San Juan mountains and spectacular wildflowers by horseback.

Things To Do In Silverton

The San Juan mountains are known for their crystal-clear waters, making them excellent for fishing and rafting. Tourists also enjoy camping, hiking, and biking when visiting Silverton in the summer. Silverton is known for its harsh snowy winters. Tourists and adventurers visit Silverton in winter to enjoy skiing in the rocky mountains nearby as well as snowmobiling and ice climbing.

The Denver & Rio Grande Railway (now the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad) reached the town in 1882. Today the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad winds through spectacular & breathtaking canyons in the remote wilderness of the two-million acre San Juan National Forest for an unforgettable year-round adventure. 

The surrounding region experienced a mining boom that lasted until the 1910s. In the summers Ute Indians hunted and lived in the Silverton area before the first explorers, the Spanish, arrived. The Utes remained until 1873 when the Brunot Treaty opened the San Juan's to settlement. The first permanent white settlers came for diverse reasons, but gold and silver served as magnets to the region.