4x4 tour
Season: Summer to early autumnSan Juan Mountains jeep tour
- High passes on the Alpine Loop
- Ghost towns and old mines
Your independent guide to Creede, Colorado
Creede, Colorado: silver-boom town of the San Juans
A professional theatre, a museum blasted from solid rock, mines on the canyon walls and the Rio Grande at your door, in one of the most remote towns in Colorado. Honest advice, hand-picked tours and everything you need to plan your trip.
- Free cancellation on most tours
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- Mobile tickets
Why Creede?
A real mining town, high in the mountains
Creede sits at about 8,800 feet at the head of the Rio Grande, surrounded by national forest and wilderness on almost every side.
In 1892 it was one of the wildest boom towns in the West, home to Bob Ford, Soapy Smith and thousands of silver miners. Today it is a quiet town of a few hundred people with a remarkable summer theatre, a museum blasted into the rock and a backroad through the old mines.
Beyond town lie trout streams, a 100-foot waterfall, the spires of the Wheeler Geologic Area and the high passes of the Silver Thread. We help you choose the right experiences, book them with confidence and get more out of every day.
- 1892 the year of Creede’s silver boom
- 8,800 ft the elevation of Main Street
- 1966 the year the Repertory Theatre opened
Traveller favourites
The best tours & day trips from Creede
Top-rated experiences booked through Viator, from the San Juans to the San Luis Valley. Most run from June to September. Tap any tour for live prices and availability.
4x4 tour
Season: Summer to early autumn
Fishing
Season: Spring to autumnGuided fly fishing trip
- Trout water with a local guide
- Gear and casting tips for beginners
Heritage railway
Season: Spring to autumnDurango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
- Steam through the Animas River canyon
- Lunch stop in the mining town of Silverton
Day trip
Season: Spring to autumnGreat Sand Dunes tour
- The tallest dunes in North America
- Sandboarding and sand sledding
Heritage railway
Season: Late spring to autumnCumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
- Over Cumbres Pass by steam
- Spectacular aspen colour in autumn
Hot springs
Season: Year-roundPagosa Springs hot springs
- Soaking pools beside the San Juan River
- A good reward after Wolf Creek Pass
Outdoor activity
Season: Summer to early autumnHorseback ride in the San Juans
- Forest trails and mountain meadows
- Gentle rides for beginners with a wrangler
Mine tour
Season: Late spring to early autumnOld gold mine tour in Silverton
- A ride deep into a real mine
- Old miners’ tools and stories
Where to go
Must-see places around Creede
From the theatre on Main Street to the old mines of the Bachelor Loop and the spires of the Wheeler Geologic Area.
TheatreCreede Repertory Theatre
Professional theatre at 8,800 feet
A professional repertory company founded in 1966 by a group of university students, staging several plays in rotation each summer in the middle of town.
MuseumUnderground Mining Museum
A museum blasted from solid rock
Hundreds of feet of tunnel blasted into the cliffs by Creede miners, with displays on drilling, blasting and mucking, and tours led by locals in summer.
Historic driveBachelor Loop
Mines, cliffs and a ghost town
A 17-mile gravel loop from the top of Main Street through Willow Creek Canyon and the old mining district, past cliffside mines and the site of Bachelor.
GeologyWheeler Geologic Area
Colorado’s lost national monument
A remote maze of spires and gullies carved from volcanic ash, once a national monument, reached by a long trail or a rough four-wheel-drive road.
WaterfallNorth Clear Creek Falls
A 100-foot plunge off the highway
A waterfall that drops about 100 feet into a basalt canyon, a short drive off Highway 149 and one of the most photographed sights in the San Juans.
Scenic driveSilver Thread Scenic Byway
South Fork to Lake City
Highway 149 for 75 miles from South Fork through Creede and over the Continental Divide to Lake City, past canyons, waterfalls and high passes.
Where to stay
Historic rooms, river cabins and guest ranches
Creede has only a few places to stay, so where you book matters. We compare four bases, with the trade-offs of each and direct hotel searches.
- Creede for the theatre and the history
- Along the Rio Grande for cabins and fishing
- South Fork for more choice and Wolf Creek
- Lake City for the jeep roads of the Alpine Loop
Stories & guides
Latest from the blog
Itineraries, history, hiking and fishing guides and practical advice for your trip.
PlanningThree days in Creede: an itinerary for the upper Rio Grande
The mining museum, the Bachelor Loop, a night at the theatre, North Clear Creek Falls and Lake City in three days, with tips on timing and what to book.
HistoryAll day in the daytime: the story of Creede’s silver boom
How a silver strike on Willow Creek turned Creede into one of the wildest towns in the West, with Bob Ford, Soapy Smith, a great fire and a poem, and what you can still see today.
OutdoorsThe best hikes near Creede, from waterfalls to the Continental Divide
Short walks to waterfalls, the long trail to the Wheeler Geologic Area, the Continental Divide Trail and two of the great peaks of the San Juans, with safety tips for high-altitude hiking.
Plan like a local
Free Creede travel guides
Tours & Tickets
Our pick of tours, outdoor adventures and day trips around Creede and southern Colorado, with who each one suits.
Getting There
Airports, driving routes and getting around Creede and the upper Rio Grande, explained.
Travel Guide
Weather, seasons, events, altitude and costs: what to know before you visit Creede, Colorado.
Plan your Creede trip
Make the most of the San Juans
Ride a jeep over the high passes, fish the Rio Grande, take a steam train or spend a day on the Great Sand Dunes. Compare tours and book in a couple of taps.
Good to know
Visiting Creede: your questions answered
Is this the official website of the City of Creede?
No. CityOfCreede.com is an independent travel guide to Creede and the upper Rio Grande. We are not connected with the City of Creede, Mineral County or any government agency. For town services, please contact the City of Creede directly.
Where is Creede?
Creede is in Mineral County in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, at the head of the Rio Grande valley. It is about 22 miles from South Fork and US 160, roughly 70 miles from Alamosa and about five hours’ drive from Denver.
How many days do I need?
Two days cover the town, the Bachelor Loop, the mining museum and a play at the Repertory Theatre. Three or four days let you add North Clear Creek Falls and Lake City, the Wheeler Geologic Area or a day trip to the Great Sand Dunes. See our three-day itinerary.
When is the best time to visit?
June to September, when the theatre season is in full swing and the mountain roads are open. Late September brings golden aspens. See when to visit.
How high is Creede?
About 8,800 feet (2,700 metres). Many trails and passes nearby are higher still, so take it easy on your first day and drink plenty of water.
Do I need a car?
Yes. There is no public transport to Creede, and the sights are spread along mountain roads. Some backroads, such as the road to the Wheeler Geologic Area, need a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle.