Hike- Sutton/Neosho Mine Trail

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While staying at Ouray, we went hiking on the Sutton/Neosho Mine Trail and it was one of our favorites from our whole road trip (road trip blog coming soon). It is right in town and was only a couple minutes drive from our B&B. It's a 4.5 mile out and back with 1282 ft elevation gain. While it's listed as hard on AllTrails, I'd consider it a medium with all the hard elevation gain in the first 0.5 mile of the hike. Along the hike, you get to see beautiful mountain ranges, meadows, forest, and mine ruins in perfect condition. We started the hike around 7:30 am and did not pass anyone until our hike back. 

The Sutton/Neosho Mine site consists of a bunkhouse, a blacksmith shop, and several small outbuildings in addition to the mine entrance itself. The mine entrance is very dark and ominous and there are signs stating all the reasons you should not enter it. This mine, according to Colorado historian Andrew Gulliford, was also the birthplace of the world-famous, hauntingly-sad Irish song “Danny Boy.” There's some interesting history to this mine site!

Hiking this in August, I was very overdressed. While Ouray hides in the mountain valley in the mornings making it cool, I got overheated way too fast in long pants and long sleeves. I'd recommend layers on lop and either leggings or shorts. As always, bring plenty of water, snacks, and of course sunscreen. I also brought a polaroid camera for cool pictures of the mine ruins.

Once you get to the mine, please let everything be as it is. There are still artifacts and pictures in the building that are original and I'd hate to see them get damaged. In one of the sleeping cabins, there are bunk beds with pictures of pinup girls and newspaper clippings. My favorite thing I read in the newspaper that was article worthy was a paragraph about someone coming into town for a dinner party. What exciting news!

The trailhead sign to look for.
The view of Ouray towards the beginning of the hike.

The old outhouse.

Preserved newspaper and pictures still hanging on the wall next to their sink.
The view looking back into Ouray.
The mountains across the valley looking at Highway 550. 

I recommend this hike to anyone visiting Ouray or Telluride. The views are amazing and it feels like you're stepping into history when entering the mine ruins. If you are there by yourself, you almost hope to see a ghost! Here is the AllTrails post about this hike. This destination combines both of my favorite things: hiking and history. I hope you enjoy it too!


Comments

  1. JeffJanuary 4, 2021 at 10:17 AM

    As much traveling I've done in the West (and as much writing as I've done on mining camps), I have yet to make it to Ouray. I need to visit there, one day.

    https://fromarockyhillside.com

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    Replies
    1. True Blue ColoradoJanuary 5, 2021 at 2:18 PM

      Jeff it's beautiful out there hopefully you can make it someday. I'll be writing a blog in the future about where we stayed and what we did. Also your blog is wonderful!

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