Not terribly far from Pikes Peak (almost every visitor to Colorado heads to Pikes Peak) is the old mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado. A ranch hand named Bob Womack spent 15 years scouring the southwest slope of Pikes Peak for gold back in 1890 until he struck it rich in Poverty Gulch that later became the boomtown of Cripple Creek. For the next 20 years, the area was known as the World’s Greatest Gold Camp as prospectors flocked in from all over the world to make their fortune. These minors didn’t know what they were looking for even how to get it when they loaded up their wagons, and adopted “Pikes Peak or Bust” as their slogan. Since Pikes Peak was the first mountain they saw on the journey West, they stopped there to find their fortunes.

Today, the Cripple Creek Historic District has been designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service with lots to do:

Priceline Hotels – Select your Exact Hotel or Name Your Own Price!

- Take a tour. One adventure is called the Mollie Kathleen Mine tour. This is America’s only historic gold mine tour. A guided tour descends 1,000 feet below ground with a ride on a skip (elevator) to the working levels of the mine. Visitors then learn about how gold was mined in the 1890′s and the processes used to extract gold ore.

- Visit the Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum in Cripple Creek. This museum is housed in the building that served as the Teller County Jail for nearly 90 years. A very busy place during the years Cripple Creek was known as the “World’s Greatest Gold Camp.”

- Cripple Creek has casinos for visitors to try their luck at striking “gold” without digging a mine.

- The area is surrounded by Pike National Forest with hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding, hunting and rock climbing easily available.

It certainly would be fun and educational to spend a few days in Cripple Creek. Enjoy Pike National Forest. Take a flutter in the casino. Learn about miners, Indians, how the old railroads were built and just wander along the historic streets. Cripple Creek is not lacking for rustic cabins, luxurious B&Bs, comfortable hotels and restaurants. Just settle in, learn about another aspect of American history and have a great time.

Check out our unbelievable Domestic Super Saver Round Trip Fares at
CheapOair.com. Book Now!