Mineral County is a county in Colorado, United States, in the San Juan Mountains along the upper Rio Grande. It had a population of 865 at the 2020 census and covers 876 square miles (2,270 km2) of land centred near 37°41′N 106°56′W.
Creede is the county seat and its postal code is 81130. The county has one incorporated town, a handful of small unincorporated communities, and no organized townships. It observes Mountain Time and carries FIPS code 79.
Towns & Villages in Mineral County
Creede is Mineral County’s only incorporated municipality and its commercial center. The rest of the county is unincorporated, including a scatter of former mining camps that grew up alongside Creede during the 1890s silver boom and two outlying settlements to the east and south.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creede | City · seat | 257 | 81130 |
| North Creede | Unincorp. | — | 81130 |
| Sunnyside | Unincorp. | — | 81130 |
| Spar City | Unincorp. | — | 81130 |
| Wagon Wheel Gap | Unincorp. | — | 81130 |
| Bachelor | Ghost town | — | — |
| Wason | Ghost town | — | — |
| Weaver | Ghost town | — | — |
North Creede and Sunnyside were separate silver-camp settlements a mile or so up Willow Creek Canyon from the original townsite; both are now built-up extensions of Creede rather than distinct places, though locals still use the older names. Bachelor, Wason and Weaver were company camps tied to specific mines and are now abandoned. Spar City, southwest of Creede on Wason Park Road, survives as a cluster of century-old cabins used seasonally. Wagon Wheel Gap, east of town on U.S. 160, is a scattered rural community that once had its own rail depot and hot-springs resort.
ZIP Codes
- 81130 — Creede (also serves the rest of the county, including North Creede, Sunnyside, Spar City and Wagon Wheel Gap)
Mineral County is served by a single ZIP code out of the Creede post office; no other community in the county has its own postal designation.
Geography
Mineral County sits in the San Juan Mountains, one of Colorado’s most rugged and heavily forested ranges. The Rio Grande rises here and flows east through the county past Creede before entering neighboring Rio Grande County. Roughly 95% of the county’s land is federally managed, split between the Rio Grande National Forest and the San Juan National Forest, and peaks along its western and southern edges top 13,000 feet. Mineral County borders Saguache County to the north, Rio Grande County to the east, Archuleta County to the south, and Hinsdale County to the west.
Demographics
Mineral County’s 2020 census population of 865 makes it Colorado’s third-least-populous county, ahead of only San Juan and Hinsdale counties. Creede, with 257 residents at the 2020 census, is by far the largest community; North Creede and Sunnyside are its next-largest concentrations of year-round residents. The county’s median household income runs well below the Colorado median of $92,911, typical of a mountain county with a small, seasonal service-based economy. Population density is roughly 1 person per square mile, and the county is classified 100% rural.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism, seasonal recreation and government land management are the county’s main employers. Creede’s historic downtown, built along a narrow canyon after the 1890s silver rush, now centers on the Creede Repertory Theatre, a nationally known summer stock company, plus fishing, hunting and off-road access into the surrounding national forest. The Bachelor Historic Loop, a self-guided driving tour past former mine sites above town, draws summer visitors. The U.S. Forest Service and Mineral County government are among the largest year-round employers given the limited private-sector base.
History
Mineral County was organized on March 27, 1893, carved out of Hinsdale and Rio Grande counties during the silver boom that built Creede. It takes its name from the mineral wealth mined from the surrounding mountains rather than from any person. Creede grew almost overnight in 1891–92 after major silver strikes, briefly becoming one of Colorado’s wildest boomtowns; the collapse in silver prices following the Panic of 1893, the same year the county was formed, sent the population sliding for decades afterward. Company camps at Bachelor, Wason and Weaver were abandoned once their mines closed, leaving the ghost towns that survive as historic sites today.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 160 crosses the southern part of the county, and State Highway 149 runs north from it through Creede toward Lake City. Reaching outlying parts of the county in winter can be difficult; several forest roads close seasonally.
- South Fork — 22 miles east on US 160
- Del Norte — 34 miles east on US 160
- Lake City — 50 miles north on Highway 149
- Alamosa — 60 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is San Luis Valley Regional Airport in Alamosa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mineral County, Colorado?
It is in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, along the upper Rio Grande.
What is the population of Mineral County?
865 as of the 2020 census, Colorado’s third-least populous county.
How big is Mineral County?
876 square miles (2,270 km2) of land, almost entirely national forest.
What is the county seat of Mineral County?
Creede, the county’s only incorporated town.
How many towns are in Mineral County?
One incorporated town, Creede, plus a handful of unincorporated communities including North Creede, Sunnyside, Spar City and Wagon Wheel Gap.
What ZIP codes are in Mineral County?
81130, covering Creede and the entire county.
What is Mineral County known for?
Its 1890s silver boom, the historic town of Creede, and the Creede Repertory Theatre.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Colorado.