Visitors can also explore the mining ghost towns of St. Elmo and Winfield—their haunted ruins serve as historical reminders of an era driven by the crazed pursuit of gold, silver, lead, and other precious metals and minerals. The mining town of Climax, the world's leading producer of molybdenum, has the distinction of having a railroad and post office at the highest elevation in the United States. Leadville, nine miles north of Mount Elbert, is said to be the highest incorporated city in the country and offers a variety of lodging. Leadville's National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum and the Tabor Opera House (built in 1887) offer folks a glimpse of life during the silver boom at the end of the 19th century. Leadville is 85 miles south of Denver.

Nearby Trinidad was a wild frontier in the mid 1800s until lawmen like Bat Masterson brought it under control. Today, it has a population of 10,000 and offers lodging, restaurants, and impressive views of Fisher's Peak. Cuchara sits on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and boasts the world-famous Boardwalk Saloon. Other nearby towns include Walsenburg, Aguilar, Stonewall, and La Veta.