Silverton, Colorado, is a National Historic Landmark nestled in the high San Juan mountains. According to the Town of Silverton, it became a center for the many regional silver and gold mining camps in 1874. The town has a rowdy “Old West” past that its residents are happy to say hasn’t entirely left. Silverton is found along the San Juan Skyway, which includes the “Million Dollar Highway,” supposedly one of the most dangerous roads in the U.S. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway travels to Durango except in the winter when the risk of avalanches is too great. At an elevation of 9,318 feet, tourists visit Silverton for year-round outdoor activities and to experience a bit of an old mining town.
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