Montezuma

Montezuma is one of the smallest and highest towns in Colorado, a cluster of cabins and homes at about 10,300 feet at the end of Montezuma Road in the Snake River valley, roughly five miles southeast of Keystone. Surrounded by high peaks close to the Continental Divide, it feels a world away from the busy ski resort just down the valley.

The town was born in the silver boom of the 1860s and 1870s, when prospectors found ore in the surrounding mountains and mining camps sprang up in the side valleys. Montezuma became a supply centre for the mines, and a few historic buildings survive from that era, including the old schoolhouse. When the silver boom ended the population collapsed, and today only a small community of year-round residents lives here, making Montezuma one of the highest incorporated towns in the United States.

For visitors, Montezuma is a quiet place to enjoy the mountain scenery and a starting point for backcountry exploration. Rough roads and trails lead into the side valleys, including Peru Creek and the route to the ghost town of Saints John, where remains of old mining structures can be seen. In summer the valleys fill with wildflowers, and in winter the area is popular with snowshoers and backcountry skiers.

There are almost no visitor services in town, so bring what you need from Keystone or Dillon, respect private property, and remember that the high elevation makes the weather change quickly. Montezuma Road is plowed in winter, but conditions can be snowy, and a car with good tyres is essential.