This popular off-road destination was originally named Three Forks of the Animas. The town sprouted up in 1873 when prospectors built cabins close by their claims. Pictured here is the Duncan Residence. This high altitude boom town (11,300 ft) experienced a variety of problems. Townspeople saw avalanches and harsh winters. Supplies were cut off by a record setting blizzard in 1884 when a winter storm dumped 25 feet of snow. Gold Prince Mine ceased production in 1910. Ten years later the town's folk had vanished and Animas Forks became another one of Colorado's short-lived mining towns.
Today, the Alpine Loop Road provides access to this BLM land. The Back Country Byway Loop is made up of 65 miles of rugged unpaved road and offers four wheel drive excitement, as well as a connection from Silverton to Ouray and east to Lake City, Colorado. This rough, but scenic route passes five of the tallest mountain peaks in the area, often called the 14ers.