After nearly 18 years in Colorado, we thought we’d better go see the iconic Crystal Mill, especially since we’d purchased a 4-wheel drive truck in the last year & were eager to put it to the test. Both the location & our vehicle did not disappoint, although the drive was pretty hair-raising & I had to remember to breathe every once in a while, especially as we noticed a truck that had rolled down a cliff at some point in history. I would not recommend doing this, if you aren’t a confident 4 x 4 driver.
With a light dusting of the first snow of the season & the fall colors at their peak, the scene could not have been more picturesque.
The structure, built in 1892-93, is not actually a mill, but it was the control room for the hydroelectric power generated from that dam that used to be there. The power was used by the mill for the saws and lights. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, it is reputed to be one of the two most widely photographed locations in Colorado, along with Maroon Lake/Maroon Bells.