Welcome to Historic Leadville — Twin Lakes
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Bienvenido a la histórico Leadville — Twin Lakes

[English] A Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Gateway Community, Native Lands , Acknowledgement: , These are the unceded ancestral lands of the Nuche (Ute) and others who have called the landscape of the Continental Divide home for millennia, and still call it home today. These Indigenous communities were persecuted and killed through genocide, then forcibly removed from these lands. We honor all Indigenous peoples, past, present and future, who inhabited, stewarded, and hold sacred the land along the Continental Divide. , Local History: , Referred to as "Yutas" by the Spanish, the Utes or "Nuche" (People of Substance) as they called themselves, were people of the mountains who made their living hunting and gathering in their home territories. In particular, the Taviwach band (or Tabeguache as the Spanish called them) would spend most of the year in the Gunnison River watershed but came east over the Continental Divide to hunt in the Arkansas River Valley during the warmer months. A treaty made in 1868 set aside the western third of Colorado for the Utes, but when gold was discovered in the San Juan Mountains, many fortune seekers ignored those boundaries. Mining lobbyists convinced the U.S. government to renege on the treaty, pushing the Utes farther away from their original homelands. , Today's Ute Indian Reservations: , The Nuche (the Ute people) and other Indigenous peoples are still here. They live in the modern world and carry on their traditions. The three modern Ute Reservations and their Tribal Government Centers include the Ute Mountain Utes (headquarters Towaoc, Colorado); the Ute Indian Tribe of Utah, Uintah and Ouray reservation (headquarters Fort Duchesne, Utah); and the Southern Ute Tribe (Ignacio, Colorado). , Continental Divide Trail , The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) is one of the world's most significant long-distance trail systems. Established by Congress in 1978, it spans 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada, traversing five states including New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. The CDT connects many communities and cultures along the spine of the Rocky Mountains, which separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans. Full of dramatic and wild landscapes, the CDT is the highest, most challenging, and most remote of the nation's National Scenic Trails. , The Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) works with volunteers, communities, and organizations to complete, promote, and protect the CDT. The CDTC focuses on stewardship, community engagement, education, and outreach programs to build a stronger trail community and protect the CDT as a national treasure. , Gateway Communities along the CDT, such as Leadville and Twin Lakes, are welcoming destinations that provide people from all around the world access to the Trail. The towns and counties that are designated through CDTC's Gateway Community program help amplify awareness of the Trail as an important local and national asset. As of 2022, 20 communities from New Mexico to Montana have been designated, and the program continues to grow each year. , Historic Leadville and Twin Lakes, Colorado , Welcome to the top of the Rockies! , At 10,152', Leadville is the highest-elevation city in North America. Just 22 miles down the road, Twin Lakes village overlooks large sparkling glacial lakes. Colorado's two highest peaks (Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive) rise nearby, as do many other "14ers," or peaks over 14,000'. Vast forests, rivers, and lakes make the area a nature-lovers paradise. , Gateway to Camp Hale - Continental Divide National Monument , Originally home to Indigenous Peoples before they were forcibly removed from these lands, Camp Hale in 1942 became the only U.S. Army camp dedicated to training soldiers for winter and mountain warfare. Approximately 15,000 troops were trained to ski and fight there. The 10th Mountain Division troopers helped turn the tide of World War II and continue to be celebrated for their heroic efforts. Returning veterans founded ski resorts across the United States, jumpstarting today's ski industry. However, during the 1940s, Camp Hale was segregated, as were all contemporary U.S. military operations. This landscape holds a complex history of exclusion while also training people who fought for liberty, and its next phase as a National Monument will focus on inclusion and collaboration. , We Love Leadville and Twin Lakes , Locals love Leadville and Twin Lakes, and we hope you will too! Please help us protect the region's peaks, forests, and waters while also being kind and respectful to our community members. Together, we'll keep this area special for generations to come! , For a fun and safe trip, and to protect all who live here, please: , . Check for and respect fire bans. Learn and practice campfire safety. , . Respect seasonal closures for wildlife and all "no trespassing" signs. , . Follow all Leave No Trace Principles. , . Always wear a life vest when on the water. Mountain waters are cold and unpredictable. , . Learn and use avalanche safety skills before entering the backcountry in winter. ,