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The San Juan Triangle and Silverton is the northern part of San Juan County with borders with Ouray, Hinsdale, San Miguel counties. The southern boundary is a little south of Silverton. The area covers the main mining district with mines beyond San Juan into Ouray, Hinsdale and San Miguel counties, named San Juan Triangle about 1906, and is one of if not the largest outdoor compact historical mining areas (museum) in the USA and probably the most completely detailed documented mining areas with about 600 photographed mine sites . San Juan Triangle (SJT) is accessed by county roads CR 2, CR 3, CR 4, CR 5, US 110, CR 51, CR 52, CR 53, CR 35, CR 61, CR 9, CR 19, CR 11, CR 17 and US 550. The SJT has over 600 mine sites, several buildings in various states of stability, long gone mill sites, numerous mining artifacts, Animas Forks ghost town, Sound Democrat Mill, Placer Boarding House, Eureka site & camp ground, Sunnyside mines/mill, Gold Prince mine site, Frisco mill/mine, Buffalo Boy mine/tram, Big Giant mine/mill/tram, Mayflower mine/mill/tram, numerous mountain vistas, mining mill and mine tours. About 100 mine sites near roads for easy access, listing below. Also great for hiking, camping, vehicle rentals, jeep, OHV, the old west mining, tours, skiing, snowmobiles.
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BLM visitor estimates over 400,000/year or 2666 daily visits/season. |
NOW recognized as a popular tourist attraction.
"The high alpine region in south-central Colorado has seen an increase
in tourism and impacts from the increase in travelers." "This consortium
of counties desires to provide additional restroom facilities for the
increased impacts of travelers,"
Increased tourism
grant
Around 1900 (125 years ago) the San Juan Triangle was a busy mining commerce with 1000s of people, small towns, 100s of working mines, many large mills and mining operations, railroads, tramways. SJT was a top gold producer in the USA. Today, still remnants of mining past with tailings, adits, shafts, standing buildings, building and town sites, tramways, artifacts. San Juan Triangle is an outdoor museum of the mining past on the original mining roads. Most mines were sold several times for unpaid bills. Probably as much legal activity as there was hard rock activity, work the mine, don't pay the bills.
Silverton In 1874, Silverton's town site was established, quickly becoming the hub of numerous mining camps. Alongside miners, the town attracted the attention of a Denver railroad company. In July 1882, the inaugural train from Durango, operated by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, arrived in Silverton. By 1883, Silverton boasted a population of 2,000, featuring 400 buildings, including 2 banks, 5 laundries, 29 saloons, hotels, and the notorious red-light district, Blair Street.
From 1874, families began relocating to Silverton, prompting efforts to maintain respectability within the town. An imaginary line down Greene Street symbolized the division between law-abiding residents and the establishments associated with gambling, prostitution, and entertainment.
In May 1883, a grand jury indicted 117 "lewd women" on Notorious Blair Street. While fines were imposed, gambling and prostitution were somewhat tolerated as long as they remained confined to certain areas. Such lascivious behavior was not necessarily condemned, as fines were readily used for the growing community.
 Silverton
- year round fun, Jeep, OHV, hiking, resort skiing, snowmobiles,
backcountry skiing, camping, history
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FREE MAP WITH ACCESSIBLE MAJOR MINE NAMES
PDF MAP WITH MINE NAMES
FOR 2025 THIS MAP WILL HAVE ROAD GRADE A B C D E A=HWY 2 WHEEL DRIVE E=LAST TIME USE TRUCK 4 WHEEL DRIVE (JEEP,OHV)
NOTE DEPENDING ON WEATHER AND MAINTENANCE GRADE CHANGE + -
ALSO CURRENTLY AVAILABLE SANJUANJEEPROADS.US
FULL MAP WITH COUNTY ROADS- AVAILABLE FREE PDF
COUNTY ROADS
FULL MAP WITH MINE SITES - AVAILABLE FREE
PDF
FULL MAP 600+ MINES
PDF
FULL MAP 600+ MINES LOW RESOLUTION
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SITE PHOTOS NOT PUBLIC AVAILABLE DUE TO 69GB SIZE |
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Some photos available on SELECTED PHOTOS below |
PDF DATABASE 700 SORTED BY
SJTP SITE CODE
PDF DATABASE 700 SORTED BY SITE NAME
San Juan Triangle needs your donation for maps,
toilets , restoration
It costs BLM $1000s so you can have a toilet
NOTES FOR PDF DATABASE - additional info not public like super fund, damaged, P0 = photo approval required
SITE PROFESSIONAL IMAGES/INFO 1000s NEVER PREVIOUSLY SEEN (by ground, drone) PHOTO FOLDERS AVAILABLE 2027 $80
SJTP site code is San Juan Triangle Project, (or San Juan Triangle Plus map) data base, photos
This map is about 33" x 35" , high resolution super detail, site code (blue&red dot), GPS location. San Juan Triangle Project accurate site GPS location, tramways historical location (red line), site names, EPA Superfund and reclamation, site condition. SJT Project in the form of PDFs for computer or cell phone, site data, Availability free by PDF. Over 14000+ high resolution site photos, 1-200/site 600+ sites with historical artifacts and historical significance, location, limited availability. Donations of site photos appreciated (see below). Map, photos and data available for publications. Probably the most accurate available San Juan Triangle road & mine map for cell phones, tablets, computer, general information, detailed mining locations . A digital tif image of the current map is available by USB flash drive, 50MB, $30.00 by PayPal, free shipping, for printing, no copyright.
NOTE - all map and data is release June 2026, final update map, data and photo about March 2026 with photo update 2027.
San Juan Triangle Project is to properly document/ image (accuracy near 100%) all 600+ (accuracy near 100% all ) worked mine sites in the San Juan Triangle (not many many claims or prospects), exact GPS (accuracy near 100%) location, name, photographs, mining artifacts & trams, historical condition, comments, county road & roughness, and site water interaction, completion late 2027. By 2026 every SJT mine site (600+), mining buildings and every historical artifact will be documented and imaged in great detail. For institutions, Colorado School of Mines, libraries, public data, historical mining, Colo government, BLM, EPA, DRMS, USFS, map, photos, database available free (contact sanjuantriangle.org bottom), multiple high resolution site images never before seen drone close-ups (zoom in) and limited videos over 14000+ (67gb), small details, boards&rocks, vegetation, mine covers, historical significance, historical artifacts, area far and close everything, with detailed site water interaction photos based on superfund report May 2018, by on ground (G), drone (D), 3D satellite (S), text (T). Also available to professional book writer book writer.
No airborne human health risk from small mine tailings.
details
By photo request a limited number full size images 1-4mb each are available from 14,000 for presentation or special research,
A review of the 100s of historical photos shows the great loss of buildings and mining artifacts at the San Juan Triangle. The San Juan Triangle
Project is reversing that loss . The San Juan Triangle as an Outdoor Historical Mining Museum does create some issues.
Many sites have both ground or drone and 3D satellite. Database (xls or PDF) for multiple sites same name has data line for each, same site with multiple names has data line for each, available data line for each site by name or each name for same site. Find site by name, GPS, site code. From Superfund Final Report May 2018, some mine sites with over 100 HQ (red) in near water have no water from mine or tailings or any recent water in the area. Note on location - some claimed mine sites have no clear visible site are database marked No Satellite or NOTHING, on map a small dot, have no photo, valid site unknown. Institution search coding suggestions for public. The map includes the previous location of about 100 aerial trams.
A note- "Little Maud Mine", which one, there are three. SJTP uses SJTP code to identify, unique to GPS location.
The SJT project map and data is also available to the BLM estimate of well over 400,000+ people per year. .
| Camp only in designated camp sites. This illegal camping by irresponsible people can cause damage to historical mine sites. This is a mining mill site clearly illegal camping. |
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Vehicle uphill has the right of way .
SanJuanTriangle.org supports Silverton, EPA, BLM, USFS with site information and photo images in the efforts to do proper reclamation saving the San Juan Triangle outdoor historic mining museum.
| The San Juan Triangle Project has approval to place summer prepaid Porta Potty toilets at Gladstone and Eureka. 400,000+ people and no toilet. Also in process and paid by SJ county and grants, two permanent toilets 2026-2027. Working on a Silverton operated RV dump station and dumpster. |
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Close to road, easy walk, on map, site details |
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Historical SJT Mining Photos &1900 Silverton Buildings
SAN JUAN TRIANGLE BLM MUCH NEEDED PUBLIC DONATIONS and RESTORATION
SAN JUAN TRIANGLE reclamation past issues
and
serious new success
SAN JUAN TRIANGLE VIEWS
Be aware of road conditions in the San Juan Triangle. Most roads are four wheel drive only, high clearance and not maintained. The only roads suitable for highway only vehicles are county road CR 2 to Eureka, CR110 to Gladstone, CR 4 to Old Hundred mine tour. All mines are closed, gated or collapsed except Old Hundred.
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San Juan Triangle verified QUALITY FRIENDLY services:
RENTALS
ALSO SEE LODGING OR TOURS BELOW FOR JEEP RENTALS
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LODGING
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TOURS, HISTORY,
SAN JUAN TRIANGLE FUN
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FOOD
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STORES
SOUVENIRS GIFTS CLOTHING BOUTIQUE
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SERVICES
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NON LOCAL RELATED WEBSITE LINKS
| SAN JUAN MOUNTAIN ASSOC San Juan Mountain information, flyers, maps, brochures, serious site information, etc SANJUANJEEPROADS.US Spring open/close ANIMAS MUSEUM Durango Research WESTERN MUSEUM OF MINING & iNDUSTRY CREEDE UNDERGROUND MINING MUSEUM LAKE CITY Alpine Loop, San Juan Triangle info
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DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING and SAFETY DRMS
AMERICASLANDS.ORG
HISTORY COLORADO COLLECTION A large San Juan related collection of photos & maps COLORADO HISTORY ARCHIVES Maps and research DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS A large collection of photos and information ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION
BLM GUNNISON FIELD OFFICE
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PUBLICATIONS
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MINES OF THE ALPINE LOOP
WILLIAM BOWLING VOL I,
II, III
SAMPLE
Current publication, A must have books, very helpful for current visits, visitors guide , How to access, GPS, super Info, photos, history AERIAL MINE TRAMWAYS DOUGLAS R THAYER SAN JUAN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Current publication, Used heavily to add and document location all trams to SJTP map, GPS, photographs of artifacts, details MANY MORE MOUNTAINS ALLEN NOSSAMAN SUNDANCE PUBS VOL 1, 2, 3 THE RAINBOW ROUTE ROBERT SLOAN SUNDANCE PUBS TOUR THE SAN JUANS DARLENE A REIDHEAD SOUTHWEST PRINTING COMPANY VOL 1, 2. 3 IMAGES OF THE SAN JUANS P. DAVID SMITH WESTERN REFLECTIONS PUBS MINING THE HARD ROCK JOHN MARSHALL SIMPLER WAY BOOK CO RECONNAISSANCE OF METAL MINING IN THE SAN JUAN REGION WILLIAM H KING US DEPATMENT OF INTERIOR SILVERTON JACK BENHAM BEAR CREEK PUBS SILVERTON AND THE ALPINE LOOP JEFF CORR ARCADIA PUBS THE GOLD KING MINE DAVID L THAYER SAN JUAN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MOUNTAINS OF SILVER DAVID SMITH WESTERN REFLECTIONS PUBS EXPLORING THE HISTORIC SAN JUAN TRIANGLE DAVID SMITH WESTERN REFLECTIONS PUBS SILVERTON GOLD ALLAN G BIRD MINES AROUND SILVERTON KAREN A VENDL ARCADIA PUBS MINES MINERS AND MUCH MORE DON PAULSON TWAIN PUBS |
This page is not an approval of accuracy, content or support by advertisers, business card or flyer distribution, links or other distribution. This page is produced for information only for the public by SanJuanTriangle.org. SanJuanTriangle.org supports EPA, USFS and BLM for clean water, proper reclamation and preserve historical sites.
Since sanjuantriangle.org cannot verify site name(s), if name(s) are possible, a data line is entered for each name. Many sites have multiple names. Sanjuantriangle.org verifies GPS by several sources however no guarantee 100% accuracy.
Photo donations - size 1-4mb / image jpg, suggest contact us before sending on thumb drive (flash drive). Do not send by email. Only interested in mine site images and same site artifacts, not already SJTP imaged, not local scenery, samples photos on sanjuantriangle.org SJTP coded, If accepted images, may be able to return thumb drive with images by SJTP photo folder from sanjuantriangle.org 7000 listing by SJTP code. Depending on quality and number, may be able to add acknowledgement in text in SJTP site photo folder. Acknowledgement text on image acceptable but copyright not accepted as all photos are public.
| EMAIL for ISSUES service at sanjuantriangle.org at=@ to avoid spam sanjuantriangle.org not responsible for errors, please contact |
| IMAGE DISCLAIMER - AT THIS TIME NO IMAGES ARE PUBLIC AVAILABLE. SanJuanTriangle.org does not image on the ground on private land properly marked and gated "No Trespassing". SanJuanTriangle.org does accept images from other people, images may be old, images may be from drone. SanJuanTriangle.org also does not make public images that encourage trespassing and vandalism like visibly open adits or current equipment. SanJuanTriangle.org will remove any image with solid proof that image was from ground on private property properly marked "No Trespassing" and gated at the time of image, or image clearly may cause trespassing or vandalism due to current conditions. Historical site imaging does not qualify. Data code P0 is photos not public, owner approval required for government photos.. SanJuanTraiangle.org or third parties or data sources or satellite services take no responsibility or liability for photos, images, data, mapping.. Also San Juan Triangle Project and webs does not encourage or discourage site visits. San Juan Triangle Project does not distinguish between public and private land. All private land should be respected as required by land owner. . |
| DATABASE SITE NAMES - Database (xls or PDF) for multiple sites with same name has data line for each, same site with multiple names has data line for each, available data line for each site by name or each name for same site Site names may be correct or may be not correct, or may be a different site or may be not recorded. Your best guess. |
| REFERENCES and SOURCES - GPS from ground reading, Satellite maps GOOGLE, BING, EARTHSTAR, MAP TYLER, other. SITE NAMES - Colo School of Mines, Colo Division of Reclamation Mining&Safety, Western Mining History, Douglas Thayer - Aerial Mine Tramways, Darlene Reidhead - Tour the San Juans Vol I II III, William Bowling - Mines of the Alpine Loop Vol I II, Wikipedia, assorted books, personal comments. Photos by San Juan Triangle.org and a few donations. MAPS, aerial sources-multiple, road names-San Juan County, comments, database by San Juan Triangle.org |
| Autel Robotics Drone warnings |
UPDATED JUNE 2026 HOSTED BY HOSTGO
photo request service at sanjuantriangle.org at=@ to avoid spam