Tucked high in the San Juan Mountains, Lake City, Colorado, is one of the most remote towns in the United States.
The town sits deep in rugged terrain and is accessible only by winding roads that cross mountain passes.
It is also the only incorporated community in Hinsdale County, with a year-round population of just 432 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making it part of one of the least populated counties in Colorado.
The town’s official website notes that its isolation has earned it a reputation as one of the most remote communities in the lower 48 states.
According to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), Lake City is situated at the confluence of Henson Creek and the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, surrounded by peaks and alpine valleys.
Scenic routes like the Alpine Loop and Silver Thread byways start there, leading travelers past ghost towns, historic mining sites, and high mountain trails.
Lake City was established in the 1870s during the mineral rush, serving as a supply center for surrounding camps. Explore.com notes that its population may have reached several thousand during its boom years.
When the mines closed, the town’s isolation protected it from redevelopment. The ACHP highlights that more than 75 buildings from the 1800s still remain in its historic district, which visitors can tour today.
Lake San Cristobal in Lake City, Colorado, is seen above
Today the economy relies on summer visitors for hiking, fishing, camping, off-roading, and ghost-town tours
Downtown Lake City preserves more than 75 buildings from the 1800s, many dating back to the mining boom of the 1870s
Hikers enjoy panoramic views of the San Juan Mountains near Lake City, a region favored for off-roading, backpacking, and scenic drives along the Alpine Loop.
Map showing Lake City in southwestern Colorado, located in the San Juan Mountains near Lake San Cristobal and Uncompahgre Peak
The Alfred Packer case
Lake City is perhaps best known for one of the West’s grimmest survival stories.
In late 1873, prospector Alferd Packer set out across the San Juans with five other men.
By the spring thaw of 1874, only Packer returned. According to the Colorado Encyclopedia, the skeletal remains of his companions were later discovered near Slumgullion Pass, showing signs of cannibalism.
Packer gave conflicting accounts – sometimes claiming the men died of starvation and that he ate flesh only to survive, while at other times admitting he had killed one of them.
In 1883, Packer was tried at the Hinsdale County Courthouse in Lake City and sentenced to hang, according to LakeCity.com.
The conviction was overturned, but a second trial in 1886 convicted him of voluntary manslaughter. He received 40 years but was paroled in 1901.
The Hinsdale County Museum today holds artifacts from the case, including shackles used on Packer and buttons from the victims’ clothing. The museum also hosts courthouse talks and cemetery tours.
The massacre site itself is closed to the public, as it sits on private land, Uncover Colorado reports.
A portrait of prospector Alfred Packer, who became infamous as the ‘Colorado Cannibal’ after five of his companions died during a winter expedition in 1874
The site where Alferd Packer’s companions were found near Slumgullion Pass is now known as the ‘Packer Massacre Site,’ but it sits on private land and is closed to the public
Historic storefronts in downtown Lake City, Colorado, where more than 75 buildings from the 1800s remain preserved
Lake San Cristobal, the second-largest natural lake in Colorado, located just outside Lake City
A sign points to the Lake City Packer Massacre site in Colorado
Historians remain divided over whether Packer was a desperate survivor or a murderer. However, modern forensic interpretations remain inconclusive, according to MuseumTrail.org
Beyond its dark history
Lake City is also linked to Colorado’s mining past. The Golden Fleece Mine, about five miles south of town, was one of the richest in the region, producing more than $1 million in silver and gold by 1904, according to the ACHP.
When mining collapsed, the economy shifted to tourism. By the 1930s, auto travelers were staying in old cabins and exploring the mountains.
Today, tourism is central to the town’s survival. Explore.com lists hiking, fishing, off-roading, and ghost-town exploration among the most popular activities.
Lake City also caters to modern adventurers. Rocky Mountain PBS reports that the town’s Trail Hiker Center supports long-distance trekkers on the Colorado Trail each summer, offering showers, supplies, and a place to rest.
