About Cripple Creek, Colorado
At an elevation of 9,494 feet and just below tree line, the City of Cripple Creek is a statutory city that is the county seat of Teller County.
Cripple Creek is a former gold mining camp located 44 miles (71 km) southwest of Colorado Springs, near the base of Pikes Peak. The Cripple Creek Historic District, which received National Historic Landmark status in 1961, includes includes the surrounding area. The population was 1,189 at the 2010 census.
Colorado voters allowed Cripple Creek to establish legalized gambling in 1991. Cripple Creek is currently more of a gambling and tourist town than a ghost town. Casinos now occupy many historic buildings, and has been successful in bringing revenue and vitality back into the area.
