The Top Labor Day Activities in Creede, Colorado

During the summertime, the small mining town of Creede, Colorado, tucked up in the mountains on Highway 149, comes alive with vacationers, summer residents, and seasonal employees. Labor Day weekend provides the grand finale to a summer of high country adventures, celebrated in Creede by honoring the town’s own distinctive flavor and history. This year marks the return of the eleventh annual Salsa Fiesta on Saturday and Sunday, at which local restaurants offer samples of their best salsas in hopes of winning top awards in their respective categories. Live music, a children’s festival, and a dance at the Elks Lodge on Saturday night also fill the bill of activities in Creede on Labor Day weekend. Tickets to the Salsa Fiesta can be purchased for $5 per adult or $3 for children ages 10 and under through the Creede Chamber of Commerce by calling 719-658-2374 or 800-327-2102, or by emailing the Chamber at chamber@creede.com. Tickets to the Children’s Fiesta may also be purchased through the Chamber for $5 a piece.

Also for the fine arts lover, Creede offers a wide variety of artistic talent featured in the many galleries and boutiques along Main Street. Known as one of the “100 Best Small Arts Towns in America” (John Muir Publications, Santa Fe, NM), Creede is home to woodworkers, painters, sculptors, potters, and photographers who feature their work in Rare Things, the Quiller Gallery, the JThompson Gallery, and other stores. The renowned Creede Repertory Theater closes out its season with an offering of night and matinee shows of professional quality. For reservations, contact the Creede Repertory Theater at 719-658-2540 or 866-658-2540.

In addition to the Labor Day treats for the arts enthusiast, Creede celebrates the athletic and adventuresome spirit of its residents and pioneering founders by hosting the Twentieth-Annual Creede Mountain Runs on Saturday. Organized by Rex Shepperd since its inception, the run, not for the faint of heart, takes its participants up Bachelor Loop along the abandoned mine tour and over the surrounding mountains, finishing behind Basham Park. Runners can choose to run either the two-mile, twelve-mile, or twenty-mile course. More information can be obtained by contacting the Creede Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Creede is the home to the first licensed whitewater rafting company on the Upper Rio Grande River. Mountain Man Tours, Inc., owned and operated by Greg and Delen Coln, is located at the corner of Highway 149 and Main Street and rafts approximately 12 miles of Class II-III whitewater. Rates for a half-day trip are $39 for adults and $29 for children ages 12 and under. Visit Mountain Man’s website at www.mountainmantours.com, or call 719-658-2663.

Although Creede boasts less than 900 full-tjme residents, the small town, which closed its last mine in 1985, its streets are always bustling and alive, and the beautiful mountains call to its visitors to come and play. The people of Creede, welcoming and friendly, are as interesting as its scenery and history and love to share their stories and talents with visitors. Other activities in Creede include the mining museum, hiking, jeep rentals, Bighorn Jeep Tours, mountain biking, rock climbing at nearby Big Meadows or Penitente Canyon, and horseback riding. Located on Highway 149 between South Fork and Lake City, Creede is a hidden treasure ready to be mined this Labor Day weekend. Visit www.creede.com for more information on one of the most beautiful and interesting towns in Colorado.