Abandoned Towns

Ghost town record · Denver County, Colorado

Auraria

Early neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, United States.

Record

About Auraria

Auraria was a gold mining camp established in 1858 in the Kansas Territory of the United States. Today it survives in its original location as a neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, immediately south of the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River.

This is a site record: what public sources say about Auraria, gathered in one place. We haven't written a full guide yet, so history, current access and photos are still to come. Treat the status as unknown until a guide confirms it.

Map

Where Auraria is

USGS topographic map around Auraria
USGS topographic map, The National Map (public domain). The pin marks the coordinates in the record; old townsites are often a little off.

Historic maps

11 historic USGS maps cover Auraria

Topographic sheets from the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection (public domain), oldest first. Older sheets often show the camp, mines and roads while the place was alive. The downloads are large map scans; USGS topoView shows them in the browser.

Directions

Getting there

Google Maps directionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap

Before you go

  • Many ghost town sites are on private land, active mining claims or tribal land. Check land status and ask permission.
  • Roads to old townsites are often unmaintained dirt. Map apps may route over closed or impassable tracks.
  • Removing artifacts from public land is illegal under federal and most state laws.

Nearby

Other sites near Auraria

Straight-line distance to other mapped sites in our Colorado index.

Sources

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Auraria, Denver": coordinates and summary.
  2. Wikidata Q2871841.
  3. USGS 3D Elevation Program, elevation at the coordinates.
  4. USGS The National Map and Historical Topographic Map Collection (public domain).