Alma, Colorado
A historic high-elevation mountain town surrounded by mining history, alpine scenery and Colorado adventure.
One of Colorado’s Highest Towns Has a Story of Its Own
Alma’s identity comes from its extraordinary elevation, mining-era history, mountain setting and close connection to the high peaks and outdoor recreation of central Colorado.
A Colorful Tribute to Alma
This town artwork brings together Alma’s mining heritage, rugged Mosquito Range peaks, historic mountain-town character, streams and colorful Colorado wildflowers.
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Alma, Colorado Souvenir Mug
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Bring home a colorful piece of Alma, Colorado.
Shop the Alma Mug →A Mining Town More Than Two Miles High
Alma grew from Colorado’s gold-rush era in the upper South Park country. Gold was discovered in nearby Buckskin Gulch, and the earlier settlement of Buckskin Joe became the first major townsite in the area. Hard-rock mines later opened across Mounts Bross, Lincoln and Democrat, drawing thousands of people into what became known as the Mosquito Range Mining District.
Smelting operations helped concentrate settlement at the future site of Alma. On December 2, 1873, smelter employees petitioned Park County for incorporation, and the new town held its first official meeting two days later. According to the Town of Alma, the community was named for Alma James, daughter of a local grocery-store owner.
Gold, Silver, Smelters & the Mosquito Range
Mining shaped Alma’s early economy and landscape. In the early 1870s, roughly 10,000 people lived in the wider Mosquito Range Mining District. The Boston Colorado Smelting Company and Fanny Barrett Smelting Company established operations in the area, while mines on the surrounding peaks produced valuable ore.
The Paris Mine on Mount Bross opened in 1883. Its Paris Mill, built in 1895, processed ore and later used an aerial tramway to move material from the mine to the mill. The mill operated intermittently into the 1930s and survives as one of the region’s most important mining landmarks.
Alma’s historic buildings tell another side of the story. The Alma School became today's Town Hall and community center; the Alma Community Church, or Stone Church, was built largely by volunteer labor in 1936; and surviving nineteenth-century buildings such as the Spring House preserve traces of the town’s earliest settlement period.
What Alma Is Known For
Alma is a tiny town with an enormous high-country setting. At 10,578 feet, the town promotes itself as North America’s highest incorporated town. Its identity combines mining history, the Mosquito Range, nearby fourteeners, the Middle Fork of the South Platte River, historic buildings and year-round mountain recreation.
Symbols That Tell the Story
Mining Heritage
Gold and hard-rock mining created the settlement, while historic mine workings and equipment remain visible throughout the surrounding mountains.
Mosquito Range
Mounts Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross rise above the Alma area and make this one of Colorado’s classic high-alpine landscapes.
Paris Mill
The 1895 Paris Mill is a striking survivor of the region’s industrial mining era and was central to processing ore from the Paris Mine.
South Platte Headwaters
Alma sits where Buckskin Creek meets the Middle Fork of the South Platte River in a narrow mountain valley.
High-Country Recreation
Hiking, fishing, mountain biking, camping, backcountry travel and nearby fourteeners connect modern Alma to its dramatic landscape.
Historic Mountain Town
Historic civic buildings, homes and mining structures preserve the character of a community founded during Colorado’s nineteenth-century mining boom.
Unique Small Businesses in Alma
Alma’s tiny Main Street packs in locally owned food, coffee, handcrafted goods, high-altitude gardening and useful mountain-town stops.
Bristlecone Bake Shop
A high-elevation micro-bakery specializing in sourdough bread, laminated pastries and other handcrafted baked goods.
The Kettle Cafe
A family-owned Main Street café serving specialty coffee, hearty breakfast fare and mountain-town hospitality.
Al-Mart General Store
A locally owned general store and grocery in Alma’s historic Silverheels building, handy for food, drinks and mountain-trip supplies.
The Sheepherder
A distinctive local shop and workshop creating handcrafted sheepskin and shearling outerwear and accessories.
Mountain Grown Gardens
A seasonal greenhouse growing flowers and dramatic hanging baskets at high elevation for Colorado mountain conditions.
Organsky Woodworks
A local woodworking business reflecting Alma’s maker tradition and handcrafted mountain aesthetic.
Alma House
A renovated 1880s rooming house offering a distinctive historic-yet-modern lodging base right on Main Street.
Otto's Food Cart
A popular Alma food cart known for made-to-order fried chicken sandwiches, hand-cut fries and hearty mountain fare.
A Few Places to Know
Paris Mill
Built in 1895 to process ore from the Paris Mine on Mount Bross, this preserved industrial site is one of the clearest reminders of Alma’s mining past.
Town Information →Alma Town Hall
The historic former Alma School now serves as Town Hall, the library and a community center—an example of preservation through continued use.
Official Website →Alma Community Church
The locally beloved Stone Church was built in 1936 largely with volunteer labor and donated materials.
Local Information →Mosquito Range & Nearby 14ers
The peaks surrounding Alma offer dramatic scenery and access to some of Colorado’s best-known high-elevation hiking and backcountry routes.
Visitor Information →History researched from the Town of Alma and History Colorado, including records for the Paris Mill, Alma School and other historic properties. MKT Colorado summarizes local history for visitors and residents; historical details may be updated as additional local sources become available.
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