Ohio City, CO Ghost Town – near Pitkin

Ohio City, CO is a semi ghost town, situated northeast of Gunnison next to Piktin. A few original buildings and some current residents remain.

This semi ghost town is visited in the summer by tourists enjoying the area’s recreation. There are lot of 4×4 roads around that explore other ghost towns.

Pitkin which is a bit more populated than Ohio City, is another 6 miles north on Co Rd 76. It still feels like a ghost town, but it at least has a general store open year round, whereas Ohio City does not. Pitkin has lots of historic buildings and is worth checking out.

History

Founded in the early 1860’s as a gold mining town. After gold ran out, people left. The Colorado Silver Boom of 1879 brought miners back into the area. A large vein was found and Ohio City was reborn. After the Silver Boom collapse in 1893, folks left town once again.

Prospectors came back in 1896 and found the lode that was the source for the gold found in the ’60s. Mining continued until around 1916 when profits dried up. It’s now a quiet hideaway for summer homes and cabins, with plenty of camping and recreation around.

Getting There

Ohio City should be mappable on most GPS units. From Gunnison: Take US-50 E for 11.5 miles. Turn left on County Road 76. Follow for 8.7 miles until you reach Ohio City.