Bachelor Loop

The Bachelor Loop Historic Tour is a 17-mile drive, on your own, through the historic mining district above Creede. The tour takes you across mine locations from the 1890s and abandoned ghost towns that once rivaled Creede in size. The road weaves its way up through the canyon north of Creede climbing under the ragged cliff sides. The main route follows West Willow Creek to top out with the aged forests of Bristle Cone pine trees. The east route, a road specified for four-wheel drive vehicles, is a slower travel that follows East Willow Creek for the majority of the terrain then turns to the west in a steep climb to converge again with the main road of the Bachelor Loop. A number of interpretive stops and points of interest provide direction along the route. The entrance station is located at the Creede & Mineral County Visitor Center, and directs tourists north, through Creede, to a second kiosk at the junction of East & West Willow Creek. The tour ends just above Creede at stops #15 & 16 (Creede Cemetery and Bob Ford’s Grave site). Interpretive stops are indicated by large wooden timbers on the ground, displaying tour stop numbers and a miner’s pick and shovel logo. Match these numbers to the map and the narrative that follows. Additional pick and shovel logo shields are located along the tour route to serve as route guides.