Tucked In Colorado's Elk Mountains Near Aspen Is A Marble-Mining Hamlet With Waterfalls And Wild Trails

When you plan vacations in Colorado, there are a few popular towns you may be considering visiting, including Crested Butte, Glenwood Springs, and Aspen, the priciest vacation destination in the United States, despite the cost. However, in the middle of all of these popular vacation spots you may never have heard of, no matter how much time you spend in the area, is a place called Marble, Colorado. 

It earned its name thanks to the beautiful stone you'll find nearby. People started flocking into the area in the 1880s to capitalize on the marble in the area. It was a productive quarry, and the mined stone shipped all over the country, including in Washington DC, to form the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The stone is known as Yule Marble because it was found in the Yule Creek area.

Even at its peak in the early 1900s, Marble wasn't the busiest of towns and the population maxed out at right around 1,500 individuals. However, the popularity didn't last long. By 1942, the mining started to decrease. By 1988, the quarry was completely abandoned and fewer than 50 residents remained in the town. Over the years, it's slowly come back, and now has a population of about 230 people. While it never managed to reach its previous fame, the mine is active and still ships out high-quality material. Marble is in the Rocky Mountains. Specifically, it is near the headwaters of Crystal River, and is part of the Elk Mountain Range. Because of its locations, it is an amazing destination for outdoor adventurers and offers beautiful and wild trails as well as waterfalls to explore.

If you're looking to visit, you can't miss seeing the stone it's named after. Thankfully, the Marble Mill State Park allows you to get up close and personal. It's a 25-acre historic site filled with remnants of the old mill and pieces of marble. If you want the chance to see some of the old buildings and waterfalls, you can go and check out Crystal Mill. It's about a 10-mile hike from Marble, but you can also look at visiting via Jeep tours in the summer, or bringing your own off-road vehicle. Hayes Creek Falls is another waterfall worth checking out, and is only a 17-minute drive away.

Other common outdoor activities in the area include camping, hiking, climbing, fishing, horseback riding, biking, and four-wheeling. Crystal River is perfect for catching fish and offers tons of beautiful views. Beaver Lake State Wildlife Area is another spot perfect for enjoying a day by the water. Yule Creek and Raspberry Creek are two great trails. They both offer a fair amount of difficulty, but beautiful views. 

If you don't mind a more strenuous hike, you can also visit the Maroon Bells from Marble by taking one of several trails in the area, including Carbonate Creek, Geneva Lake, or Silver Creek Pass. However, this isn't a hike to take on a whim. The area is also known as "Deadly Bells," and there is an unsettling reason the iconic Colorado hike has earned such a scary nickname – it has to do with the loose rocks. So make sure you're fully ready for the hike, and completely alert before beginning. Still, it's a beautiful area, and many flock to the Maroon Bells, despite the danger.

There are a few places to stay, especially if you don't mind camping. Marble Campground is one of the best options. Though it's only open to tents, it's an easy place to set up, and allows you to walk to pretty much anywhere in Marble. However, Bogan Flats and Redstone Campground are also not far from town, and offer some beautiful views and features that might make it worth being a little further away. Or, if you want to have a bit of a cozier vacation, there are options for cabins and lodges only a few miles away, such as the Inn at Raspberry Ridge or Beaver Lake Lodge.

However, if you want to see all that Marble has to offer, July and August are the best times to visit. This is when the town hosts events related to the stone it is named after. There are symposiums, usually broken into three sessions, which run between early July and early August. During these meetings, visitors get to see marble sculpting done by professionals, as well as get a chance to try this tricky art form for themselves. There is also an annual festival called Marblefest. It is full of music, food trucks, events for children, and local art vendors.

There are several small towns in this area to check out as well. For example, Carbondale is Colorado's slower-paced town full of hot springs, hikes, and festivals in the Rockies. It is a right alongside Crystal River and is roughly 45 minutes away from Marble. Somerset and the Redstone Historic District are two other small towns nearby. They are incredibly tiny, but can be fun to visit if you're looking to explore some of the more unknown places of Colorado.