Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek District Railway Tunnels (1901-1920)
Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek, Colorado

The Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek District Railway was built from 1897 to 1901 between its namesake cities. The railroad served the gold mining district of Cripple Creek and Victor, competing with the narrow gauge Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad (1894-1912) and standard gauge Midland Terminal Railway (1894-1949). Following abandonment, much of the grade was repurposed as a toll road in 1926 and later became the Gold Camp Road (County Road 8). The CS&CCD required a total of nine tunnels, three of which are still open to automobile traffic, all pictured below.

Tunnel 1: 325 feet, milepost 7.0 (Gold Camp Road - open to automobiles)
Tunnel 2: 185 feet, milepost 7.8 (Gold Camp Road - open to automobiles)
Tunnel 3: 278 feet, milepost 9.5 (Gold Camp Road - gated, trail bypass)
Tunnel 4: 521 feet, milepost 13.0 (Gold Camp Road - open to foot traffic)
Tunnel 5: 263 feet, milepost 13.7 (Gold Camp Road - open to foot traffic)
Tunnel 6: 200 feet, milepost 15.5 (Gold Camp Road - collapse at both portals, trail bypass)
Tunnel 7: 270 feet, milepost 16.7 (collapse at both portals)
Tunnel 8: 170 feet, milepost 17.3 (east portal fully collapsed)
Tunnel 9: 268 feet, milepost 30.3 (Gold Camp Road - open to automobiles)

Note: This text and accompanying photos are the copyright of Christopher Muller and may not be reproduced in whole or in part on any website, message board, or other medium.