Kiki
Alma, Colorado | Best Things to Do & See
Alma is a quaint mountain town full of history, charm and endless outdoor adventures. Nestled in the mountains between Fairplay and Breckenridge, Alma is known for being “North America’s Highest Incorporated Town” sitting at 10,361 ft! Although it is very high in elevation, the town has plenty of traffic flowing through it year-round as visitors and locals alike take hwy 9 to get to and from the popular surrounding areas.
There is so much to do in Alma, it’s like a huge backyard playground for the adventurous! I’ve personally explored this area for years, and still have so many things on my bucket list in Alma and the surrounding mountains.
Between Alma and Breckenridge, you can find Hoosier Pass, which is part of the Continental Divide. The summit sits at sitting at 11,539-foot and there’s plenty to do on the pass year-round. Alma is famous for the 5 14’ers sitting right up against it, as well as many off-road atv trails, hiking trails, lakes, waterfalls and wildlife. Explore beloved places like Kite Lake, Windy Ridge, Buckskin, Montgomery Reservoir and Mosquito Pass, the highest motor-vehicle pass in North America.
The businesses in town are fun, unique and full of personality. Just scroll down further on this post to see a list of them and the the “punny” names a lot of them have, like “Hoosier Daddy Liquors” and “Hairy Situations!” Before or after your adventurous day in the mountains, take a walk through the historic mountain town, grab a bite to eat and visit the local shops. There’s also a really neat hostel you can stay at in town. Spend some time here and you’ll undoubtedly see why people love Alma so much!
Businesses in Alma, Colorado
Alma is also home to a restaurant bar, “South Park Saloon” a liquor store, “Hoosier Daddy Liquors” two dispensaries, “High Country Healing 2” and “Northern Standard” a food truck “Ottos Food Cart” sitting next to a produce cart, “Kiki’s Peak Produce,” a few shops with locally made gifts and locally crafted goods, “The Sheepherder,” “Organsky Woodworks” and “Big Nipper’s Mining & Mercantile” a hair salon, “Hairy Situations,” a garden center, “Mountain Grown Gardens” and, of course, the famous “Al-Mart General Store!” Alma also has a new Hostel in town, “Treeline Hostel!”
Al-Mart General Store – 11 S MAIN, ALMA, CO 80420 (719) 836-9977
- Family owned & operated general store featuring grocery, natural foods & footwear & apparel from Columbia, Noble Outfitters, Sorel & Red Wing.
Otto’s Food Cart – 45 S Main St, Alma, CO 80420 (719) 839-8276
- Offering quality, consistent, sustainable options for the local mountain community. We are about local, quality, delicious food for everyone! If we have it we, we’ll make it!
Kiki’s Peak Produce – 45 S Main St, Alma, CO 80420 (903) -918-1821
- Fresh fruits and veggies brought to you from local farms. Available for delivery, pick-up, or at the produce stand in Alma next to Otto’s Food Cart.
Treeline Hostel – 12 S. Main Street Alma, CO 80420 (719) 839-1319
- Highest hostel in North America! Book your room now for low prices in America’s highest town.
Sheepherder – 112 N Main St, Alma, CO 80420 (719) 836-3383
- Top quality sheepskin jackets, shearling vests and sheepskin slippers handmade in the USA. Find the best sheepskin outerwear and accessories.
Hairy Situations 15 S Main St, Alma, CO 80420 Phone: (719) 836-9836
- They can be contacted via phone at (719) 836-9836 for pricing, hours and directions.
Hoosier Daddy Liquors – 15 S Main St Alma, CO 80420 (719) 836-3004
- Hoosier Daddy Liquors, located at 10,586 ft, is the highest liquor store in Northern America!
South Park Saloon – 24 N Main St Alma, CO 80420 (719) 836-2762
- The Highest Saloon in the USA! South Park Saloon is family owned and operated.
High Country Healing 2 – 40 S Main St, Alma, CO (719) 836-9000
- At 10,600 feet in elevation, HCH2 is the highest cannabis center in the country!
Northern Standard – 513 N Main ST Alma, CO 80420 (719) 836-0420
- Headquarters and Outfitter. Northern Standard continually pushes the boundaries of product quality across our entire product design process and supply chain.
Organsky Woodworks – 331 N. Main St. Alma CO 80420 (719) 836-1646
- They specialize in designing and creating log furniture. The furniture is created from aspen and pine that is harvested from dead standing trees in the surrounding forests.
Mountain Grown Gardens – 92 Edgewood Road, Alma, CO (970) 485-3784
- Top quality annuals & perennials grown at altitude. Specializing in the most creative containers & hanging baskets on the market.
Big Nipper’s Mining & Mercantile – 21North Main St Alma, CO 80420 (719) 838-4202
- The Highest Gift Shop in America”! We are South Park’s Premier Gift Shop. Inventory evolves daily ranging from a variety of local minerals, art, antiques and oddities.
South Park Tours – P.O. Box 226 Alma, CO 80420 (303) 351-1794
- South Park Tours is a central booking service for almost all of the different activities available in the South Park Area.
Stop by Otto’s Food Cart for a bite to eat and Kiki’s Peak Produce for some fresh, local produce! Otto’s food cart serves delicious food every day of the week from 10-3, year round! You can even get vegan and gluten-free options that are incredibly delicious. Kiki’s Peak Produce sits right next to it with fresh local produce. Both companies are plastic-free and environmentally conscientious. There are picnic tables between the two food carts. Come hang out, eat some good food and have enjoy conversing with locals and tourists alike.
Top 5 things to do in Alma, Colorado
These 14’ers are close to my home so I have traversed them many times, and from many angles! I have done the trails but have also climbed up the backside of Lincoln from Montgomery reservoir and the backside of Bross from Windy Ridge. These are fun mountains to play on and no matter which peak you’re on the views are quite spectacular! If you start at Kite Lake really early in the morning you can conquer all 4 peaks in one day. I would recommend starting with Bross if you’re going to do this as the scree can be slippery and better for going up than down on that part. Bring lots of water and a jacket in case it’s cold up top, which it almost always is. I don’t recommend this trail for pets, it’s pretty jagged and rough. Click here to learn more!
2. Mosquito Pass Off-Roading ATV Trail
Mosquito Pass is the highest motor-vehicle pass in North America! This is no east feat and having the proper vehicle, handling and clearance is a must! The trail goes from Alma to Leadville, or vice versa. It’s only open in Summer months and it’s a very popular trail. There are also off-shoots all along the main trail where you can discover old mines that are still in tact. There’s nothing that can match the beauty when you’re o top of these mountains, and the best time to go is early summer when there are lots of wildflowers, or in the fall when everything is orange, yellow and crimson. Be sure to look up the trail before you go, pack some food and rinks and have the proper vehicle and equipment!
Have you ever seen trees growing sideways? Windy ridge is a mellow off-road trail that can be easily reached from Alma. It’s a really fun trail to go on with 4wd, ATV’s, Dirtbikes, or for a nice hike! Lots of people drive most of the way, then choose to hike the last half mile when things get a little bit rougher. Trust me though, it’s worth it when you get to the top and see trees growing sideways due to the constant wind! The trees are Bristlecone Pines. These are the strongest and oldest trees on earth, the oldest of them are located in California. This is a must-see if you have a half a day to spare. The views are breathtaking! To learn more and see more pictures, click here!
Montgomery Reservoir is rich with intriguing history and breathtaking views. Whether I’m spending my time next to the reservoir or the beautiful waterfall river that flows into it, I’m surrounded by peace and beauty in every direction. Occasionally I’ll see some wildlife around the area too such as deer, fox, moose, seagulls, fish, chipmunks, marmots and a variety of bigger birds. I rarely see any other people around and when I do they’re usually hundreds of yards away fishing or something. This is a perfect place to meditate, do yoga, read, write, sketch, picnic, hike, fish, or just clear your mind. There is also a perfect trail for off-roading or 4-wheeling that takes you through gorgeous scenic mountains and old mining remnants from Montgomery Reservoir to Wheeler Lake. Magnolia Mill sits next to the river flowing down into the reservoir and is a must-see! Click here to learn more!
5. Hoosier Pass Great Continental Divide
Hoosier Pass is nestled right between Park County and Summit County, Colorado. The pass is part of the Great Continental Divide in Colorado. Sitting at 11,542-feet, Hoosier Pass is part of the Mosquito mountain range and is a popular destination for sight-seeing, hiking, off-roading, snowshoing, snowmobiling, skiing and snoboarding if you’re willing to hike up for it. The pass sits between Alma and Breckenridge and is part of a daily commute for locals. It can be taken as a “back way” for tourists as well, but in the winter it’s not recommended unless you have the proper vehicle and snow tires as it can get pretty sketchy at times. Traction laws are almost always in place for this pass in thewinter.
Alma Colorado's Rich Mining History
Alma, Colorado was established in 1872 after The Boston Colorado Smelting Company and the Fanny Barrett Smelting Company both set up smelting operations in the area. Many hard rock mines were opened on Mt. Bross, Mt. Democrat and Mt. Lincoln. Gold was first discovered in the area of Buckskin Gulch. The camps became very populated and the employees began to petition Park County to establish a town. Alma, named after the grocery store owner’s daughter, held its first “Town” meeting on December 4, 1873.
The town of Alma was initially a camp devoted to the dredge and hydraulic gold mines of Placer Valley. While in search of gold, in 1879 and 1880, significant silver deposits were discovered instead. This gave the town of Alma a prosperous mining economy for decades Nowadays, Alma, Colorado comprises of 17,440 nearby active and inactive mines! Click here to learn more about Alma’s rich history.
The historic Sweet Home Mine in Alma used to produce silver, but now it produces a gorgeous rhodochrosite, a rose-red colored manganese carbonate mineral. Rhodochrosite specimens are among the most desirable of all mineral species. The world’s finest specimen, known as “Alma King,” was discovered here.
The London Mine near Alma was one of the state’s richest and longest-lived gold mines sitting at 11,499 Feet and producing gold, silver, lead ad copper. The mine was in operation from 1875 to 1942 when it was closed during World War II. Unfortunately, on March 23, 1937, most the historic business district was destroyed by fire.
Paris Mill, located just outside of the town of Alma towards Kite Lake and the 14’er, was successful in finding Gold, Lead and Silver. The Paris Mill was built in 1895 with the primary purpose of milling ore that was mined at the Paris Mine on Mount Bross. The Paris mine opened in 1883.
The remains of the Orphan Boy Mine, part of the Mosquito Mining District, can be found a couple miles outside of Alma, (2.13 miles away.) The mine was founded in 1861 and produced gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc.
The remains of the old town of Montgomery are now located at the bottom of Montgomery Reservoir. Magnolia Mine sits right next to the reservoir and was one of 6 gold mills that processed ore from many mines located in the area.
The Dolly Varden Mine is a underground mining operation located on the Eastern slope of Mt. Bross, near Alma. It was first discovered in 1881 and mostly produced Copper, Gold, Silver, Zinc and Lead.
Frequently Asked Questions about Alma, CO
What is the altitude of Alma, CO?
- The town of Alma sits at 10,578 feet (3,225 meters)
What is the population of Alma, CO?
- The population is estimated at 275 people, though there are a lot of people that reside outside of the town limits in areas such as Placer Valley, Mosquito Gulch and Valley of the Sun.
Who was Alma, Colorado named after?
- Alma James, daughter of a local merchant.
When was Alma Colorado incorporated?
- December 2nd, 1873
How far is Alma CO from Denver?
- 1 hour and 51 minutes (91.2 miles) via US Hwy 285 S.
How far is Alma from Breckenridge?
- 27 minutes (16.9 miles) via CO-9 S.
How far is Alma from Fairplay?
- 6 minutes, 5.23 miles via CO 9
What is the elevation of Alma Colorado?
- 10,361′
What county is Alma Colorado?
- Park County
What is there to do and see in Alma Colorado?
- Mosquito Pass – 4X4 / ATV Trail from Alma to Leadville
- Hike the 14’ers – Mt Bross, Mt Lincoln, MT Democrat, Mt Cameron, and Mt Sherman
- Montgomery Reservoir & Magnolia Mine
- Hoosier Pass – ATV, Snowmobile, Hiking, Snowshoeing, Skiing, Snowboarding, etc..
- Local Shops, Restaurants, Bar, Liquor Store, Dispensaries
- Skatepark, Basketball Court, Riverwalk, Fishing, Hunting
- Hiking, Mountain Biking, Climbing, Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding
- Historic Ghost Town Tours
- Discover Old Mines & Nearby Ghost Towns
- Photograph Wildlife, Trees, Flowers, Mountains
- Camping out beneath the stars with no light pollution
- South Park Tours – 303-351-1794
Are there any hotels or motels in Alma, Colorado?
- There is a new hostel smack in the middle of the quaint town of Alma, called Treeline Hostel.