6 Best Sights in Leadville, Summit County

On a tree-lined street in downtown Leadville you'll find the Healy House and Dexter Cabin, two of Leadville's earliest residences. The lavishly decorated rooms of the Healy's clapboard house provide a sense of how the town's upper crust, such as the Tabors, lived and played.

This museum paints a vivid portrait of life in Leadville at the turn of the last century, with dioramas depicting life in the mines. There's also furniture, clothing, and toys from the Victorian era.

Still chugging along is the Leadville Railroad, which can take you on a breathtaking 2½-hour trip with views of wildflowers, fall foliage, or holiday lights depending on the time of year. Combo rides include zip-lining or rafting adventures. The train leaves from Leadville's century-old depot and travels beside the Arkansas River with views of Mt. Elbert, Colorado's highest peak.

The massive, snowcapped peak watching over Leadville is Mt. Elbert. At 14,433 feet it's the highest mountain in Colorado and the tallest peak in the entire Rocky Mountain Range, second in height in the contiguous 48 states only to California's 14,495-foot Mt. Whitney.

This museum covers virtually every aspect of mining, from the discovery of precious ore to fashioning it into coins and other items. Dioramas in the beautiful brick building explain extraction processes.

An effort is under way to fully restore the three-story Tabor Opera House that opened in 1879, when it was proclaimed the "largest and best west of the Mississippi." It hosted luminaries such as Harry Houdini, Buffalo Bill, and Oscar Wilde. Shows on the current schedule are mostly music and dance, but there's also a community talent show to give local stars a spotlight on the famous stage.