Paris Mill

This geocache is part of Colorado's South Park GeoTour, which means you can win prizes by finding 20 or more caches. Visit our website for more information and to download your GeoTour Passport!

Container Type: Lock & Lock
Code Location: Inside container
Access Info: This cache is located on Park County property. Do not approach or go into the mill, but enjoy the nearby interpretive signage.
Winter Access: Park at the mill gate and walk the short distance up the road.

The Mosquito Range was the principal gold and silver lode mining sector of Park County.  The Paris Mine was located on the southern cliffs of Mount Bross overlooking Buckskin Gulch.  In the early years, the ore was hauled down the mountain in wagons but later an aerial tramway was constructed between the mine and mill. In its day, the Paris Mine above Alma was considered to be one of the richest strikes in the Alma District, producing gold, silver, and lead ore for decades. The Paris Mill was constructed in 1894 and was originally powered by a steam engine that drove a leather-belt drive shaft to power equipment throughout the mill, then converted to a steam-electric operation after the turn of the century. Time and unstable metal prices finally forced the closure of the mine and mill in 1951. It was activated again briefly during the 1970s by the Mount Bross Mining Company, but was abandoned soon after. Today, the mill is owned by Park County and the South Park National Heritage Area is working towards its rehabilitation into a mining interpretation center.

The Paris Mill in the 1930s, courtesy of the Park County Local History Archives

This geocache is located just off Buckskin Road (County Road 8) near the interpretive signage north of the mill. Look north above the mill to see if you can spot the remanants of the old Paris Mine. Look south to Loveland Mountain where you can see ruins of several mines, including the Hungry Five Mine.