I was lucky enough to get away for a couple days this week to spend time with two dear friends at the newly opened Crystal Mountain Ranch in Crystal, Colorado. The centerpiece of this silver mining ghost town is the Crystal Mill – one of the most photographed historic sites in Colorado. The Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places and is not exactly easy to reach, especially by car. My friend, Phoebe and I drove to Marble Colorado from the Denver area and were greeted by staff of Crystal Mountain Ranch in a quite capable 4×4 vehicle for a 50-minute nail biter of a ride up a breathtakingly beautiful and steep mountainside. The Ranch owners, my friend Heather and her fiance’ Chris, who own land and much of the property in Crystal including the Mill, have been working tirelessly to open Crystal Mountain Ranch to the public. The Ranch has several cozy and rustic cabins and campsites available. Check them out at Crystal Mountain Ranch. This is definitely a bucket list kinda place!