Rural Exploring · Colorado History

Colorado Ghost Towns & Forgotten History

Derelict Doug explores abandoned mines, ghost towns, hotels, and lost corners of the American West—and digs up the stories behind them before they disappear.

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  • 18K+Subscribers
  • 90+Explorations
  • 640CO ghost towns remain
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From Old West mining camps to forgotten disasters, pick a trail and start exploring.

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Colorado Ghost Towns

Colorado once had over 1,500 ghost towns—about 640 remain. Join the hunt to document as many as possible, and the Old West stories behind them, before they're lost to time and development.

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Forgotten historic events video thumbnail10 videos

Forgotten Events

Disasters, inventions, and moments history moved on from too quickly.

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Abandoned Cities

Entire towns left behind—it happens more often than you'd think.

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Abandoned Hotels & Motels

Empty lobbies, faded signs, and roadside stops that time checked out of.

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Winter Explorations

With the right gear and planning, the exploring doesn't stop when the snow flies.

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From the field journal

Vlog Posts

The stories behind the videos: history, maps, and what's left standing.

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Every Exploration89+ videos · newest first

Binge the full Derelict Doug archive, from Colorado mining camps to forgotten roadside relics. Use the playlist menu in the player to jump to any video.

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About the Channel

Documenting History Before It's Gone

Derelict Doug is a rural exploration and history channel based in Colorado. Each video visits a ghost town, abandoned mine, hotel, or forgotten site and pieces together who lived there, what happened, and why it was left behind.

The goal is simple: raise awareness of historic relics, record them for posterity, and inspire support for local preservation projects. Explore responsibly—take only pictures, leave only footprints.

Map of Colorado Historic Sites → Read the vLog → Photo Library → Become a Member →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Derelict Doug?

Derelict Doug is a YouTube channel focused on rural exploration and history. It documents Colorado ghost towns, abandoned mines, hotels, and cities, and the stories behind them.

How many ghost towns are in Colorado?

Colorado once had more than 1,500 ghost towns, and roughly 640 still remain. Because of poor record-keeping and local legends, no list of Colorado ghost towns will ever be complete.

Is it legal to visit ghost towns and abandoned places?

Many ghost towns sit on public land and are open to visitors, but others are private property. Always check land ownership, get permission where needed, obey posted signs, and leave artifacts where you find them.

Where should I start watching?

Start with the Colorado Ghost Towns playlist, or use the Map of Colorado Historic Sites on DerelictDoug.net to find places near you.

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