![The Abandoned Ghost Town of Henson Colorado Sits Near a Broken Dam](http://townsquare.media/site/507/files/2022/07/attachment-ruins-of-henson-colorado-mobile-instinct-2-youtube-rockin-g_enterprises.jpg?w=980&q=75)
The Abandoned Ghost Town of Henson Colorado Sits Near a Broken Dam
WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.
Today we are headed down Colorado County Road 20 from Lake City to the townsite of Henson. This mining community first found gold here in 1871.
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Where is the Ghost Town of Henson, Colorado?
The Colorado Alpine Backcountry Byway loops around the mining communities between Lake City, Silverton, and Ouray. County Road 20 is only open from May to October/November. The site is about a 164-mile trip from Grand Junction, Colorado. We will include a map in the photo gallery below.
Both Henson and Henson Creek are Named After the One of the Areas First Settlers
Henry Henson was the first settler to find gold in the area of the Henson townsite. He is the namesake of the town and the creek that winds around the town. Once gold was discovered here, people began to show up in droves and by 1973, both the Ute-Ulay and Hidden Treasure mines also began operations here.
Henson Creek Dam Sits Downstream from Henson, Colorado
In an effort to protect nearby Lake City from floods a dam was built over Henson Creek in the early 1900s. Old photos of the construction can be seen here. A portion of the dam collapsed in the early 1970s. Since then several adjustments have been made to the dams in the area to keep them from collapsing. Scroll through the photos below for a closer look.
The Abandoned Ghost Town of Henson Colorado Sits Near a Broken Dam
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