6 Abandoned Colorado Amusement Parks Hidden In The Mountains
Colorado’s mountain towns once buzzed with laughter and carnival lights, drawing families to rides and games nestled among the peaks. Time has a way of turning these joyful places into ghostly reminders of simpler summers.
Today, remnants of roller coasters and ticket booths stand silent, hidden by pine trees and fading memories.
1. Buckskin Joe
Once a Wild West frontier town replica, this park brought cowboy dreams to life with staged gunfights and saloons. Families wandered dusty streets lined with authentic-looking storefronts, soaking in the Old West atmosphere.
After closing in the 2010s, the entire town was sold and relocated. Now, only memories and photographs remain of the place where kids once pretended to be sheriffs and outlaws.
2. Guyton’s Fun Junction
Tucked away in a quiet mountain area, this small family-run park offered simple pleasures like go-karts and mini golf. Local kids spent summer afternoons racing around tracks and celebrating birthdays under colorful banners.
Economic shifts and changing tastes eventually shuttered the gates. Weeds now creep over pathways where laughter once echoed, leaving behind a bittersweet snapshot of childhood joy frozen in time.
3. Heritage Square Amusement Park
Perched near Golden, this park blended alpine slides with classic carnival attractions and shopping. Visitors could zip down the mountainside, then explore craft shops and grab a funnel cake.
Financial troubles led to closure, though some shops lingered for years. The alpine slide tracks still snake down the hillside, rusting quietly as nature slowly reclaims what was once a bustling weekend destination.
4. Magic Mountain (Golden)
High above Golden, this park thrilled visitors with its famous alpine slide and chairlift rides offering stunning views. Summertime meant racing friends down the winding concrete track, wind whipping past.
After decades of operation, it closed in the late 1990s. Concrete ribbons still crisscross the mountain, cracked and faded, standing as monuments to countless summer adventures and scraped knees from too-fast descents.
5. Manhattan Beach
Built along a reservoir shoreline, this quirky spot tried to bring beach vibes to the Rockies with swimming and lakeside attractions. Families spread blankets on sandy shores, pretending they’d escaped to the coast.
Changing water levels and maintenance challenges eventually ended the experiment. Today, little remains except old pilings and faded signs, whispering stories of Colorado’s brief attempt at creating its own seaside escape.
6. Luna Park
Named after famous Coney Island parks, this mountain version offered carousel rides and dance halls during Colorado’s early tourism boom. Couples twirled under string lights while children chased each other between game booths.
As automobiles made distant destinations accessible, local parks struggled to compete. Luna Park faded into history, leaving behind only foundation stones and sepia-toned postcards collectors treasure today.
