Kimberly

Kimberly is located up a beautiful canyon.

The most intact dwelling in Upper Kimberly.

Lower Kimberly.

The skeleton of the Annie Laurie Mill presides over the piles of
rubble that was once Lowertown.

The large foundation of the old lodge.

The lodge fireplace.

Fallen remains of log cabins are found everywhere.

High in the Tushar mountains lies the old mining skeleton of Kimberly. The town was constructed into two sections. Lower Kimberly was the business district, where stores, saloons, hotels, and barber shops once stood.  A road curved up the side of the mountain and passed by an enormous lodge, on up to Upper Kimberly where many of the residents lived.

During the boom period, about 500 people lived in town. A daily stage arrived from Richfield.  The brothels were famous and murder was common, usually due to drunken brawls.

Gold strikes occurred in the canyon during the early 1890's, bringing the town into existence. By 1905, the mines began to run dry. By 1909, the town was nearly deserted. In 1932, another vein was discovered and about 50 families moved in. By 1938, the vein played out and the place was once again deserted.

Kimberly is located up the canyon off the I-70. Take exit 17 off to the north side of I-70. Head west onto a dirt road which runs parallel to the freeway for a few miles, then turns south ducking under the freeway. From there, it is about 7 miles to Lower Kimberly. Just stay on the main dirt road as it winds up the canyon. A 2 wheel drive vehicle could easily make it up the main road. You'll see Lower Kimberly off to the right. It is a large, flat, sandy area with an old wooden a-frame lift still standing. Exploration of the area will also unveil foundations and fallen log cabin timbers in the surrounding area. Another mile or two up the road, and on the left, you will see where the old lodge once stood. There is also a grave marker and a couple of old structures in decay. Another mile up the road and off to the right, you will see the remains of the Annie Laurie Mill.  And finally - less than a mile up the road from the Mill is the most intact structure left in Kimberly - a home from the 1930's.

Kimberly is well worth the visit. Most of the buildings that are left have given way to the weather. However, the canyon in which Kimberly is located is beautiful, especially when the leaves are changing in the fall. There is the Castle Rock campground located at the bottom of the canyon, right off the freeway. However, there are sites right off the canyon river, further up and closer to Kimberly that would make for a better camping trip.

  4 stars.