Phantom Canyon (Pikes Peak Area)
Encyclopedia
Phantom Canyon is a canyon in Colorado
, in the Western United States
. The canyon is formed by Eightmile Creek
. It was used as route to take gold and supplies in and out of the Cripple Creek
and Victor
gold mining district.
Phantom Canyon Road, a portion of the Gold Belt Byway
that runs through the canyon, is an unpaved road connecting Florence
and Victor
. The road is popularly used for mountain biking and off-roading
.
Since 1996, Phantom Canyon has been designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern
by the Bureau of Land Management
. Information on camping in the canyon's undeveloped campsites and other recreational activities is available from the BLM Field Office in Cañon City
.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, in the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
. The canyon is formed by Eightmile Creek
Eightmile Creek
Eightmile Creek is an tributary of Tenmile Creek in Albany County, New York. Via Tenmile Creek and Catskill Creek, it is part of the Hudson River watershed. Eightmile Creek runs through the town of Westerlo into the town of Rensselaerville, where it joins Tenmile Creek at the hamlet of Medusa....
. It was used as route to take gold and supplies in and out of the Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek, Colorado
The City of Cripple Creek is a Statutory City that is the county seat of Teller County, Colorado, United States. Cripple Creek is a former gold mining camp located southwest of Colorado Springs near the base of Pikes Peak. The Cripple Creek Historic District, which received National Historic...
and Victor
Victor, Colorado
Victor is a Statutory City in Teller County, Colorado, United States. The population was 445 at the 2000 census.Victor is in the heart of Colorado's gold country, home to two of the major gold mines in the Cripple Creek mining district...
gold mining district.
Phantom Canyon Road, a portion of the Gold Belt Byway
Gold Belt Byway
The Gold Belt Byway is a national scenic byway located entirely within the state of Colorado in the United States of America. The byway received its name because it runs through Colorado's gold country. It connects the gold mining districts to each other and to the Arkansas Valley.- History:The...
that runs through the canyon, is an unpaved road connecting Florence
Florence, Colorado
The City of Florence is a Statutory City located in Fremont County, Colorado, United States. The population was 3,653 at the 2000 census.ADX Florence, the only federal Supermax prison in the United States, is located south of Florence in an unincorporated area in Fremont County...
and Victor
Victor, Colorado
Victor is a Statutory City in Teller County, Colorado, United States. The population was 445 at the 2000 census.Victor is in the heart of Colorado's gold country, home to two of the major gold mines in the Cripple Creek mining district...
. The road is popularly used for mountain biking and off-roading
Off-roading
Off-roading is a term for driving a vehicle on unsurfaced roads or tracks, made of materials such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural terrain.-Off-road vehicle:...
.
Since 1996, Phantom Canyon has been designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern is a conservation ecology program in the western United States, managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The ACEC program was conceived in the 1976 Federal Lands Policy and Management Act , which established the first conservation ecology mandate for the BLM...
by the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
. Information on camping in the canyon's undeveloped campsites and other recreational activities is available from the BLM Field Office in Cañon City
Cañon City, Colorado
The City of Cañon City is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Fremont County, State of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 16,000 in 2005. Cañon City is noted for being the location of nine state and four ...
.
External links
- Phantom Canyon Preserve - The Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
- Article about Phantom Canyon