The Crystal River is a tributary of the
Roaring Fork River
Roaring Fork River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in west central Colorado in the United States. The river drains a populated and economically vital area of the Colorado Western Slope called the Roaring Fork Valley or ...
, approximately long, in Gunnison and Pitkin counties in
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
, United States.
Description
The river drains a
glacial
A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...
valley, called the Coal Basin, south of
Carbondale which was historically known as a center of
coal mining in southwestern Colorado. It rises in northern
Gunnison County in the
Elk Mountains on the north side of
Schofield Pass, passing through the
ghost town
Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to:
* Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned
Film and television
* ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser
* ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...
of
Crystal City, still inhabited by a few summer residents. It then flows north past
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...
, then into
Pitkin County past
Redstone. It joins the Roaring Fork below Carbondale.
State Highway 133 follows the river along much of its route north of Marble.
From Crystal City to Marble the river flows through the Crystal River Canyon, a narrow valley with numerous snowslide runs, rockfalls, and other hazardous terrain. Although it is locally known as a fishing and hiking attraction the unpaved and largely un-maintained mining road, designated Gunnison County Road 3 on Mapquest, is nearly impassable to vehicles other than ATVs and off-road motorcycles. A four-wheel-drive
Jeep tour is operated out of Marble, but only operates during the summer when the road is not blocked by snow, mud, or rock slides.
See also
*
List of rivers of Colorado
This is a list of streams in the U.S. State of Colorado.
__TOC__
Alphabetical list
The following alphabetical list includes many important streams that flow through the State of Colorado, including all 158 named rivers. Where available, t ...
*
List of tributaries of the Colorado River
References
External links
{{authority control
Rivers of Gunnison County, Colorado
Rivers of Pitkin County, Colorado
Rivers of Colorado
Roaring Fork Valley
Tributaries of the Colorado River in Colorado