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Office: Mineral County OEM – (719) 658-2440 | mineralcountyco.gov
Alert System: CO-WARN; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Creede school facilities; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: South-central Colorado San Juan Mountain county; Creede is county seat and only significant community; one of Colorado’s smallest population counties (~800 permanent residents); wildfire risk (surrounding San Juan Mountains – Spring Creek Fire 2018 was nearby; significant ongoing risk); avalanche risk; flooding (Rio Grande River – the headwaters of the Rio Grande flow through Mineral County); severe winters; extremely remote; Creede was one of Colorado’s most famous silver mining boom towns (1890s)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Mineral County Roads – (719) 658-2440
Notes: SR-149 (the Silver Thread Scenic Byway – connects Mineral County south to Antonito/Conejos County and north to South Fork/Rio Grande County; one of Colorado’s finest scenic byways; passes through dramatic canyon and mountain scenery); Creede is about 25 miles north of South Fork where US-160 connects; Alamosa is about 75 miles east via US-160 and US-285; extremely isolated; winter access can be challenging
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Mineral County Planning – (719) 658-2440
Services: Very basic county permits; Creede only community
Notes: Very limited development; vacation cabin construction; mining heritage preservation; Creede Repertory Theatre generates some facility-related construction; limited activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Mineral County Veterans Services – (719) 658-2440
VA Medical: VA Albuquerque; VA Pueblo; both very distant; telehealth critical
Notes: Extremely remote county; VA access very challenging; very small veteran population; telehealth essential
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Creede Community Library – (719) 658-2548
Address: Creede
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Colorado silver mining heritage; San Juan Mountain history; Creede Repertory Theatre history
Notes: Single very small library; critical internet access point in one of Colorado’s most isolated communities; Colorado silver mining history collections – Creede’s 1890s silver boom history is extraordinary (the Amethyst Mine, the Phoenix Mine – Creede was one of the wildest and most prosperous silver camps in Colorado)
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Rio Grande National Forest (surrounds Mineral County – vast wilderness and backcountry); Wheeler Geologic Area (remote and extraordinary geological formation – eroded tuffs and cliffs forming bizarre spire formations; accessible only by 4WD or hiking; one of Colorado’s most unusual and least-visited geological formations); Bachelor Historic Tour (self-guided driving tour of Mineral County’s 1890s silver mining heritage – ghost towns, mine sites, historic buildings; the Bachelor townsite above Creede is remarkable); Creede Repertory Theatre (one of Colorado’s finest small repertory theaters – professional summer season in a beautifully restored historic building; nationally recognized productions; one of Colorado’s cultural gems); Rio Grande River (excellent fly fishing – the Upper Rio Grande above Creede is a designated Wild and Scenic River; superb wild trout fishing in pristine mountain water)
Notes: Creede Repertory Theatre is one of Colorado’s cultural treasures – a professional theater company performing in a 1892 underground vault theater in a former silver mining boom town; the summer season attracts theater lovers from throughout the Mountain West; Wheeler Geologic Area is one of Colorado’s most remarkable and least-known geological wonders – volcanic tuff eroded into surreal spire formations; the backcountry access (14-mile round trip hike or 4WD) keeps it blessedly uncrowded; Creede’s silver mining heritage (where Bob Ford – the man who killed Jesse James – was himself shot and killed; “Soapy” Smith ran a saloon here before moving to Skagway; Bat Masterson lived here) is extraordinary
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; USFS Rio Grande NF maps; Wheeler Geologic Area maps; Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River maps; Silver Thread Scenic Byway maps
Notes: Minimal county GIS; USFS maintains the primary maps; Wheeler Geologic Area access maps; Rio Grande watershed mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Very basic; Mineral County Sheriff animal control
Notes: Very small remote county; wildlife (mule deer, elk, black bears, mountain lions – all present in the San Juan Mountains); Rio Grande River wildlife (trout); no formal animal shelter
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Mineral County – very limited; transfer station
Environmental: Colorado DPHE; Rio Grande Water Conservation District; USFS (Rio Grande NF); Rio Grande National Wild and Scenic River; Upper Rio Grande watershed
Notes: The Upper Rio Grande’s Wild and Scenic designation protects the river’s exceptional fishing and scenic values; Mineral County’s watershed is among the most pristine in Colorado given the minimal development and the wilderness protections; the Rio Grande Compact (Colorado-New Mexico-Texas) governs downstream water obligations; historical silver mining in the Creede area has left some legacy mine drainage; Wheeler Geologic Area sits within a volcanic landscape of eroded ash flows from ancient volcanic eruptions in the San Juan Mountains – its protection within Rio Grande NF is important for its unique character
About Mineral County County
Mineral County is Colorado’s remote silver canyon county – Creede’s dramatic canyon setting, its Wild West silver boom legacy where Bob Ford met his end, and the unlikely professional repertory theatre that has operated in this tiny community for over half a century define one of the most atmospheric and surprising small communities in the entire Rocky Mountain West.
Creede (the county seat, population ~290) is Mineral County’s governmental hub and one of Colorado’s smallest county seats, a silver mining canyon town whose Repertory Theatre, Rio Grande headwaters fishing, and canyon scenery draw visitors to one of the state’s most remote communities.
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Mineral County Assessor at 1201 N. Main Street, Creede, CO 81130, phone 719-658-2440. CO assessed at percentage of actual value.
Courts & Legal
Mineral County District Court at 1201 N. Main Street, Creede, CO 81130, phone 719-658-2285, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
1201 N. Main St., Creede, CO 81130
(719) 658-2575
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Mineral County District Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Mineral County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Mineral Combined Court – District Court (Probate Division) 1201 North Main Street, P.O. Box 337, Creede, CO 81130 (719) 658-2575 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Mineral is one of Colorado’s smallest counties by population – expect a small, personal courthouse. It is part of the 12th Judicial District, headquartered in neighboring Alamosa County.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Colorado follows the Uniform Probate Code, one of the more streamlined, less court-intensive systems in the country.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – for estates where personal property totals less than roughly $86,000 (twice the “exempt property” amount under C.R.S. § 15-11-403, which adjusts annually for inflation – always confirm the current year’s figure with the court). Available starting 10 days after the death. No court filing required; present the affidavit (Form JDF 999) directly to whoever holds the property.
Summary Administration for small real property – a separate, roughly parallel threshold applies to real property equity. This route does require a court filing.
Informal Probate – the standard path for most estates with a will or clear heirs and no disputes. Handled largely by the court Registrar with minimal hearings.
Formal Probate – required for contested wills, disputed appointments, or complicated estates.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 10 days after the death.
Confirm the fair market value of the decedent’s property (less liens) doesn’t exceed the current statutory threshold, and that no probate has already been opened.
Complete Form JDF 999, Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit.
Present it, along with a certified death certificate, to the bank or institution holding the property – no court filing needed.
If filing for informal or formal probate
File the appropriate application with the Mineral County District Court: Form JDF 910 (with a will) or JDF 908 (without one). For formal probate, file JDF 920 or the intestate equivalent. Filing fee is $199.
The court (or Registrar, for informal cases) appoints a personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
In informal probate, the personal representative then manages the estate largely independently.
Creditors have 4 months from first publication of notice to file claims.
The estate closes once debts are paid and assets are distributed.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit: no court filing fee.
Informal or formal probate filing fee: $199.
Personal representative compensation: “reasonable compensation” – no fixed statutory percentage.
No Colorado state estate tax or inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
Creede, CO 81130
(719) 658-2600
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
1201 N. Main St., Creede, CO 81130
(719) 658-2575
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health/Human Services
Creede, CO 81130
(719) 658-2575
CO Benefits / PEAK
(800) 536-5298
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Limited; regional health services through San Luis Valley Public Health
Services: Very basic; immunizations; vital records
Hospital: No local hospital; San Luis Valley Health (Alamosa – 75 miles) and Pagosa Springs Medical Center accessible
Notes: No local hospital; helicopter evacuation; very limited local health services; high altitude health considerations; behavioral health in a tiny isolated mountain community
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Creede
Population: 850
Area: 908 sq mi
Established: 1893
Public Records
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