Almost Heaven Bed and Breakfast, Colorado Postcard

"Almost Heaven Bed and Breakfast, Silverton, Colorado" by Catherine Sherman The historic mountain town of Silverton, Colorado, is full of magnificent views, historic buildings, quaint shops and restaurants, and charming oddities, such as this weather-beaten garage pretending to be a bed and breakfast. An "Almost Heaven Bed & Breakfast" sign is tacked above the garage doors while a smaller sign on the entry door says "Sorry We're Closed." It's practically a guarantee that this garage in need of paint has never been open to overnight guests -- except perhaps a mouse family or two -- but it truly is Almost heaven as it stands against a backdrop of a magnificent mountainous landscape. A picket fence and green lawn dotted with dandelion blooming in the foreground contrast with the rustic and aged appearance of the garage, adding to the quirky charm of the scene. With a mean elevation of 11,240 feet (3426 meters), San Juan County is the highest county in the United States. It's also the county with the smallest population in Colorado. Silverton is a former silver mining camp, most or all of which is now included in a federally designated National Historic Landmark District, the Silverton Historic District. Silverton is linked to Durango by the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a National Historic Landmark. Tourism provides the gold and silver in Silverton, not mining. Also supporting the population is maintenance of US 550 (which links Montrose with Durango via Silverton), mine pollution remediation, and retirees. In 2002 an extreme ski mountain, Silverton Mountain, opened near the town. This photograph was taken in June 2024. Maybe Almost Heaven will be open this year!