WOW! The Most Remote City in the Lower 48 Is Actually in Colorado

There are tons of places to explore in Colorado, and if you're looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, then this isolated city may be the perfect place to visit.

Hinsdale County proudly reports that they are in fact the most remote area in the lower 48 of the United States with 96.5 percent of the area being public land.

History of Lake City, Colorado

Lake City was officially incorporated as a city on August 16, 1875, but had long been occupied by the Ute people prior.

The city was named after the nearby Lake San Cristobal. In fact, Lake San Cristobal is actually the second largest natural lake here in Colorado.

By 1978, Lake City had been officially designated a national historic district.

Where Is Lake City, Colorado Located?

Lake City is located in the valley of the San Juan Mountains in the Southwestern region of Colorado.

Lake City is about 55 miles south of Gunnison on State Highway 149 and 74 miles north of South Fork. From Denver, Lake City it's about a 4 hour and 45-minute drive which is a distance of  255 miles.

Things to Do In Lake City, Colorado

Despite being a remote area, there are tons of fun activities to do in Lake City. In fact, if you're a mountain climber looking to take on some 14'ers, there are actually 5 located in Hinsdale county, they are:

1. Uncompahgre
2. Redcloud
3. Sunshine
4. Handies
5. Wetterhorn

If climbing mountains aren't your thing, then maybe you'd like to explore some ghost towns? These are the 5 ghost towns in Hinsdale County:

1. Sherman
2. Rose's Cabin
3. Carson
4. Burrows Park
5. Capitol City

Lake City is also home to miles upon miles of trails, 21 public campgrounds,  three National Forests, one BLM district, four wilderness areas, and two wilderness study areas.

That means plenty of places to go:

• Fishing
• Hiking
• Ice Fishing
• Ice Climbing
• Boating
• Rafting
• Hunting
• Skiing
• and so, so, much more!

Fun Facts About Lake City, Colorado

Lake City has an elevation of 8,661 feet and the population consists of approximately a mere 400 residents!

The total population of Hinsdale county isn't much higher at about 774, meaning that a couple of hundred residents really live a pretty isolated life outside one of the most remote cities in America.

Hinsdale County boasts more than 1,000 square miles of wild and remote Colorado beauty, so are you ready to visit and leave the city life behind?