Located at the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers. Basalt is 16 miles north of Aspen and 22 miles southeast of Glenwood Springs on Highway 82.
The town takes its name from the 10,800 ft Basalt Peak located just to the north of town. The name comes from the black igneous rock in the area.
The Colorado Midland Railroad, built to carry coal and silver ore between Leadville and Aspen, established the town of Frying Pan Junction in 1887. Incorporated as Basalt in 1901, the mountain town filled with immigrants from Switzerland and Northern Italy to work for the railroad mines and coal smelters. With the closing of the mines the railroad rolled up its tracks and the few remaining folks began ranching.* |
