Volunteer Opportunities

Our community is small buy MIGHTY. That's mainly thanks to our army of volunteers who put their heart and souls into making Creede thrive!

Would you like to volunteer? Below are some opportunities awaiting you!

Creede & Mineral County Visitor Center

The Visitor Center welcomes volunteers year-round! We love having both newcomers and old-timers who have time to spare and knowledge to share! Volunteer for a single afternoon, or get on our annual schedule! Call 719-658-2374 if you are interested!

The Creede Early Learning Center

Mission: To provide a safe, dependable, affordable and nurturing childcare facility for Creede and the surrounding communities. The CELC houses Mineral County's PreK program, and is open 5 days a week in the summer.

Volunteers who LOVE KIDS are always welcome to come from 9-10am or 3-5pm to read with us, play outside, and help with arts-and-crafts! And if kids aren't your thing, but you support Creede and/or Education, and love renovation projects, event planning or outdoor fix ups, the CELC is always seeking volunteers for various projects!  Call today to find out what opportunities are available: 719-658-2090. Learn more about us at www.creedeearlylearningcenter.com

Mineral County Fairgrounds

Mission: To provide outstanding recreational, educational, cultural, and entertainment programming in harmony with the interests of the community while collaborating with regional partners.

Come volunteer for the Mineral County Fairgrounds! Offering so much to our community, the MCFA puts on seven ChuteOut Rodeos, an OHV Bingo Run, an ATV Rodeo, the County Fair, and more. Volunteers for any of these events are welcome!! Visit http://www.upperriogrande.org/events-news-fairgrounds-rodeo for more information

Discover Creede

Despite our small, year-round population (around 700), we have the largest percentage of National Forest land within any other county in Colorado. That means you’ll have lots of opportunities to find adventure in big, wide-open wilderness.

Get some artistic inspiration at Creede Repertory Theatre or in any one of our number of beautiful art galleries. Wander around town and you're sure to find live music streaming out the doors of local watering holes.

If you have a fondness for the past, plan a day to investigate our heritage with a walking tour at the Creede Historical Museum, a guided tour at the Underground Mining Museum and a drive along the scenic Bachelor Loop. But be warned, you might develop a bit of our Old West attitude.

Our small community also means big family get-togethers. Creede hosts many events and festivals throughout the year, all of which are family-friendly!
Creede’s uninhibited wilderness, unexpected entertainment, inspired art community, and well-preserved heritage are what brings families back to visit us, year after year. In fact, many have been visiting Creede for generations!

Take a chance and seek out “the road less traveled.” Creede will be your best adventure yet!

Employment

Creede and Mineral County Employment Opportunities!

Updated April 11, 2022

Creede & Mineral County Chamber of Commerce - Visitor Center Volunteers to assist with events and running the Visitors Center.

San Juan Mountains Association - Rio Grande Seasonal Visitor Information Specialist, Creede, Job Details & Application Info

Creede Snowshoe Lodge/Cascada Cabins - is looking for reliable and honest housekeepers. Hours needed are 9 to noon but can be flexible. Call 719-658-2315 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Creede ATV -  Seasonal. Hours would be flexible but needed 4:30 pm to 6 pm daily to wash and maintain machines. Opportunity to advance to more responsibility possible. Call 719-658-2315 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Creede Elementry School - Elementary Teaching Position. Job Description 

Creede Early Learning Center - PreK Teacher and a Teacher's Aide - Part or Full-time, Year-Round or seasonal. Learn More

Downstream Gas - Summer Weekend Position, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pizzeria 8852' - Cooks Needed. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

San Juan Sports & San Juan T-shirt Shop - Summer help. Retail experience is a plus! Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. a little about yourself and why you want to work at SJS.

Broken Arrow Land Management Want to come to live, work, and play in Creede this Summer?! Broken Arrow has the perfect opportunity for you!  We are now hiring summer cleaners! Must be motivated! Must be attentive! Great Pay! Call 719.658.2533 for additional information. Please send your resume to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Tommyknocker Tavern - Now Hiring in Creede! Waitstaff, kitchen staff, and bartenders. PT or FT, seasonal or year-round. Flexible schedules. Pick up an application at Tommyknocker, or call 719-658-0138 and ask for Brian. www.tommyknockertavern.com

Kip's Grill - Now Hiring at Kip's Grill Creede, CO to work the busy season with opportunities to work year-round! Cooks! Great Pay Plus Tips & Bonuses & Free Food. Full Time or Part Time - Will Train. Bussers. Starts at $14/Hr Plus Tips. All Ages Welcome! Hosts. Starts at $15/Hr Plus Tips. And A Free Meal Every Shift! Bartenders. Starts at $11/Hr Plus Mucho Tips! Servers. Starts at $9.50/Hr Plus Mucho Tips. Call, Email, Message, Or Stop In! 720-878-3799 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 Photo: Zane Hedger

  Photo: Zane Hedger

Community Services

City of Creede
2223 N. Main Street; P.O. Box 457; Creede, CO, 81130
Phone: 719-658-2276
Serving residents within the Creede city limits. Mayor, Board of Trustees, City Manager, Water/Sewer/Parks Maintenance. Creede Arts & Recreation Department

Creede Consolidated Schools/Library
308 La Garita Ave; P.O. Box 429; Creede, CO, 81130
Phone: 719-658-2220
Creede School District Website
Grades K-12; Classes M - Th. Public library open 2 hours, twice a week in summer months.

Mineral County
1201 N. Main; P.O. Box 70; Creede, CO, 81130
Phone: 719-658-2331
www.mineralcountycolorado.com

Creede Family Practice / Rio Grande Clinic
802 Rio Grande Ave.; Creede, CO, 81130
Phone: 719-658-0929

Mineral County Public Health
802 Rio Grande Ave.; Creede, CO, 81130
Phone: 719-658-2416
Call for information on your public health needs and be sure to ask about our Drug Assistance Program, LEAP, and other assistance we can provide for you. We have a well-stocked food bank. Hilda Scott, R.N. Jo Bell, Assistant

Population, Economy & Lifestyle

Nature, history and adventure define the Mineral County experience.

The full-time population of Mineral County is only about 700, with our summer visitors adding a very substantial seasonal increase (to around 4000). It's an interesting mix of the old mining and ranching families rich in local tradition, and the newcomers (meaning anyone not born in Mineral County, even if you've lived here 30 years), who have added a certain cosmopolitan nuance to an old mining camp.

Roughly half the folks live in Creede, the county seat and the only incorporated "municipality" in Mineral County. Creede is a tiny town with a charming old-west business district tucked into the mouth of a high mountain canyon, site of a major 1890s silver strike. A high-quality grocery, sporting goods stores, gift shops, galleries, eateries and a repertory theatre line Creede's 6-block "downtown." Hardware and grocery stores and other services are prominent. Creede has a reputation as an arts center with a laid-back attitude, and was voted Colorado’s Top Art Town in 2010. A series of festivals and events dedicated to the arts and local history occur throughout the year.

Mtn-Run

After the silver mining closed in 1985, the primary economy became tourism, with housing construction and various government employment filling the other top payroll slots. In 2011, silver mining returned to the area, and began providing jobs again. Toursism-based employment is highly seasonal. Local wage scales are lower than many other areas. With our limited privately held land, the residential market, especially rentals, is fairly tight. While real estate prices are climbing, they are still very reasonable compared to many other Rocky Mountain markets. Residential development and home building are "major" activities.

Mineral County is in a very rural area. The nearest major “big box” store is about 55 miles from Creede. Nearest large discount chain stores are about 70 miles. Local customs and culture do not place a high demand on retail services; folks accustomed to 24-hour stores and shops will have some adjusting to do. There is only one gas station in Creede. On the other hand, there are no traffic signals! No MacD's or Burger King either. But we've got great local sandwich builders and some innovative chefs who take pride in their work.

The Region: The San Luis Valley & "Big Cities"

Mineral County is on the western edge of the San Luis Valley, the largest, highest inter-mountain valley on the planet. The six counties that comprise the SLV cover an area roughly the size of the state of Connecticut. The regional population is less than 100,000. The major economy of the SLV is agriculture: cattle, potatoes, hay, wheat, sheep, barley, vegetables, and the like. Mineral County is almost all mountain terrain, and has only a very small involvement in the Valley's agriculture.

Population centers include Alamosa, Monte Vista, Del Norte, Antonito, and a scattering of even smaller towns and villages. Alamosa hosts Adams State University. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is on the eastern side of the SLV. Several hot springs dot the area, some of which are open for public use. West from Mineral County, the nearest sizeable town is Pagosa Springs, and then Durango, about 120 miles from Creede. East it's about 190 miles to Pueblo, the nearest "full service" city. We're about 270 miles southwest of Denver, by highway.

Getting Away From it All

A visit to Creede/Mineral County is definitely an excellent way to "get away from it all." Even with our summer tourism, we do not have the crowds and jostling of better-known destinations. No giant neon signs, cookie-cutter franchise motels or chain restaurants, either. And winter is the undiscovered season of hidden delights, adventure, romance, and mountain majesty. Fewer people, lower prices, actually more activities available than in summer...winter is our secret too special to believe—including Wolf Creek Ski Area, acknowledged to have "the most snow in Colorado." And our attractions are real: an auto tour of the old mining district and ghost towns, a mining tour guided by real hard-rock miners, live theatre, friendly folks, and all tucked into a vast and dramatic natural landscape, with tiny Creede the jewel in the crown.

SeagoCopperRidge1

Living here is the ultimate way to get away from it all. The lifestyle is different. Relaxed, less demanding, more attuned to nature and its attributes. Sure, there's a price to pay for our remote mountain sanctuary. But picture this: for us a Whopper or Egg McMuffin is an unusual treat and a trip to Wal-Mart a major shopping opportunity. Talk about cheap thrills! But most folks living in Mineral County are here for that lifestyle. Those "modern conveniences" quickly fade in significance as you enjoy the full moon cresting a snowy ridge, walk through the golden glow of an autumn aspen glade, pause to watch the mountain sheep in their breathtaking scamper up a cliff face, or gather with your neighbors for the county-wide potluck dinner after the Christmas Tree walk.

Access: Highways, Roads & Airports

Year-round access to Mineral County is via both US Highway 160, which crosses roughly northeast-southwest over Wolf Creek Pass in the south part of the county, and Colorado Highway 149, which cuts a southeast-northwest diagonal through the central part of the county. The state highway folks usually make short work of any snow on these roads. Numerous Forest Service roads and 4-wheel drive and hiking trails crisscross the mountains and are popular recreation access summer through late autumn; however, most are closed by winter snows. Quite a few miles of these roads are groomed for snowmobiles, a very popular activity during the winter. Other trails are groomed for cross-country skiing, also pretty big around here. Highway 149, passing through South Fork, Creede, and Lake City, has been designated the Silver Thread National Scenic Byway. And is it ever! Nearest commercial airports are in Alamosa and Durango, both with car rental agents. Creede sports a 6,700+ foot paved landing strip.

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Creede & Mineral County Visitor Center & Chamber of Commerce

Open Tue-Sat 9am - 4pm, Lunch 1-2
904 S. Main St., PO Box 580
Creede CO 81130
Area Information Located North of Door. Free WiFi is always on!

719-658-2374
office@creede.com

Donations are appreciated. As a non-profit organization, we thrive on the kindness and charity of our visitors. Thank you!