The wild donkeys that wander Cripple Creek all summer

Spend a summer day on Bennett Avenue in Cripple Creek and you may have to wait for a donkey to finish crossing the street. A small herd lives loose in town from roughly mid-May into mid-October, dozing in the shade and ambling between the old storefronts at 9,494 feet. The tradition traces back to the gold-mining days, when burros hauled ore and supplies; as modern methods took over in the late 1920s, miners turned the animals loose, and many simply stayed.

Today the herd is looked after by the Two Mile High Club, which formed in 1931 and has provided daily care, food, and winter shelter for more than 90 years. The club says it is the oldest incorporated civic organization in Colorado. Its big yearly event, Donkey Derby Days, dates to that same first summer in 1931 and is the club’s largest fundraiser; the 2026 festival is billed as the 95th annual.

The donkeys are gentle but wild, so give them room. The club asks visitors to skip people food and offer only the approved donkey treats sold around town for a small donation. To plan a visit or help with the herd’s care, start with the Two Mile High Club at cripplecreekdonkeys.com.