# Black Hawk

Black Hawk is a city in Gilpin County in Colorado's Front Range. Also known as "The City of Mills". It is a popular destination because casino gambling is legal. Nestled up in the Rocky Mountains with beautiful scenery and a 35-minute drive from Denver, Colorado

## Understand

With a population of 127 in 2020, it is the least populated city in Colorado. It is one of Colorado's oldest cities where prospector John H. Gregory first discovered lode gold. Blackhawk quickly became the milling center for the gold ore mined throughout the county. City leaders banded together with Central City and Cripple Creek on the 1990 Colorado ballot to allow limited stakes gambling in the commercial districts of the towns. The measure passed and gaming began on October 1, 1991. In 2008 additional legislation was introduced to raise the betting limit, introduce new table games and allow casinos to stay open 24 hours.

## Get in
### By car
#### Traveling West from Denver

Beginning at the Colorado State Capital
* Take W Colfax Ave West towards I-25
* Merge onto I-25 S via the ramp to Colo Springs
* Take exit 209B for US-6 W/6th Ave toward Lakewood
* Keep left at the fork, follow signs for US-287 N/Colorado Country 88/Federal Blvd and merge onto US-6 W
* Take the exit onto I-70 W toward Grand Jct
* Take exit 244 for US-6 E toward Golden
* Slight right toward US-6 E
* Turn right onto US-6 E (signs for US-40 E/CO-119 E)
* Turn left onto CO-119
* Turn left onto Mill St
* Continue onto Miners Mesa Rd
* Continue onto Bobtail Rd

#### Traveling East from the Mountains

Beginning at Silverthorne, CO
* Head east on Willowbrook Rd toward Blue River Pkwy
* Take the 1st right onto Blue River Pkwy
* Turn left to merge onto I-70 E
* Take the exit on the left toward I-70 E/Denver
* Merge onto US-6 E
* Turn left onto CO-119
* Turn left onto Mill St
* Continue onto Miners Mesa Rd
* Continue onto Bobtail Rd

#### Traveling Southwest from Boulder, CO

Starting in Downtown Boulder (19th and Arapahoe)
* Head south on 19th St toward Arapahoe Ave
* Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Arapahoe Ave
* Turn left onto CO-93 S/Broadway
* Turn right onto US-6 W/Clear Creek/Clear Creek Canyon Rd
* Continue straight onto CO-119
* Turn left onto Mill St
* Continue onto Miners Mesa Rd
* Continue straight onto Bobtail Rd

#### Traveling South from Fort Collins, CO

Beginning at Fort Collins, CO
* Turn right onto S College Ave
* Turn left onto E Mulberry St
* Merge onto I-25 S via the ramp to Denver
* Take exit 216B to merge onto I-76 W toward Grand Jct
* Merge onto I-70 W
* Take exit 265 to merge onto CO-58 W toward Golden
* Continue onto US-6 W/Clear Creek/Clear Creek Canyon Rd
* Continue onto CO-119
* Turn left onto Mill St
* Continue onto Miners Mesa Rd
* Continue onto Bobtail Rd

#### Traveling North from Colorado Springs, CO

Starting in Downtown Colorado Springs (N Nevada Ave and E Bijou St.)
* Head west on E. Bijou Street
* Merge onto I-25 N via the ramp to Denver/Fort Collins
* Take exit 209B for US-6 W/6th Ave toward Lakewood
* Keep left at the fork, follow signs for US-287 N/Colorado Country 88/Federal Blvd and merge onto US-6 W
* Take the exit onto I-70 W toward Grand Jct
* Take exit 244 for US-6 E toward Golden
* Slight right toward US-6 E
* Turn right onto US-6 E (signs for US-40 E/CO-119 E)
* Turn left onto CO-119
* Turn left onto Mill St
* Continue onto Miners Mesa Rd
* Continue onto Bobtail Rd

### By bus

Casino Shuttles depart down town Denver and Aurora all day, roundtrip from $23 taking 30-40 minutes.

### By plane

By plane then you are coming from Denver International Airport (DEN) which isn't too far away about 90 minutes. Commonly referred to as DIA. It is about 20 miles to the east of downtown Denver. Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines all maintain hubs at the airport in Concourses A, B, and C respectively. Most other major domestic carriers also have service here

## Do

Blackhawk has more casinos than Atlantic City, New Jersey
* 39.800114-105.4892331 Ameristar Black Hawk Casino, 111 Richman St, ☏ +1 720 946-4000, fax: +1 303 582-0300. One of the newer casino/hotels in Blackhawk, There are over 1,100 slot machines: 5¢-$5 denominations, 5¢-$5 progressive video poker, 12 live blackjack tables, 12 live poker tables, 3 Roulette tables and 3 Craps tables
* 39.798151-105.4835092 Isle of Capri Casino, 401 Main St, ☏ +1 303-998-7777, toll-free: +1 800-843-4753.
* 39.799416-105.4903623 The Lodge Casino, 240 Main St, ☏ +1 303-582-1771.
* Monarch Casino, 488 Main Street, ☏ +1 303-582-1000. (updated Oct 2016)
* Saratoga Casino, 101 Main St., ☏ +1 303-582-6100. (updated Oct 2016)

## Eat

Some of the casinos offer all-you-can-eat buffets, and several of the town's restaurants are found inside of a casino.
* 39.801329-105.4948081 Crooks Palace, 200 Gregory St, ☏ +1 303-582-5182. Has really great food and will deliver Pizza and homemade Ice Cream to any of the local hotels
* White Buffalo Grill, 240 Main St (at Lodge Casino), ☏ +1 303-582-6375. Su-Th 4-9PM, F Sa 4-10PM, closed Tu W.

## Sleep

Many of the casinos also offer lodging.
* Chase Creek B&B, 250 Chase St, ☏ +1 303-582-3550. (updated Jul 2019)

## Connect

* 39.7992-105.48411 Gilpin County Public Library, 15131 CO-119, ☏ +1 303-582-5777, gilpinlib@co.gilpin.co.us. Tu Th 9AM-8PM, W F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-4PM, closed Su M. Free WiFi, public use computers, and scanning to your own flash drive. Printing is 10 cents per page. (updated Jan 2017)

## Stay safe

There is a police force that strictly enforces the drinking and driving laws. So that being said be careful

## Go next

* Central City is only one mile from Black Hawk, walking distance, just up the hill. There are shuttles that run between the towns also.