Gilpin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado, smallest in land area behind only the City and County of Broomfield. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,808. The county seat is Central City. The county was formed in 1861, while Colorado was still a territory, and was named after Colonel William Gilpin, the first territorial governor. Gilpin County is part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
thumb|1904 broadside bird's eye view or map of Gilpin County, Colorado, issued by the Gilpin County Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado map publisher [[George Samuel Clason]]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water. It is the second-smallest county by area in Colorado.
Adjacent counties
- Boulder – north
- Jefferson – east
- Clear Creek – south
- Grand – west
Major highways
- 20px State Highway 46
- 20px State Highway 72
- 20px State Highway 119
- Central City Parkway
National protected areas
- Arapaho National Forest
- James Peak Wilderness
- Roosevelt National Forest
State protected area
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Scenic trail and byway
- Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
- Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway