Pine Grove Getaway
A Resort and RailRoad History
Established in 1886, Pine Grove was where the wealthy from Denver traveled to retreat from city live, and where mining, fishing, ice harvesting, and other activities took place. Below is what we've discovered in our quest for knowledge of an era long ago!
From its founding days, Pine Grove was a destination on the narrow gauge railroad from Denver for elites to come to enjoy the mountains and outdoors. From Denver it took about a half a day by train to arrive, and visitors would say at either the Baehrden Lodge, or the Crystal Lake Resort. Guests would enjoy the abundance of outdoor recreational activities (not unlike what we are doing now) for weeks at a time. Full time residents here were the resort workers, railroad workers, local miners, and ice haulers. Crystal Lake was known as a prime spot to collect ice, and it was often stored in what is now the Pine Library. There is a lowered part of the library that used to house ice in the warmer months. Take a trip to the library and observe how the space gets colder in the back!
Here's an old photo of the Baehrden Lodge, which is located right next to the Jeffco Open Space. It was architected by Jacques J.B. Benedict and built for the cool price of $1.5 MIL in 1927.
Baehrden Lodge had been open for use and tours up until 2017, when it became infested with bats. The bats were removed, but because of the pandemic, the Lodge hasn't been re-opened for tours. The grounds are private property, so there's no access to the building, but you can see it from the Jeffco Open space. Here's to hoping it opens up soon again!