Fairplay
A gold-rush county seat near 10,000 feet, with wide South Park skies and the Mosquito Range on the skyline.
About Fairplay
Fairplay is the county seat of Park County and one of the highest incorporated towns in Colorado, sitting at roughly 9,950 feet on the northern edge of South Park. It's a small place, a little over 700 residents, but it sits at a crossroads: US 285 runs through on its way to Buena Vista, and CO 9 heads north toward Alma and Hoosier Pass.
For a landscape photographer, Fairplay is less a single subject than a base camp. The Mosquito Range rises to the west, the open grasslands of South Park roll out to the south and east, and the Middle Fork of the South Platte runs past town. Weathered false-front buildings, old cabins and ranch fences give you foreground that feels earned rather than staged.
The town also hosts Burro Days each July, when pack-burro racers head toward 13,185-foot Mosquito Pass, a quirky and very photogenic piece of mining-era heritage.
A high mountain town in South Park at over 9,900 feet, with wide-open ranchland and the Mosquito Range as a backdrop — genuinely one of the best places in the state to shoot a lone flag, fence line, or two-track road against big sky and mountains. The openness here means very little competes with your subject, which is exactly the point.
History
Fairplay dates to 1859 and the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Prospectors who arrived late were frustrated that early claimants had locked up huge claims, so they named their camp for the fairer system they promised to run. The post office opened in 1861, the town incorporated in 1872, and county voters made it the Park County seat in 1867. The spelling shifted from "Fair Play" to "Fairplay" in 1924.
Gold and silver mining in the surrounding hills kept the area going for decades, well into the twentieth century. South Park City, an open-air museum at the north end of Front Street, gathers relocated historic buildings to recreate a mining-era town.
Photographing Fairplay
Best light: Sunrise is the move here: first light hits the Mosquito Range to the west while the South Park grasslands are still in soft shadow. Late summer storms build over the peaks in the afternoon, and fall brings gold willows and grasses rather than big aspen stands right in town.
Shots to look for
- Mosquito Range peaks glowing at sunrise, shot from the open grassland edges east of town with a 70-200mm to compress the ridgeline
- False-front buildings and boardwalks at South Park City in low side light, 24-35mm for the streetscape
- Burro Days racers and pack animals on the course with a fast telephoto
- Ranch fences and lone cabins in South Park under big storm clouds, wide angle with a polarizer to deepen the sky
- Milky Way over the dark South Park basin on moonless nights, away from US 285 traffic
Photo tips
- At nearly 10,000 feet, weather turns fast and nights are cold even in summer; pack layers for pre-dawn shoots
- Much of the land around town is private ranchland; shoot from public roads and pullouts and respect fences
- Wind on the open park can shake a tripod; hang your bag from the center column and keep legs low
- South Park City is a museum with its own hours and admission; check before planning a shoot there
- Watch for pronghorn and elk on the grasslands at dawn and dusk; a 400mm earns its spot in the bag
Know before you go
- Altitude is a real factor if you're coming from Denver; hydrate and take it easy the first day
- Burro Days brings big crowds and road closures in late July
- US 285 and CO 9 can see winter storms and closures; check CDOT road conditions before heading over Kenosha or Hoosier passes
Prints from Fairplay
Every photo is available as a print on metal, canvas, wood or fine art paper.
Frequently asked questions
How high is Fairplay, Colorado?
Fairplay sits at roughly 9,950 feet, making it one of the highest incorporated towns in Colorado. Expect thin air and cold mornings.
How did Fairplay get its name?
Late-arriving gold rush miners in 1859 resented the oversized claims staked by earlier prospectors, so they named their camp for the fairer claim system they promised.
When is Burro Days in Fairplay?
Burro Days is held the last weekend of July. The headline event is a long pack-burro race toward Mosquito Pass.
Combine it with
Alma · Hoosier Pass · Mosquito Pass · Kenosha Pass
More Colorado spots
Chief Mountain · Crystal, CO (townsite) · Lakeside, CO (Lakeside Amusement Park)
Sources & further reading: en.wikipedia.org. Conditions, fees and rules change; check with the managing agency before you go.