Crystal Mill
Near Marble, CO
CRYSTAL MILl
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF CRYSTAL MILL
This old rustic mill, placed on the Crystal River with its jagged rocks, waterfall and colorful aspens makes one of the most beautiful, most picturesque spots in Colorado.
The old mill is actually a powerhouse built in 1892 (and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985) and stands along the Crystal River about 5 miles east of the small town of Marble, CO. The location is only accessible with a high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle, horseback or on foot. A very, very tough trip to get there, but worth every moment.
The Crystal Mill is one private property and as of Fall 2022 the owners were charging $10 - $20 per person (based on your photography setup) to photograph inside the rope boundary.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
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DATA POINTS INCLUDED WITH CRYSTAL MILL SUMMARY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 5 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). Although the location of this shot is an easy 50 yd. walk from the parking lot of the Crystal Mill, the road (if you can call it a road) is one of the more difficult you will ever travel. THIS LOCATION IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.
There are several ways to get to the Crystal Mill: 1) walk the 5.6 miles each way, 2) drive your vehicle, 3) rent an ATV/ Polaris or 4) take a Jeep tour. If you are going to drive, be aware – that a serious 4-wheel off road vehicle is a must and I would suggest a spotter to help navigate the several deadly drop-offs, many high points, and large rocks on this severely narrow road. Watch this video before driving the road to the Crystal Mill (to see what you are in for)
Unless you have the right vehicle and are an experienced 4-wheel drive enthusiast, I would strongly suggest renting an ATV/ Polaris or taking a jeep tour. In the little town of Marble, CO you can either rent an ATV/ Polaris or take a Jeep tour at:
Crystal River Jeep Tours
(970) 963-1991
Marble, Colorado
RPS ATV RENTALS/ RPS Rentals
(970) 963-3747
112 East Main Street, Marble CO
I have seen hundreds of images from this location. My favorite is a shot from directly in front of the mill. However, this a dangerous and very difficult shot to pull off for the following reasons: 1) to eliminate the foreground, you have to sit on a small ridge directly above the Crystal river (falling in the river from this spot would be disastrous/deadly), 2) the distance from the small ridge above the river to the mill is very short, which requires an extreme wide angle lens, 3) the mill is higher than the small ridge where you are, and when pointing up to the mill you get a keystone effect, and 4) to get the silky look for the water movement, you need a slower shutter speed (1/2 second or longer), but the Aspen trees behind the mill are usually blowing pretty …
There are several places to shoot the mill: either straight on or from the side. If you shoot straight on, you will need an extreme wide angle lens (11-20mm). If you are going to shoot from the side, you can use a 24-50mm lens.
The shot above was shot from the side of the mill with a 35mm lens.
8,897 Ft. Elevation
Other Resources Available with Membership
KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
