Editing Red Cliff, Colorado (section)

==History==
It was founded in 1879 during the [[Colorado Silver Boom]] by miners from [[Leadville, Colorado|Leadville]] who came over Tennessee Pass scouting for better prospects. The name derives from the red [[quartzite]] cliffs surrounding the town. As the first community in the Eagle Valley, it served temporarily as the first county seat of Eagle County (formed out of [[Summit County, Colorado|Summit County]] in 1883) until the relocation of the county seat to [[Eagle, Colorado|Eagle]] in 1921.

The town consists of a cluster of older homes and converted trailers on the flanks of the canyon around the river, as well as a post office, a historic church and older wooden structures along the main street of the town. Several of the older structures have been converted in recent years into modern businesses, including a restaurant. The town is located within easy driving distance of nearby [[skiing|ski areas]], and the revival of the town has given rise to a new inn housed in one of the downtown structures.

In winter, the town serves as a popular access point to Shrine Pass for [[cross-country skiing]], snowshoeing and snowmobiling. In recent years, a car shuttle has operated between the town and nearby [[Vail, Colorado|Vail]], allowing visitors to Vail easy access to the pass.

In 2008, the town of [[Minturn, Colorado|Minturn]] annexed around {{convert|4000|acre|km2}} for a proposed Battle Mountain Resort, which also included the abandoned mining town of [[Gilman, Colorado|Gilman]]. With the expansion, Minturn is now Red Cliff's immediate neighbor to the north.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Battle Mountain |url=http://www.battlemtndevelopment.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827191114/http://www.battlemtndevelopment.com/ |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |website=battlemtndevelopment.com}}</ref>