Cripple Creek is a statutory city serving as the county seat of Teller County in Colorado, United States. It sits approximately 20 miles southwest of Colorado Springs near the base of Pikes Peak within the Front Range Urban Corridor. The community occupies a high valley at an elevation of 9,494 feet, situated on the core of an ancient volcano that was last active over 30 million years ago during the Oligocene period.

The area began as a cattle pasture before Robert Miller Womack discovered rich ore on October 20, 1890, triggering the last great Colorado gold rush. Developers Horace Bennett and Julius Myers platted a townsite named Fremont, while others established Hayden Placer and Cripple Creek. The Town of Cripple Creek was incorporated on June 9, 1892, and Teller County was created from portions of El Paso and Fremont counties with the city as its seat in 1899.

The Cripple Creek Historic District received National Historic Landmark status in 1961 and includes all of the city and surrounding area. Most historic buildings date back to 1896, following two disastrous fires that destroyed much of the original wooden structures. The town features carefully maintained late nineteenth-century architecture, with casinos now occupying many historic buildings alongside landmarks like the Palace Hotel and the Old Homestead.

Cripple Creek attracts visitors through its gold mining heritage and legalized gambling industry, which was permitted by voters in 1991. The area offers museums such as the Pikes Peak Heritage Center, the Cripple Creek District Museum, and the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum. Tourists can ride the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad or explore the remnants of the boom era, including the Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum.

The population was 1,155 at the 2020 United States census, covering a total area of 974 acres. The economy relies on tourism, gaming, and mining operations conducted by Newmont Mining. Access is primarily via car or motorcycle through Colorado Springs, with public parking available in regulated lots. Summer provides lovely weather but higher tourist ratios, while the town remains accessible year-round.