Cripple Creek Donkeys - Two Mile High Club

06/11/2026

🌶️🫏 Hey y’all, Salsa here… and I’m READY! Are YOU?!?!?

I’ve been practicing my poses, perfecting my strut, and getting my Derby Days spirit fired up! ❤️🔥

Join me and all my donkey friends at the 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days for a weekend of donkey races, live music, parade, tasty treats, vendors, family fun, and plenty of Colorado charm.

I’ve brought the sass.
I’ve brought the energy.
I’ve understood the assignment.

Now it’s your turn! 😉

📍 Cripple Creek, Colorado
📅 June 26-28, 2026
🎉 Celebrating 95 Years of Donkey Derby Days

Watch my commercial, mark your calendars, and I’ll see you there! ❤️🫏🌶️

06/11/2026

🫏🎉 16 Days Until the 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days! 🎉🫏

Today’s Donkey Derby Days Spotlight shines on one of the biggest stars of the show… Cripple Creek, Colorado itself! ✨🏔️ And let’s give a big round of applause, because the City of Cripple Creek is not only a sponsor, but they are also working hard behind the scenes to help us pull off this 95th anniversary celebration 🎉 THANK YOU ❤️🎉

Sure, the donkeys may steal the spotlight, but Cripple Creek is packed with incredible businesses, attractions, museums, restaurants, shops, and historic treasures that make every visit unforgettable.

When you’re here for Donkey Derby Days, be sure to wander beyond the races and show some love to our amazing local businesses! From unique retail shops and delicious restaurants to fascinating museums and family-friendly attractions, there’s something around every corner waiting to be discovered.

At Creations Everlasting you will find unique treasurers, gifts and homemade food and treats!
Thank you for sponsoring our event!

🏛️ Cripple Creek Heritage Center Visitor Information and Museum-Colorado
Make this your first stop on the way into town! Learn about the rich history, geology, and gold mining heritage that helped shape the World’s Greatest Gold Camp.

🎭 The Butte Theater
One of Cripple Creek’s true gems! During Donkey Derby Days, catch their production of “Under the Colorado Moon,” running June 12 through July 12, 2026. It’s the perfect way to add a little western charm and entertainment to your Derby Days adventure.

A special THANK YOU to The Butte Theater for sponsoring our beloved donkey, Cassie! 🫏❤️

🚂 Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad
No trip to Cripple Creek is complete without hopping aboard this historic train! Sit back, relax, and enjoy a ride through history while learning about the boomtown days of Colorado’s legendary gold camp. It’s a ride that’s guaranteed to stay on track for fun! 😉
A BIG THANK YOU for sponsoring Georganna 🫏❤️🫏

🔒 Cripple Creek District Museum and Information Center - Colorado & Old Homestead House Museum
History lovers won’t want to miss these incredible windows into Cripple Creek’s colorful past. Every building, artifact, and exhibit tells a story from the days when gold fever swept the hills.

🎰 Feeling Lucky?
Cripple Creek’s casinos are a huge part of our community and many proudly support both Donkey Derby Days and the Cripple Creek Donkeys. Whether you’re testing your luck or simply enjoying the atmosphere, be sure to stop in and support these wonderful community partners.

🛍️🍔🏨 There are countless shops, restaurants, lodging options, museums, attractions, and hidden gems waiting for you to explore. The donkeys may be the reason you come, but Cripple Creek is the reason you’ll want to stay awhile!

👉 Plan your visit and discover everything Cripple Creek has to offer:

https://www.cityofcripplecreek.com/visit-cripple-creek

🫏 16 days to go! The countdown to the 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days is racing along faster than a donkey headed toward a bucket of treats.

Thank you to our casino sponsors
Golden Nugget Cripple Creek
Chamonix Casino Resort
Triple Crown Casinos
Century Casino Cripple Creek
Colorado Grande Casino
Double Eagle Hotel and Casino
Johnny Nolan's Casino

Welcome to Cripple Creek, Colorado

06/10/2026

🐴📣 A Message from Team Free Roam 📣🐴

Well, friends… we did a thing.

After some serious donkey discussions, a few committee meetings at a top secret location, and what we’re calling a highly successful “Operation: Back to the Barnyard,” we figured out how to get around the cattle guard and walked ourselves right back to the pasture. 😎

Why? Simple. We missed our buddies.

Some of our favorite donkey friends spend their days at the pasture, and we decided it was time to go hang out with them. So we voted with our hooves and headed home.

And honestly? The pasture life is pretty hard to beat!

Basically, it’s a five-star donkey resort. We’d leave a glowing review, but our hooves make typing difficult.

The best part? You can still come visit us! In fact, we’re easier to find than ever. Instead of playing hide-and-seek around town, you can visit us at the pasture where we’ll be waiting to greet you from the feeding platform.

For now, we’re enjoying some quality time with our buddies, and all the comforts of home.

❤️ Team Free Roam

Donkey pasture located at 510 County Road 89, Cripple Creek, just past Mountain View Adventure Park.

“Home is where the herd is.”

06/10/2026

95th Annual Donkey Derby Days
June 26 - 28 in Cripple Creek!

The 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days Festival is set to take place in Cripple Creek from June 26-28 this year. According to a press release, the festival will include live music, family activities, western-themed festivities, and the donkeys that “define Cripple Creek’s character.” There will be ...

06/09/2026

🐴❤️ Meet the Heartbeat of the Herd: Our Donkey Wranglers! ❤️🐴

Every organization has heroes. Ours wear work boots, carry hay bales, scoop p**p and push wheelbarrows, and show up no matter what Mother Nature has planned.

Our Donkey Wranglers are the dedicated hands and hearts behind the care of our historic herd. From sunrise to sunset, and often long after, they work tirelessly to make sure every donkey receives the love, care, and attention they deserve.

They do it all:

🌾 Hauling and dropping hay bales
🧹 Cleaning the barn and dry lot
💩 Scooping p**p (lots and lots of p**p!)
💊 Administering medications and treatments
🦟 Providing fly protection and care
🐴 Monitoring and treating hoof issues
🌾Preparing special feeds for our senior donkeys
❤️ Watching over the herd through every season and every challenge

Whether it’s -1° with whipping snow and biting winds or a beautiful Colorado summer day, our wranglers are there. 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, they put the donkeys first. Their commitment, compassion, and hard work ensure that this historic herd receives the exceptional care they deserve.

🌟 A Very Special Shout-Out to Gary and Jana Davis! 🌟

June 7 marked their one-year Donkey-versary!

Their journey began when none other than Flash came braying outside their home, apparently determined to recruit them into the herd’s fan club. The rest, as they say, is history!

Gary and Jana have become an invaluable part of our donkey family. They help keep the pasture spotless, keep a watchful eye on the security cameras through the night, and pour endless love and care into every member of the herd. Their dedication, kindness, and fierce commitment to the donkeys make them true rockstars.

🎉 Thank you, Gary and Jana, for an incredible first year! We are so grateful to have you as part of the Two Mile High Club family.

Please join us in celebrating all of our amazing Donkey Wranglers and congratulating Gary and Jana on their one-year Donkey-versary! Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and our herd is thriving because of you. ❤️🐴💙

06/09/2026

Minnie Pearl, Donkey Derby Days Spokes-Donkey 🩷🫏

Well, sugar, my name’s Minnie Pearl, and unlike some donkeys I could mention, I know how to make an entrance. 💅✨

I’ve been brushing up on my smiles, fluffing my mane, and practicing my best “Who, me?” look because it’s almost time for the 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days!

📅 June 26-28
📍 Cripple Creek, Colorado

Now, folks say donkeys are stubborn. I prefer the term selectively cooperative. 😏

You’ll find me enjoying the festivities, greeting my fans, and reminding everyone that a lady donkey never rushes… unless hay is involved. Then it’s every donkey for herself. 😂

There’ll be racing, family fun, historic donkeys, and enough memories to fill a whole barn.

So put on your favorite Donkey Derby Days smile and come celebrate 95 years of one of Colorado’s most beloved traditions!

And if you spot a beautiful donkey posing like she’s on the cover of Barnyard Vogue… that’s me, darlin’. 💖🫏

See y’all June 26-28!

06/09/2026

🫏🚨 ALL HOOVES ON DECK! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! 🚨🫏

We are just 18 days away from the 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days® and it takes a whole lot of manpower—and donkey power—to pull off an event like this!

Since 1931, the Two Mile High Club has hosted this historic celebration honoring the hardworking burros that helped build the World’s Greatest Gold Camp. For 95 years, this event has helped support and care for the Cripple Creek Donkeys, making it one of Colorado’s most unique and enduring traditions.

Unfortunately, our volunteer roster is currently looking a little like Swiss cheese. 🧀🫏

Lots of holes. Not enough humans.

The good news? You don’t have to volunteer all weekend! Take a shift or two, especially in the afternoon or evening, and enjoy the rest of the festivities.

We need help with:
🍺 Beer Gardens
🎊 Merchandise Sales
✅ Volunteer Check In
ℹ️ Information Booths
🤫 Silent Auction
👉 Set-Up & Break Down
🤩 And more!

Be part of something bigger than a weekend event. Help preserve local history, support animal welfare, and keep a 95-year tradition going strong.

👉 Sign up: https://www.cripplecreekdonkeys.com/volunteer

Have questions or need help signing up, email [email protected]

Come for the donkeys. Stay for the memories. Leave with dusty boots and a few great stories. ❤️🫏



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At Two Mile High. Club, we believe that volunteers make all the difference and we invite you to join our team and help support the donkeys in our care.