Nathrop

Nathrop is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The Nathrop post office has the ZIP code 81236.[3] At the United States Census 2010, the population of the 81236 ZIP Code Tabulation Area was 1,017 including adjacent areas.[4]

Nathrop was named for Charles Nachtrieb, owner of the townsite.[2][5] In 1880, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad built through Nathrop as part of their Tennessee Pass line. The tracks were placed out of service in 1997, but Union Pacific, present-day owner of the line, may reach an agreement to reopen it.

The Nathrop CDP has an area of 463 acres (1.873 km2), all land.[1]

Ruby Mountain is a rhyolite outcrop located about one mile northeast of Nathrop. Small spessartite garnet crystals are found throughout the outcropping. Small pebbles of black obsidian referred to as "Apache tears" by collectors can also be found in the talus rock at the base of the cliffs.[6]

The United States Census Bureau defined the Nathrop CDP for the United States Census 2020.