Salina is a former mining town in Boulder County , Colorado , United States approximately west of Boulder . Established in 1874 , after Colorado 's first gold discovery in 1859 , Salina was founded by miners who migrated to Boulder from Salina , Kansas . It is located at the junction of Four Mile Canyon and Gold Run roads . The mining camp was originally accessible only by horseback or wagons pulled by mules but later became part of Colorado 's Switzerland Trail when the Greeley , Salt Lake , & Pacific narrow gauge railroad was built in the early 1880s . Today , most of Salina 's original structures still stand , including the one-room schoolhouse , Salina School , and church , the Little Church in the Pines , despite the state 's worst wildfire in 2010 and historic flooding during the 2013 Colorado floods
2013 Colorado floods
2013 Colorado floods
Salina, Colorado