CRIPPLE CREEK — Each year come mid-May to early-June, a local herd of donkeys are released from their winter pen in Cripple Creek, Colorado to roam the town during the warmer months of the year, typically until October.

These aren’t just any donkeys either. They’re believed to be direct descendants of the donkeys used to mine the area – the famous Cripple Creek and Victor mining district. Many times when miners would leave the area, they would leave their donkeys behind, setting them loose to roam.

Read more at OutThere Colorado.