Excursions
For a Half Day
Golden: Denver’s origins in mining and the Wild West are clearly evident at Golden, 23km (14 miles) west of Denver. The handsome Victorian buildings in the historic business district are beautifully restored and colourful shops, art galleries, bars and restaurants are set beneath the wooden arcades. Heritage Square, 18301 West Colfax Avenue (tel: (303) 279 2789), a reconstructed Colorado mining town from the 1870s, is mainly of interest to children, with amusement park rides and a music hall. The winding, scenic Lariat Trail from Highway Six leads up Lookout Mountain to Buffalo Bill’s Museum and Grave (tel: (303) 526 0747; website: www.buffalobill.org), which has original posters from his Wild West shows and exhibits illustrating life on the frontier and the days of the famous Pony Express. Moving on to the heyday of the railroads in the west, the Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 West 44th Avenue (tel: (303) 279 4591; website: www.crrm.org), has a vast collection of memorabilia, more than 50 narrow gauge cars and locomotives and a gigantic model railroad layout. Golden is reached by US40 or US6 from Denver or by RTD buses 16, 17 and 44L.
The Greater Golden Colorado Chamber of Commerce, 1010 Washington Avenue (tel: (800) 590 3113; fax: (303) 279 0332; website: www.goldencochamber.org) provides tourist information on Golden.
For a Whole Day
Georgetown: Lying in a spectacular mountain valley, 68km (42 miles) west of Denver, Georgetown (website: www.georgetowncolorado.com) is a historic mining town maintained and restored in turn-of-the-century style. Horse-drawn carriage tours wind through the pretty side streets but the highlight in summer is the steam-powered Georgetown Loop Railroad ride to the Lebanon Silver Mine. The narrow gauge, antique steam locomotive curves down a mountain ledge, crossing over the 27m (100ft) Devil’s Gate Bridge. The trip is very popular, so visitors should book ahead (tel: (303) 569 2403 or (800) 691 4386; website: www.georgetownloop.com).
From Georgetown, all the routes are scenic but the drive north on US40, which winds through the alpine beauty of Arapaho National Forest to Winter Park and on to Grand Lake, is particularly good. From here, the route goes over the famous Trail Ridge Road (closed during winter), through Rocky Mountain National Park, with views right across the Rockies, and continues on to Denver via Estes Park and Boulder. It gives a taste of the grandeur of the peaks, the clear blue of the lakes, the verdant forest trails and the vast spaces for outdoor enjoyment.
The Georgetown Visitor Centre (tel: (303) 569 2888; e-mail: gtownvisitor@earthlink.net; website: www.town.georgetown.co.us) provides further information.
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Excursions