During one of our local adventure days last week, Joker and I took the girls a few miles west to the town of Georgetown. There's a pretty neat old downtown with the highest per capita number of Victorian houses in the country (if I recall correctly), and if antiquing is your thing there is a ton to do there. After we grabbed a quick lunch, we went to the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad.
The line dates back to around the turn of the century (1900, not 2000), when train travel was popular for day trips for Denver's well-to-do. Passengers would ride up from Denver, have a picnic lunch and spend the day in Georgetown or Silver Plume and return in time for dinner. The train is notable for two major reasons. First, it is a narrow-gauge train, meaning the rails are only three feet apart versus the standard gauge of 4' 8". This was popular for mountain rail in the heyday of the railroad. Second, it crosses a pretty incredible 100 foot high bridge which offers beautiful views along with a little anxiety for anyone with a fear of heights.
The entire round trip to Silver Plume takes less than an hour and a half, which is perfect for kids the ages of mine. All of the cars and engines are super cool, dating back to around 1900 as well. The ride is beautiful and fun and a great way to spend an afternoon.
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