The Georgetown Loop
A narrow-gauge steam train that crosses over its own track on a 95-foot trestle, plus a silver mine kept at a permanent 40 degrees.
The short version
- The Loop is an 1884 answer to a blunt problem: Silver Plume sits 600 feet above Georgetown in two straight miles, so the engineers corkscrewed four and a half miles of narrow-gauge track into the canyon, crossing over itself on the Devil’s Gate High Bridge nearly 100 feet up. Trains run late May through mid-October from both towns, plus holiday runs — book at georgetownlooprr.com.
- The ride takes about an hour and a quarter behind steam or vintage diesel, open cars and canyon walls included; trains sell out summer weekends, and tickets are collected in person 30 minutes before departure.
- The Lebanon Silver Mine tour adds 75 minutes and is the sleeper hit: a walk into a working-era silver mine at a year-round 40 degrees, hard hats on, children under five not allowed underground. Bring the jacket you thought you did not need.
- Georgetown itself out-charms the ride for some visitors — a gridiron of 1870s Victorians below the interstate, with the Hotel de Paris museum preserving the frontier hotel a French miner built into legend.
- Devil’s Gate station in Georgetown runs year-round events; Silver Plume’s depot opens seasonally. Either way the altitude starts above 8,500 feet — flatlanders should hydrate like it is a sport.
Getting there
I-70 west from Denver to exit 228, about 45 miles and 50 minutes when the interstate behaves — weekend ski and leaf traffic can double it, so go early. Devil’s Gate station sits just off the exit below town. There is no practical transit; this is a driving day. Pairing the Loop with an Idaho Springs stop on the way back keeps the mountain-town theme going without adding miles.
The day
Take a mid-morning departure and ride the full loop — the corkscrew geometry only makes sense from inside it, when Silver Plume’s depot appears above you, then below you, then under your own wheels on the high bridge. Do the Lebanon Mine tour if booked: the walk-in adit, the original tool rooms, and the cold tell the silver story better than any museum case. Back at the depot, drive the two minutes up into Georgetown proper for lunch and the Victorian grid — the Hotel de Paris tour is short and strange and worth it. If energy holds, the Guanella Pass road climbs south out of town for an hour of alpine scenery, bighorn sheep included at no extra charge.
When to go
Late May through mid-October is the main season; late September is the jackpot, when the aspens turn the canyon gold and every seat sells. Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms on schedule — morning trains dodge them. The holiday trains in December run shorter, colder, and sell out the way Christmas things do. Whatever the month, the canyon runs 10 degrees cooler than Denver.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is the Georgetown Loop from Denver?
About 45 miles west on I-70, a 50-minute drive to exit 228 without traffic. Weekend mountain traffic can stretch it badly; morning departures dodge the worst.
What makes the Loop special as a train ride?
The track crosses over itself to gain 600 feet between Georgetown and Silver Plume — a corkscrew of curves and trestles topped by the Devil’s Gate High Bridge, rebuilt to the 1884 design. It packs real mountain railroading into 75 minutes.
Is the mine tour worth adding?
If dark, cold, and historically sharp sounds appealing, yes — 75 extra minutes inside the Lebanon Silver Mine at a constant 40 degrees. Children under five cannot go underground; everyone else gets a hard hat.
Do trains sell out?
Summer weekends and the entire aspen-gold window, routinely. Book online ahead, then collect printed tickets at the station at least 30 minutes before departure — they are not emailed.
Which station should you start from?
Devil’s Gate in Georgetown for year-round service, parking, and the town itself; Silver Plume runs seasonally and starts at the top of the loop instead. The ride covers the same track either way.