I rarely write about anything outside of Golden's city limits, but last Friday, I went to Georgetown in search of fall foliage. It was a bit early at that elevation, but I hear the colors were lovely just above Georgetown, on the Guanella Pass.
So what justifies including this excursion in GoldenToday? Because the Georgetown Loop Railway was part of Golden's Railroad--the Colorado Central!
The spectacular "Devils Gate" railroad bridge above Georgetown was built to serve the mines west of Georgetown. It was also a popular tourist attraction: excursion trains brought visitors from Denver to enjoy the mountain scenery.
The original bridge was dismantled in 1939, after rail service to Georgetown ended. Learn more about the history of the Loop.
In the 1970s through '80s, this short piece of the western end of the Colorado Central was rebuilt, to serve as a tourist attraction. It now operates as the Georgetown Loop Railroad and runs from Georgetown to Silver Plume.
They offer rides from March through December, with many holiday specials, including Easter, Father's Day, and holiday lights trains. They're offering PumpkinFest, AutumnFest, and Trick or Treat Trains in October, and the depot was already well-populated with skeletons and other scary creatures. We also spotted workers in the woods, stringing lights for the holiday trains.
The Georgetown Loop Railroad is a fun way to see the autumn leaves and experience a piece of Golden-related history.
