Georgetown Loop Railroad
4.6(6.4K)google
4.0(335)yelp
FamilyMountainScenic LookoutTrain
Overview
The Georgetown Loop Railroad is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge United States heritage railroad located in the Rocky Mountains in Clear Creek County, adjacent to Interstate 70 in Colorado. This tourist train runs between the communities of Georgetown and Silver Plume, a distance of 2 miles (3.2 km). The route is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) long and ascends an elevation of 640 feet (195.1 m) through mountainous terrain along with trestles, cuts, fills, and a grand loop.
Practical Info
Every day9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-3 hours
Best TimeLate September during peak fall colors or November-December for the festive 'Santa's Lighted Forest' evening trains. Securing a ticket for the 10:00 AM or 11:30 AM departure in an open-air gondola car is premium; this gives you the best direct sunlight to photograph the historic steam locomotive chugging over the iconic 100-foot-high Devil's Gate High Bridge.
Getting ThereThe primary boarding terminal (Devil's Gate Station) is located at 646 Loop Drive in Georgetown. Drive west from Denver on I-70 W for about 45 miles to mountain Exit 226. Follow the immediate brown historical attraction signs at the bottom of the ramp, turning onto Loop Drive directly into the train's vast, free unpaved parking lot.
Travel Tips
- As one of Colorado's premier historic narrow-gauge steam lines, peak autumn foliage and winter holiday train allocations are highly competitive. Walk-up availability at the ticket windows is virtually non-existent; reserve your passes online 2 to 4 weeks early, and bundle the Mine Tour extension during checkout.
- The railway operations feature two separate boarding depots: Devil's Gate Station (Georgetown) and Silver Plume Station. The premium tactical choice is initiating your journey from Silver Plume Station, which offers expansive parking structures, whereas Devil's Gate interfaces directly with heavy I-70 highway merges.
- Because the fleet consists largely of authentic open-air gondola layouts clearing the soaring Devil's Gate High Bridge, canyon crosswinds are fiercely sharp. Even throughout July and August daylight runs, high-altitude temperature drops are acute; bring a heavy windproof fleece jacket and avoid loose hats.
Reviews
Positive
- Riding the steam locomotive across the 100-foot-tall Devil's Gate High Bridge offers a thrilling, grand aerial canyon view.
- The historic narrow-gauge loop uses brilliant spiral engineering, packed with entertaining gold-rush history commentary from staff.
- You can bundle tickets with a historic silver mine underground walking tour, putting on hardhats to explore real tunnels.
- The station sits right off the I-70 highway for elite driving convenience, featuring specialized wheelchair lift platforms.
Heads up
- Basic round-trip fares are steep, and bundling the cave tour demands a heavy extra fee, making family budgets sweat.
- The track loop layout is quite short; the entire rail ride wraps up in under 90 minutes, leaving some feeling it's too brief.
- Because sections run parallel to the loud I-70 highway corridor, heavy semi-truck road noise distracts from the mountain vibe.
- Fall foliage and Christmas train events are chronically overbooked; parking lots jam completely and restroom lines get long.