This morning, depart Ouray and enjoy a road tour of the beautiful Rocky Mountains as we traverse the western slope and cross the continental divide to the Front Range for our final Railroad experience. Enjoy the views and vistas of this unique and timeless landscape along with a great lunch at one of the local haunts along the way.
In the afternoon, you will visit Georgetown, CO (8,500 feet). This town was once known as the “Silver Queen of Colorado” due to the large silver deposits discovered back in 1864. Here you will depart on the first train ride of the tour, the Georgetown Loop Railroad. This old-time steam locomotive will chug its way up the canyon, hauling you past the remains of several gold and silver mines. The Georgetown Loop Railroad open-car train runs between Georgetown and Silver Plume, over 2 miles apart, with mountainous terrain requiring trestles, cuts, fills, loops, and curves totaling 3.1 miles of narrow-gauge track. At the end of the line, we tour the Lebanon Silver Mine, taking you 500 feet into a mine tunnel bored in the 1870s. Your guide will point out rich veins of silver and tell you about early-day mining. The temperature inside the mine is a constant 44 degrees Fahrenheit, so bring a jacket. The tour also includes visits to the manager's office, the miners' change room, and the tool shed. Late in the afternoon, you will return to Colorado Springs for final farewells.
Breakfast 6:30 am – 9:30 am
Meals: B, L