Georgetown, CO
Georgetown Loop Railroad
At a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-24- TypeNarrated narrow-gauge mountain railroad with an optional silver-mine tour
- LocationGeorgetown, CO
- Rating4.6 ★6,217 Google reviews
- UpcomingSat, Aug 29
About Georgetown Loop Railroad
Georgetown Loop Railroad operates a narrated narrow-gauge round trip through Clear Creek Canyon between Devil's Gate Depot in Georgetown and Silver Plume. The main-season train ride lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes; from mid-October through early January it is about 55 minutes. An April-through-mid-September Lebanon Silver Mine option extends the total experience to about 2 hours 30 minutes. The railway is a History Colorado historic site operated in partnership with Historic Rail Adventures.
Plan a Georgetown Loop Ride
Choose the visit that fits your groupFamilies, railfans, and first-time visitors
Ride the narrated Loop
Use the standard round trip for Clear Creek Canyon scenery, mining history, trestles, and Devil's Gate High Bridge.
Mining-history visitors age five and older
Add the Lebanon Mine carefully
Choose the 2.5-hour package only if every participant can handle altitude, darkness, enclosed space, and uneven walking.
Seasonal and repeat visitors
Choose a seasonal event
Use the current event calendar for fall colors, pumpkins, holiday lights, and winter rides without inventing daily service within published ranges.
Architecture, food-history, and preservation travelers
Tour Hotel de Paris Museum
Use the independent museum guide for current hours, access limits, and a second Georgetown history layer.
Upcoming Events
Complete official date check
2026–27 special-event calendar
Every named future event remaining after August 24 on the official event page was captured through January 3, 2027. Exact dates are enumerated for discrete weekends. The holiday pages publish operating windows rather than a daily guarantee, so those rows preserve dateRange boundaries and defer exact departures to live checkout. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- Standard rideAbout 1 hour 15 minutes in the main season
- Late-season rideAbout 55 minutes from mid-October through early January
- Train and mineAbout 2 hours 30 minutes total; mine tours run April through mid-September
- ArrivalArrive 30 minutes early to collect printed tickets at the depot
- ReservationsStrongly recommended because departures frequently sell out; walk-up sales are not guaranteed
- Current pricingVaries by season and departure; use the live checkout rather than an old fare
- Wheelchair planningCoach cars can accommodate wheelchairs when the reservation agent is told; mine tours are not wheelchair accessible
- Mine walkingAbout three-quarters of a mile in dark enclosed spaces on steep, uneven gravel around 9,000 feet
- Mine age ruleChildren under five cannot go underground
- Mine conditionsAround 40-44 degrees year-round; closed-toe shoes, jacket, and provided hard hat required
- RestroomsAvailable at both depots and the mine, but not aboard the train
- WeatherThe train runs rain or shine
- SteamGenerally Memorial Day weekend through early October, but never guaranteed
- DepotsDevil's Gate operates from Georgetown; Silver Plume is seasonal from late May through mid-October
Find the Depot
The Trains
The three-foot narrow-gauge railway uses historic-style excursion cars and steam or diesel-electric power. Steam generally operates from Memorial Day weekend through early October, but the operator explicitly does not guarantee it on a particular day. Coach cars have wheelchair seating when arranged in advance; parlor cars have limited wheelchair seating, while the historic Waldorf and Tahoe cars do not. Photographs document the line and collection without promising a specific locomotive, car, or class.
History
The Lebanon Mining Company drove the Lebanon Tunnel into Republican Mountain.
The Colorado Central Railroad built the Georgetown Loop resource to serve silver traffic; it also drew tourists.
Silver Plume Depot opened as the western terminus of the Colorado Central route from Denver into the Clear Creek mining region.
The official calendar publishes special-event trains through January 3, 2027.
See full history
History Colorado identifies the Georgetown Loop as a Colorado Central Railroad resource built in 1877 to haul silver ore that also became a tourist attraction. Silver Plume Depot became the route's western terminus in 1884. The present operation preserves the narrow-gauge corridor and its high-bridge engineering as a living museum owned by History Colorado and operated with Historic Rail Adventures. This guide avoids carrying forward unsupported roster and reconstruction claims from older secondary summaries.
Around the Depot
Hotel de Paris Museum is an independent historic-site museum about 2.5 road miles from Devil's Gate Depot in downtown Georgetown. Pair it with the railway only after checking the museum's same-day hours; its official page currently contains a malformed Sunday opening time.
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Compare the attraction location with your airport or lodging before deciding whether a rental car fits the trip.
Compare rentals on Discover Cars →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Tours & Activities near Georgetown
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Georgetown Loop train ride?
The train alone is about 1 hour 15 minutes in the main season and about 55 minutes from mid-October through early January.
How long is the train and mine tour?
The combined experience is about 2 hours 30 minutes. Mine tours are offered April through mid-September and are not available on the day's final train.
How early should I arrive?
Arrive 30 minutes before departure to collect the printed tickets required for boarding.
Is the train wheelchair accessible?
Coach cars have wheelchair seating when arranged with the reservation agent. Parlor access is limited; Waldorf and Tahoe cars and all mine tours are not wheelchair accessible.
Can young children take the mine tour?
Children under five are not permitted underground. The operator also discourages the tour for children unable to walk the full rough route independently.
Will my train use steam?
Not necessarily. Steam generally runs from Memorial Day weekend through early October, but preservation and operating needs mean it is never guaranteed.
Are there restrooms on the train?
No. Restrooms are available at both stations and at the mine.
Can I bring a pet?
No pets are permitted. ADA-defined service animals are allowed; emotional-support animals are not treated as service animals.
Which depot should I use?
Use the depot named on the booking. Devil's Gate is in Georgetown; Silver Plume is seasonal, and the train ride itself is the same from either end.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 24, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official ride page for the narrated round trip, canyon, bridge, and mine option
- Official FAQ and directions for duration, ticket pickup, reservations, depots, access, weather, pets, steam, and mine limits
- Official mine page for operating season, tunnel lengths, gold panning, age, clothing, walking, and altitude
- Official events page for all future named 2026 and January 2027 event windows
- Official about page for History Colorado ownership, Historic Rail Adventures partnership, and living-museum mission
- History Colorado railroad register context for the 1877 Loop and 1884 Silver Plume Depot
- Official live FareHarbor checkout for exact departures, availability, classes, and current prices
- Wikimedia Commons exact high-bridge photograph and CC BY-SA 2.0 license
- Wikimedia Commons exact historic Loop image and public-domain status