A Rocky Mountain High…on a train!

Living in Texas, we don’t get to see much of a change of season in the Fall – I mean it was in the 90’s this past weekend – we will be wearing shorts clear into December! 


That’s why I rely on posts lie the one below to get my Fall fix.  Connie lives in Colorado.  I obsessively follow her tweets to see and hear about all the FUN things she gets to do up in the mountains with her family (she is an awesome mom of 2!) – plus she incredibly entertaining!!

Living in Colorado means that beauty and entertainment are always a short car ride away.  I was born and raised here and there are still so many things I haven’t seen.  Luckily for my kids, we like to be adventurous!

For years we’ve talked about going up into the mountains to see the fall colors.  The timing has to be just right because it can happen quickly and if you don’t plan it…you’ll miss it.  Our trip occurred on October 1st and was perfect timing.  The next weekend…the high country got their first snow of the season.

Helpful Links:

Colorado.com Fall Foliage Guide 
Forest Service Updates

We decided to take the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad to Silver Plume and back to see some color. There isn’t an abundance of Aspens on this route but the one hour train ride is really fun.  This area was built up during the silver boom in the 1880’s and has been preserved by the Colorado Historical Society.  You receive a very interesting history lesson on board the train.

They have several different train excursions here.  A moonlight train ride, beer and brat ride, wine tastings and at Christmas time….a ride with Santa and Hot Chocolate!

Helpful Tips:

• Buy your tickets online AND arrive 45 minutes before your trains departure time.  Everyone stands in the same line to exchange your printed email for actual tickets.  If you want to purchase your tickets at the depot there is a good chance the time you want will be sold out and you’ll have to come back later.
• Bring water and snacks.  There is a gift shop with refreshments for sale but they are expensive.
• Bring your camera! 
• If you go in the fall…bring a blanket, it gets chilly and windy in the open train cars. 

Before you leave Georgetown visit the City Park (Rose St and 10th St).  We found it by accident when my brother-in-law’s GPS malfunctioned.  It’s one fo the coolest parks I’ve ever seen and it was built and maintained by volunteers.

More to do: 

Georgetown-Silver Plume has one of the biggest collection of Victorian buildings in the country!  Every summer you can go on a house tour.

Downtown Georgetown has many shops, museums and art galleries.  If you’re hungry they also have a wide array of restaurants, cafes and even a candy shop!

If you visit in the month of December, you can’t miss the Christmas Market and Christmas at Hamill House.

If you’d like to sample wine from Colorado then stop by Canyon Wind Cellar on your way out of town for a wine tasting.  They are open daily from 10am-6pm.  The first four tastings are free and then $1 each after that.  And they sell a cheese plate to go with it if you like.  I can tell you that I’ll be stopping here next time I visit Georgetown.

Trivia: The made for TV movie called The Christmas Gift, starring John Denver was filmed in Georgetown in 1986.

Georgetown is just a short 45 miles from Downtown Denver.

Connie is the author of the wildly funny blog, The Young and The Relentless. She fills her days running after her two children and fixing elaborate meals for her Apple App Developer husband. Her nights are filled with reality TV, Chocolate Goldfish crackers and wine. She aspires to be a PTA President in 2014.