georgetown

Location:45 miles west Denver on I-70
Elevation: 8519, Population: 1088

If they made a movie about early mining towns, Georgetown could be the star. It's so well preserved that if it weren't for the cars, it'd be hard to tell if you were in the right century. An active historical society sees that it stays that way, and the Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District recalls the days of the silver boom in this area just west of Denver. You'll find artifacts from the era preserved at the Hotel de Paris, now a museum, and see how the well-to-do lived at historic Hamill House.

Once the third-largest town in Colorado, now it is home to about 1,000 residents. But on weekends, its capacity overflows with visitors who want to shop and sightsee, maybe have lunch or spend the night at a Victorian bed-and-breakfast inn.

The Georgetown Loop Railroad is a major attraction here, and takes visitors on a round trip from Georgetown to nearby Silver Plume and back, with a stop for a tour of the Lebanon Mine.

Near town is the breathtaking Guanella Pass Road which, at its 11,600-foot summit, might literally leave you panting, and not just at the scenery. If wildlife watching is your passion, stop at the Georgetown Wildlife Viewing Area for a glimpse of one of hundreds of bighorn sheep living in the area.

Source: Colorado.com

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