Colorado Gold Rush Mountain and Mine Half-Day Tour from Denver
Description
• Follow the steps of the1859 Gold Rush, travel up rugged Clear Creek Canyon looking for the state mammal, Big Horn Sheep, on the steep canyon walls. Visit the historic town of Central City and admire the architecture in what was once considered the richest square mile on earth and hear the stories of the hard rock miners and their way of life. Then visit a Real Ghost Town from the mining boom, then enjoy the scenic mountain views as you head over to tour a real Gold Mine and learn about the history and modern day mining techniques, you can even try your luck at striking it rich! Finish with a drink or shopping in a historic mining town. See Learn and Explore the Wild West on this fun Colorado Gold Rush Tour. *Important You will only tour one gold mine on this tour in either Idaho Springs or Georgetown but not both. The mine and town is determined by the availability for that day. *
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet at the flagpole in front of historic Union Station on Wynkoop Street located in lower downtown Denver.
Drive up into the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado and follow the footsteps of the pioneers and miners on their quest for a new life and trying to strike it rich. See wonderful mountain views and rugged canyons.
Travel through this beautiful rugged mountain canyon following Clear Creek and the gold rush trail of 1859. Look for Bighorn Sheep on the steep canyon walls and rock climbers.
Walk down the historic streets of Central City, what was once considered the richest square mile on earth during the 1859 Pikes Peak or Bust Gold Rush Days. Visit a real ghost town from the boom times.
Take a tour in a real gold mine. Learn about old and new mining techniques. Experience what it was like to be a hard rock miner back in the 1860's in Colorado. * Either the Phoenix or Capitol Prize Mine will be visited but not both*
Visit Idaho Springs where the Victorian architecture of the mining days still stands. Grab a drink in the local brewery or shop in one of the local stores or just admire the history that surrounds you in this quaint historic mountain town. *Please note either Idaho Springs or Georgetown will be visited but not both. Town is dertermined by mine schedule availability*
Go more than 1,000 feet into this fully operational historic gold and silver mine. See and experience the historic and modern day mining techniques. Your guide will teach you all about this important part of Colorado's colorful history. Try your hand at striking it rich and keep your findings. * Either the Phoenix or Capitol Prize Mine will be visited but not both*
Walk down the Historic street of Georgetown once one of the wealthiest mining towns in Colorado. The historic buildings have been well preserved and house many local stores and not to be missed the delicious Georgetown Candy Company. *Please note either Idaho Springs or Georgetown will be visited but not both. Town is dertermined by mine schedule availability*
End you tour back where it began at historic Union Station located in lower downtown Denver
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation in the unlikely event there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- We will walk into the mine on the tour, not recommended for anyone that is claustrophobic
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately and bring a jacket for inside the mine
- Some places in the mine can be a little muddy please wear shoes that clean up easily
- Please eat breakfast or lunch prior to your tour pick up time
- Only 1 mine will be visited in either Idaho Springs or Georgetown not both
Reviews(57)
Really enjoyed this experience. Our tour guide was wonderful. He was very funny and engaging with everyone on the trip.
A guide who keeps the laughs coming while making sure everyone on board feels included makes a mountain trip so much better! We're thrilled he brought that great energy to your drive. Thanks for taking a moment to leave a note, and we hope the rest of your Colorado trip was just as fun!
Wow what a great trip! anne was so amazing and friendly! We hope to go on another trip soon!
Short, sweet, and awesome to hear! Anne is a total gem, and she takes a lot of pride in making the day fun and relaxing for everyone. Appreciate you taking a minute to leave a note, and we'll see you on the next run!
Loved this 5.5 hour afternoon tour. Christin was friendly, knowledgeable and provided us with photo memories of our trip at no extra cost. The minibus was clean , comfortable and air conditioned. Tour group was 6 which meant our guide was able to give a personal touch and allowed us the space to able to ask questions. The scenery on the journey was stunning and tour stops were well chosen and fascinating insights into the history of hard rock mining in the mountains. Highlight for me was the underground mine tour, panning for gold and seeing the mines resident chipmunks ! I’d definitely recommend this tour.
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review! Christin is always fantastic, I will be sure to pass along your kind words to her. I am glad you enjoyed the mining tour. The gold panning and chimpmunks are always a big hit with our guests. We truly appreciate your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back on another mountain tour soon!
Took us to some of the old mining towns and let us walk around. Talked about the history of the area, which was very informative. The mine tour was really cool as well seeing how the process worked.
Hopefully you didn't run into any Tommyknockers! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with us. In our opinion, the mine tour is our most underappreciated tour!
Our guide's name was Hans. He was very professional and knowledgeable. He made the experience very enjoyable with his wit and humor. You have a great employee and I hope you treat him well.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. Incredible team members like Hans are the heart of our company, and hearing how his professionalism, knowledge, and humor elevated your experience means a lot to us. We take great pride in supporting our team so they can continue delivering exceptional tours. We will gladly pass your kind words along to Hans!
Very interesting history of mining in Colorado. Fair amount of time riding in van was filled with commentary and observations. Our guide, Will, was full of knowledge He was a great guide
Thank you so much for the great review! Colorado’s mining history is so rich and colorful, and Will is fantastic at bringing those stories to life. We love hearing that he kept the journey engaging with great commentary and observations so that the drive time flew by. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to him—thanks for exploring with us!
It was fun. Not exactly what I was expecting but I did have a good time. The travel guide was great. She was knowledgeable and personable.
Hey there, Kristina here! Thanks for the honest feedback. I'm so glad that even if the tour wasn't quite what you pictured, we still managed to have a blast and keep things fun. As long as you had a good time and enjoyed the chat, I call that a successful day in the mountains! Appreciate you sharing the love, and safe travels wherever you head next.
Awesome, personable tour. Will was an amazing tour guide with lots of knowledge about the area and the mines.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your review on Viator/TripAdvisor! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you had such an awesome and personable experience with us. Will is an exceptional guide, and his passion for local history and the fascinating stories of the area's historic mines truly brings our tours to life. I will certainly pass your kind words along to him—he will be delighted to hear them. Thank you for choosing Colorado Sightseer, and we hope to welcome you back for another insightful journey in the future!
Our group of four was blown away by the kindness and knowledge of our guide. We learned a lot of interesting facts along the entire route of our tour and felt very well taken care of. The gold mine was a highlight, and the entire trip was a better experience for us than we could have had just driving around on our own. We'll remember this as the fun adventure we were looking for in Colorado.
Blown away—now that’s what we like to hear! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback. Leaving the navigation to a pro is the absolute best way to actually relax and soak in the adventure, and we're stoked that the gold mine and our guide's fun facts made the day so memorable for your group of four. Thanks for choosing us for your Colorado getaway, and catch you on the next tour!
Fun tourist thing to do. Typical mine tour with panning for gold option. Nice surprise in taking the dirt "back door" road between Idaho Springs and Central City.
You gotta love a mine tour! I hope you struck it rich. There are a lot of fun ghost towns, dirt roads and history on these tours. We are glad you enjoyed it.
