10 min
Where the tour begins and ends
60 min
Travel through this rugged mountain canyon, enjoying the steep rock walls and Clear Creek running through and feeling the love of nature.
35 min
Visit the Museum and Visitor Center in downtown Idaho Springs. Local mining History, wildlife displays, local souvenirs and clean restrooms.
45 min
Just outside of Idaho Springs, Colorado—over 10,000 feet above sea level—lies a pristine alpine lake. While Saint Mary’s Lake is beautiful, most visitors to this area are looking for something a little bit further up the trail: a small, somewhat dirty patch of snow, known as Saint Mary’s Glacier.
Wildflowers and windswept trails, boulders and snowfields – these are the disproportionately big rewards for the easy hike up to St Mary’s Glacier. It’s a quick day escape from Denver, and the modest elevation gains, short distance (half-mile) and summer snow and ice make it ideal even for the littlest hikers. Although the area gets fairly busy on summer weekends, the views on a clear day are remarkable, and a scramble around the lake will bring you to the glacier itself.
15 min
Enjoy beautiful scenic views of this glacial lake sitting at 10,600 feet on Mount Evans
30 min
Breathtakingly beautiful high alpine lake. Enjoy a walk to the lake and down the trail to overlook the Chicago Lakes and valleys below. We often encounter out State Mammal the Bighorn Sheep at this beautiful stop.
35 min
Breathtakingly beautiful high alpine lake. Enjoy a walk to the lake and down the trail to overlook the Chicago Lakes and valleys below. We often encounter out State Mammal the Bighorn Sheep at this beautiful stop.
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***Improvements to a section of Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway (Colo. Highway 5) will impact visitors in 2024 and 2025. Starting Sept. 3, 2024, through all of 2025, Mount Blue Sky Highway will be closed to motorized and non-motorized travel**
10 min
End the tour back downtown where it was started
120 min
The highest paved road in North America
90 min
Visit historic downtown Idaho springs for lunch and shopping on your own or take a stroll on the train along Clear Creek
