COME TO LIFE / High-Country Escape HIGH-COUNTRY ESCAPE: IDAHO SPRINGS, GEORGETOWN, SILVER PLUME, BLACK HAWK & CENTRAL CITY COLORADO Find Gold Rush lore, modern-day prospectors, railroad adventure and cooler temps just 40 minutes west of Denver. 1 MORNING Take advantage of morning’s typically clear blue skies on a drive up the highest paved highway in North America. Memorial Day to Labor Day (weather permitting), the Mount Evans Scenic Byway (1) starts in Idaho Springs and climbs 7,000 feet in just 28 miles, peaking at 14,265 feet with top-of-the-world views of alpine lakes and the snow-capped Continental Divide. Or hook up with a rafting outfitter — several run this stretch of Clear Creek with trips for those of all experience levels. AFTERNOON Swing down to Idaho Springs ; the discovery of gold here in 1859 ushered in the Colorado Gold Rush. That heritage lives on through Miner Street ’s well-preserved buildings and at the Visitor Center & Heritage Museum , where you can also pick up maps and tips for exploring the area. Bring your appetite to the original Beau Jo’s Pizza (2) . Founders of deep-dish Colorado-style pizza, the eatery serves up hearty Colorado pies. Next door is Tommyknocker Brewery , the perfect place for a refreshing mountain craft brew or handcrafted soda, as is Westbound & Down Brewery; Bouck Brothers Distilling is just a 15-minute walk down Colorado Boulevard. Pencil in time for a soak in the therapeutic mineral pools @Vilseskogen @e.b.woodward 2 QUICK TIP 140 / The new Prospector Bus Route runs between Idaho Springs and Georgetown and connects to the Bustang , which runs between Denver and Idaho Springs. See page 14 for more regional routes. COLORADO.COM CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MOUNT EVANS SCENIC BYWAY, CELIN SERBO; BEAU JO’S PIZZA, @E.B.WOODWARD; ARGO GOLD MINE, FLICKR/VILSESKOGEN.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 140
