I tend to forget how close Idaho Springs is to the Front Range… likely because we almost always get caught in traffic on our way there, turning it into a much longer drive than it should be.
But even with traffic, it’s still not that long a drive. Which makes it even more ridiculous that it took us years to get around to actually stopping for more than a quick lunch or dinner on the way to or from some other destination.
As we discovered, though, when we finally spent an entire day in Idaho Springs a few months back: there’s a lot to see and do in this historic small town, and it’s well worth a visit.
Table of Contents
- History
- Visitor Center
- Charlie Tayler Trail and Water Wheel
- Argo Mine and Mill
- Mount Blue Sky Highway
- Food and Drink
History
The town of Idaho Springs, like most Colorado mountain towns, arose when gold was discovered in the area – in this case, in Clear Creek Canyon in the 1850s. In fact, the discovery of gold here marked the beginning of the gold rush in Colorado.
As happened with many gold rush towns, the population of Idaho Springs quickly increased. In its heyday, around 14,000 people lived in Idaho Springs. The town was even equipped with electricity and a central water system well before Denver. Today, that number is just under 2000, but many structures remain from those early days. One thing I’d still like to do is spend some time just wandering the streets to see all the lovely Victorian homes.
Prior to the gold rush, the indigenous Ute and Arapaho peoples frequented the area’s natural hot springs, revered for its mineral water and healing properties. Today, visitors can still soak in that water at Indian Hot Springs Resort (though we haven’t been there, so I can’t provide any insight).
Visitor Center
We began our visit with a stop at the Idaho Springs Visitor Center and Historical Society, where we learned a bit about the history of the town. From here, we wandered a few blocks west to the City Hall and an old locomotive on display outside.
Engine 60 was built in 1886 by Rhode Island Locomotive Works and began its life in Utah before being transferred to the Colorado & Southern Railroad, which operated the line that traveled through Clear Creek Canyon. However, narrow gauge railways eventually became obsolete, and Engine 60 now permanently resides in Idaho Springs.
Charlie Tayler Trail and Water Wheel
From here, we caught up with the Charlie Tayler Trail, which crosses under the highway and parallels Clear Creek for quite a distance before intersecting with other trails. The path is wide and paved, and it was a nice – albeit noisy, thanks to the highway – little walk.
Impossible to miss from the trail – and also from the road as you pass by the town – is the Charley Tayler Water Wheel.
Charlie Tayler arrived in Idaho Springs in the 1880s and eventually staked his own mining claim and built this enormous water wheel to power his mill. In 1946, many years after his death, it was moved to its present location adjacent to a waterfall that doesn’t seem to have an official name, and is now forever associated with the drive along I-70 through Idaho Springs.
Argo Mine and Mill
It’s also nearly impossible to miss the Argo Mine and Mill, with its red buildings and enormous sign spread across the hillside on the opposite edge of town. After commenting numerous times that someday we should actually sign up for one of the advertised tours, a couple summers back we finally did.
We arrived a little early and began with a walk through the outdoor museum, which is free to visit. There were a few signs to read inside as well, and there is also a small gift shop.
Our tour guide was fantastic and we learned so much – some of it interesting and some of it horrifying.
The interesting bits:
- The Argo actually began as a tunnel connecting multiple mines. By the end of its construction, the tunnel reached a length of 4.2 miles (6.8 km) and connected hundreds of mines, facilitating ground water removal, which allowed these mines to operate for much longer than they would otherwise have been able to.
- Because so much gold ore was being brought out via the tunnel, the Argo Mill was constructed to process it. The mill was very high tech for the era (it was built in the 1890s); everything was mechanized and it was very energy efficient.
- Today, most of the mill equipment you see during the tour is original to the Argo.
- Over $10 trillion of gold (in today’s dollars) was processed by the Argo Mill!
The horrifying bits:
- The stamp room contained multiple stamps – large machines that crushed the ore into pea-sized bits. The machines operated all day long and were so large and loud that they could be heard from miles away. Without ear protection – which most didn’t have – miners who worked in the room would go deaf within a week.
- In order to maintain the equipment without having to turn it off, children were put to work, because they were small enough to reach and climb into small areas.
- Children were also put to work panning ore with the help of mercury, which helped extract gold from the rock. Some of the mercury was recycled, but what couldn’t be reused was dumped into the creek.
- Unsurprisingly, many of the miners died very young, due to a combination of accidents and exposure to toxic chemicals.
Right: stamp mill
The Argo closed for good in 1943, after an accident resulted in catastrophic damage and the death of three workers. The short version of the tragedy is that three miners were attempting to blast through the rock and connect the Argo tunnel to another mine. Unfortunately, this mine did not have a proper drainage system and was filled with millions of gallons of water. When the dynamite and ensuing shockwaves fractured away all the rock, the water came rushing out. All three workers were crushed to death from the sheer force of it. Their ore cart was caught up in the onslaught and ejected from the tunnel; it landed hundreds of feet away.
Years later, the Argo was designated a Superfund Site, largely due to the accumulation of high concentrations of sulfuric acid. It has since been cleaned up, a drainage system installed, and various mechanisms put into place to allow for safe entry into the facilities.
Tours last a little over an hour, and include a video introduction, a safety speech and hard hats, a walk into the tunnel entrance, and entry into many of the old buildings.
After the tour, you get to pan for gold (and keep any flakes you find!).
Ticket purchases, parking instructions, and other information can be found on their website.
Mount Blue Sky Highway
Idaho Springs is also the main access point for the Mount Blue Sky Highway, a scenic route that zigzags nearly all the way to the summit of 14er Mount Blue Sky. While the drive itself is not for the faint of heart, the views from 14,000 feet make it worth the journey. We didn’t drive the highway on this same trip, but it would make for a beautiful afternoon outing after spending the morning in town.
(Note that the highway is only open in the summer, and a timed-entry permit is required. The Mount Blue Sky Highway is closed for construction in 2025. It is slated to reopen in May 2026.)
If you’re looking for mountains that don’t require permits or a harrowing drive up above treeline, Chief Mountain and Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain trailheads are also only about 35 minutes outside of Idaho Springs. While you can’t drive to either summit, these two lower peaks are are moderate but rewarding hikes. And, as a bonus, you’ll be able to gaze across at Mount Blue Sky from these summits.
Or, if you’re more into water sports than hiking up tall things, you can whitewater raft through Clear Creek Canyon. Many companies in and around Idaho Springs offer guided trips. I haven’t done this, so I can’t provide any specific recommendations.
There are also some mountain biking trails in Virginia Canyon Mountain Park north of town, if that’s more your style.
Long story short, there are plenty of options for outdoor activities during your visit to Idaho Springs!
Food and Drink
We keep intending to try out the breweries and cidery in Idaho Springs… and we keep not actually trying them, because our favorite pizza place in Colorado is in Idaho Springs, so we always end up going there instead.
Beau Jo’s is the original home of Colorado-style pizza, which is defined by its fluffy, mountain-like crust made with honey. The height of the crust edges helps hold the hefty dose of toppings in place. Over the years, we’ve tried quite a few of the pizzas and we’ve never had one we didn’t enjoy.
Beau Jo’s does not brew their own beer, but they do have local beers on tap, so though we haven’t actually visited the two breweries, we have sampled some of their brews. The Tommy Knocker maple nut brown and blood orange IPA are on the list, and I know I’ve ordered a Westbound & Down beer as well, though I can’t recall which one.
(Update: I’ve now visited Westbound & Down, and both the beer and food were very tasty, but I apparently forgot to take pictures.)
Perhaps one of these days we’ll actually visit the breweries and cidery and I’ll be able to come back and add a bit more to this post. But for now, my #1 recommendation for food and drink in Idaho Springs is Beau Jo’s!
If you enjoy your time in Idaho Springs, you might also enjoy a visit to the Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District, just a few miles further up Clear Creek Canyon.
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