How to Get Down Under Colorados Mountains

If you will be visiting the Denver area, you might want to get down under our mountains. You see, more and more Denver visitors are electing to have a fun adventure via a guided mine tour. There are several to choose from that are all within a 60-90 minute drive from Denver.

Three tours I think you'd enjoy are:.Argo Gold Mine. The Argo is located near Idaho Springs, making it about a 35-45 minute drive from downtown Denver. The Argo mine tour features an experienced guide who will tell you the history of the Argo tunnel, the mine itself and the mill which processed over 100 million dollars of gold ore in its day.

The guide will also give a live demonstration of the crushing, milling and rock drilling. You can walk through the mine and down through the mill, reading and observing the equipment, tools and the process used to extract the gold.To reach this mine, take I-70 West to Exit 241A, which is Colorado Blvd. Turn right off Colorado Blvd.

at Gilson Ave .and then take a hard left at Riverside Drive.Argo Gold Mine Tour
303-567-2421.Country Boy Mine Tour.

A bit further up I-70, near Breckenridge, about 90 minutes west of Denver, is the Country Boy Mine. The tour of this mine takes you 1,000 feet in to the a century old, authentic gold mine. You'll wear a hard hat, hear the drills and learn about Colorado's glorious mining history.

After your tour, your guide will teach you how to pan for gold in Eureka Creek You can even take your riches home with you- -a great Colorado souvenir.To reach the Country Boy Mine, take I-70 West to Exit 203 (Colorado 9 South) towards Frisco/Breckenridge. At the traffic circle, take the 4th exit onto N Summit Blvd.

Continue on CO-9 S . Turn left at Huron Rd. Bear right at Reiling Road then turn left at French Gulch Rd.Country Boy Mine Tour
970-453-4405.Lebanon Silver Mine Tour.

You can enjoy a guided tour of this mine as part of a ride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad (which is a neat trip all by itself). The mine is located at the halfway point on the railroad. The tour takes you 500 feet into a mine tunnel bored in the 1870s.

Your guide will point out rich veins of silver and tell you about early-day mining. The temperature inside the mine is a constant 44 degrees Fahrenheit, so bring a jacket. The tour also includes visits to the manager's office, the miners' change room and the tool shed. The mine tour is only available on departures from the Silver Plume Depot.Georgetown Loop RR and Lebanon Silver Mine Tour
888-456-6777.

Touring any of these mines is a fun and interesting side trip. Plus, as you drive to the mine, you get to see some of our most beautiful mountain scenery and, if you're lucky, our buffalo herd in Genesee Park.

By: Douglas Hanna