Review: The Georgetown Loop Railroad Fall Colors Express

It’s fall and in Colorado it means it’s the most beautiful time of year to be here. Seriously, fall is stunning as the aspens turn golden and take over the mountains.

Fall is our favorite season as it’s so colorful, we’re buying out Spirit Halloween’s entire stock in preparation for Halloween, and it’s our anniversary month! We got married in September because it is truly the best month here in Colorado.

Last year, for our anniversary, we decided to head back into the mountains to enjoy some leaf peeping. And we decided to do that aboard the steam train that runs the Georgetown Loop Railroad. Because why not?

Booking information

Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know for the Rock-A-Hula Show:

Duration: ~75 minutes
Days offered: Select dates in September
Times: First train at 10 a.m., last train at 3:50 p.m.
Price: $40 per adult
Location: Silver Plume or Georgetown Devil’s Gate
Inclusions: No additional inclusions
Tickets: Book online

Do note that there are two options for the departure location. Make sure you know which one you picked so you park in the right spot. We opted for the Silver Plume station. And you should check in at least 15 minutes before the departure time to get your physical tickets. They are not emailed or sent to you. But you can arrive earlier and visit the shop, use the facilities, or enjoy a beverage or snack.

They do start telling you when to line up if you want to be at the front of the line to get on the train.

The Fall Colors Express train ride

Our experience was booked for the last weekend in September, when we knew the colors would be popping (I do think this fall colors train is only offered mid-September to the end of the month). We got on the train 15 minutes before the departure time, which was 1 p.m. for us, and we pulled back into the station at about 10 minutes after 2 p.m.

We sat in a covered car but there were no windows, which was great for taking pictures and videos. If you have long hair like I do, bring a hair tie to keep your hair off your face. It was a warmer day and the sun was out so it was quite comfortable having the open air car.

There are some cars that aren’t covered if you want nothing in your way of taking pictures. It is bench-style seating and not exactly the most comfortable but the experience is just over an hour.

The views are incredible, both of the fall colors nestled among the mountains and then you can see down into Georgetown from high above on a bridge crossing. The ride is narrated and the guide points out points of interest and shares fun facts and the history of both Georgetown and the railroad.

It was a fun and different way to see the fall colors and made us feel like we were living out our Back the the Future Part III dreams except we didn’t hijack the locomotive to get back to 1985.

We did see they also have an Autumn train ride that includes beer and root beer tastings and might try that train out this year or next as that sounds like a lot of fun.

Afterward we decided to drive up Guanella Pass to have a closer look at the fall foliage. We stopped at some pull-offs and parking lots to snap great pictures of the leaves and stretch our legs a bit before the drive back to Denver.

We could have gone into Georgetown for drinks and snacks, but opted for a drive as the bars will always be there but the golden hues won’t.

Parking

There is a small lot at the train station but there is overflow parking down a gravel road where we ended up parking. There were attendants telling us where to go and it was less than a five-minute walk to the station. Again, just make sure you know which departure station you booked. Your email confirmation will make sure you know which exit off of I-70 to take and where to go.

Tips for the Georgetown fall train ride:

Bring a sweater: Most of the cars are open air so it can get breezy as the wind whips through. It is fall, after all. And the trains run rain or shine.
Get there early: It’s open seating for most of the train and you’ll want to be on time for check in and to get a good spot as you start lining up to get on the train.
Charge your phone:I came prepared with a fully-charged phone with airplane mode turned on so I could take all the pictures I wanted.
Bring water: You are in the mountains and you’ll want to stay hydrated! You are allowed to bring food and drinks (non-alcoholic) as long as it’s in a plastic or metal container.
Use the facilities before you board: There are no restrooms on the train.

We love fall in Colorado but we definitely would love to hear about other places we should experience the season in. We’ve got our eyes on the East Coast, especially Salem to get into the spooky mood, but let us know in the comments where else we should travel to to see the beautiful fall colors.