The 12 best things to do with kids in Idaho Springs

Came here on a weekday mid-day. Staff was highly uninterested in talking with visitors. We inquired about the cost of the museum, and were informed we could walk around the desk to find out the cost. After walking around the desk to read the sign (it's7 dollars unless you're military or retired), we bought tickets. No further info on the town or museum was offered, just told we could walk through into the museum. Staff never greeted any visitors while we were there, but did spend time talking about their personal lives loud enough to hear them in the museum. The museum, while it contains a cool collection of items and photos, and has a neat sounding expansion underway upstairs, really suffered from a lack of signage. For example, there was a beautiful dress in a case. No signage about the age or materials of dress, or who it belonged to, or why it was in this museum at all. We deduced that there was a printing press in the back room, since we had an idea of what one might look like. The museum took about 20 minutes to go through, since there wasn't much info about the items.

There are not enough words in the language to highlight what an absolute GEM 💎 the visitor center docent/staffer Lilly is!! Absolutely *made* our day with amazing tidbits of Idaho Springs and local mining history, fabulous coffee recommendations, a gorgeous scenery best-practice re how find the lovely little Insta hotspot at the waterfall & waterwheel, and even dropping a hot take re the most recent mountain lion fatality in the area (right near the area we were about to go explore on definitely-not-big-cat-proof ATVs 🤣…love it! )(sadly not cats were spotted at all, big or otherwise 👎🏻👎🏻) Idaho Springs, you’ve got yourselves the heckin’ BEST ambassador, like, ever!! Well done!! Oh yes. Also… Cute shop. Fun gifts. 10/10 would shop again.

Me & my husband just visited Idaho Springs and made this our first stop of the trip. Lilly was at the front desk and was so helpful! She gave us several recommendations for food, shops, hikes, and scenic drives. This visit was the perfect start to our trip.

Lilly was super helpful and knowledgeable of the area! She recommended hikes, and stops and general knowledge of the entire county. The gift shop was very cute and the restrooms are nice and clean! If you are in Idaho sorings stop by and learn more about this little community.

Lilly is a true G, Rockstar, and a Scholar. Thanks for being generally awesome and setting up some strangers with all the deets. You made our outing most accommodating. 🤙

Such an amazing place! Lilly was sure to fill me in on the best places to see in town and was very knowledgeable of the towns history! Would definitely come back

Great place, great staff. We showed up like 2 min before closing and they stayed over like 10 more minutes to help us get an idea of what to do in the area. There recommendations were spot on. We really appreciate the extreme and help. Check out the train and water wheel!!!!

Touring the Argo was an experience we won't forget - our tour guide was incredible, and was very knowledgeable. Touring the entrance to the Argo and the mill was fascinating, especially seeing one of the first circuit breakers by Tesla himself in person (which was very fun to review with my electrician husband). I've been to many mine tours but the Argo is one that will stick with us! There is gold panning at the end of the tour, and gemstone panning for the kids. Guaranteed gold flecks. Truly would recommend!

This was great for a day trip and I can say as a native had never realized they did tours! We walked in on the hour and were able to join the tour group but after us it was full so I would recommend getting there 20 min early or on weekends making a reservation. A short bus ride to the tunnel entrance and then a tour from the top to the bottom of the mill. We learned A LOT. I would say if you have mobility or breathing issues this isn’t the place to go. Your time in the mine tunnel is short as is the distance you can travel inside it. The mill is dusty and there are tons of crazy old stairs. The price for the tour was a little steep $30 for adults and $20 for kids plus they state the tour guides work on tips. It was a full 1+ hours with the tour and the gold panning. I would totally recommend but there are going to be people who don’t feel the price is worth it. Also note that no gold was found here it was merely a tunnel for transporting it to the mill. There are lots of other mines to visit in the area too.

Overall a great tour! Understanding the logistics and economics involved, considering halving the maximum tour size. Our guide would start talking in the next area before half of the folks on our tour were able to get there. But he was very informative and knowledgeable. Also, think about adding captions to the video tour show before the tour ends.

Such a fun and unique experience! You get to explore a bit of the mines and learn a lot about the history of gold mining in Colorado along the way. Yes, you do get to look for gold. A slight disclaimer, you will only find 1 - 3 specs and it is in a separate basin. However, it's fun and informative nonetheless.

I had an absolute blast at Argo Mill & Tunnel in Idaho Springs! Our tour guide Sam was fantastic knowledgeable, engaging, and full of enthusiasm. He brought the history to life and made sure everyone was included. The tour was hands on and fun, from the breathtaking mill structure to gold panning in the final pit. If you enjoy local history and a bit of adventure, this one’s a must do with an awesome guide at the helm.

We were provided information on the mine, mining process and gold processing. You will walk through the old gold mill and get a glimpse of the ARGO water drainage and cart train tunnel. You are also provided a pan of sand to pan for some gold flakes you can keep. While interesting, I'm not sure it is worth the $30 a piece for entry.

Fun experience, different from other mine tours. Kids loved that gold panning was a part of it. Running water and bathrooms before and after tour. FYI- with the ongoing construction and updates, the roads in may differ from your gps/map.

We had a wonderful time. More than I expected. A great learning experience for adults and kids. There is a slight hike up to the train. Could use a few more staff in the gold panning for instructions. I was very curious about the different minerals and they knew the answers to most of my questions without hesitation. Very knowledgeable. We will go back because they plan to keep making changes.

Absolutely amazing experience. We did the complete tour (both mine tours plus gold panning) and had a blast the entire time. There was so much to learn and the staff was extremely friendly and loved talking to us. Make sure you ask questions on the tours - the tour guides love answering questions and it will really add to the experience. Also - BRING YOUR DOG. The Phoenix gold mine is completely dog friendly and our little guy enjoyed the experience. We hope to come back in a year or two when they have their third mine open for touring (Jimmy’s mine).

I had an amazing time on my mine tours today. Both guides were very knowledgeable and the lady at the bus was super sweet. It was cool to learn about the discovery of the mines and how they were worked. It rained the last few days and the stream was full of gold specks. I did some gold panning and found a few vials of good paydirt. I highly recommend going! Very fun and educational.

Tour guides Izzy and Julian were excellent, and I’m sure the other guides are just as good. I did the full tour of the entire grounds, and I recommend both mines. They are equally as interesting if you like both geology and mining equipment/history. The scenery is breathtaking. Nestled in a valley along a small creek, you’ll find the mine along with its unique gift shop located inside an old bus. The mines are cold, wear at least a hoodie/jacket. If you’re tall expect to be ducking down quite a bit, but at 6’4 I was able to make it through without issue.

What an amazing family experience. We opted for the Mother Load, this included, mine tour, train ride with a second mine tour, and finished with gold panning in the river. Great little gift shop with a bunch of super cute chipmunks waiting to be fed by guest's, also hummingbirds by the exit of the mine. Staff are super friendly, and very knowledgeable. They were able to answer questions from both young and old. I would highly recommend the Phoenix Gold Mine experience. We were there for just over three hours, and the time went by quickly.

This tour was hands down amazing!!! We had the pleasure of having a private tour since we were the last tour of the day, which honestly made the tour even better because we were able to ask all and any questions we had. Our tour guide Freddy was amazing! He was so informative and fun! I would def recommend!!! I think it’s such a cool experience that you can pan for gold at the end of the tour! I wish I could have stayed longer gold panning but it started to rain :’( I would def go back to do the gold panning and even bring family and friends to the tour when they come to visit. Def recommend to everyone!! This Gold mine is a must see!!! :) oh and I almost forgot you get the feed chipmunks!!! They are soooo cute!!!!

Took a tour of the Phoenix Gold Mine and Train Ride & Dark Tour Centurion Mine. Freddy was our tour guide of the Phoenix mine he was awesome was able to see a good amount in the mine with all the lighting in the mine, learned about the history of mining and he was great with little kids keeping them interested. Then Rick was our tour guide for the Centurion mine he also was awesome as well. You can feel his passion for teaching people about the mining industry and the local history on the mines. Would highly recommend coming and taking a tour of the mines. The gold panning was fun also the creek has shade from the trees with a cold creek for those warm days and has some good shaded Picnic tables.

My group booked an advanced express rafting trip. It was AWESOME! Our guide Haley did an amazing job and we had a blast. I love that this outfitter provides wetsuits and all the photos in their price. They also provide splash jackets. And let me tell you, that water is COLD! Outfitters usually charge an outrageous prices for pictures. I highly recommend this outfitter!

Celebrated my birthday with Clear Creek Rafting and it was hands-down one of the most fun days ever! We did the Advanced Express trip, and although a bunch of my friends were first-time rafters (read: slightly terrified), the guides were total pros—funny, knowledgeable, and made everyone feel super safe without killing the thrill. The rapids were exciting but not overwhelming, perfect for easing newbies into the wild world of whitewater. By the end, the whole crew was grinning, drenched, and begging to go again—next time, even more extreme! If you’re looking for epic adventure with top-tier guides and major birthday energy, Clear Creek is the GOAT. HIGHLY recommend!

"Charlie" was our guide and he was amazing. Great historical information, guidance and cheesy jokes🤪 "Tim" great driving skills and getting us to and from safely. "Ashley" you did an amazing job explaining all the safety features and making it entertaining. It was my 16 year old nephews first time white water rafting and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Y'all have a great crew. The life vest, helmets and splash jackets we're all in good condition. The season is close to the end and we originally booked intermediate but it had to be changed to beginner, but it was still a great time. The bathroom and changing rooms were clean. May y'all continue to be safe and wish you well on your continued adventures!

this outing was set up by our daughter because it has been on my wifes bucket list for a long time. We told her nothing to bad but keep it real. Woops this was a little too real but had a blast. The water temp was 38 to 40 degrees . they were well equipped with wet suits and you could rent insulated boots. They helped but since the temperature had been so warm there was a record runoff and we got soaked The trip was around 11 miles and we covered it in around an hour. The company strationed photographers at key points on the trip and took some excellent pics which came with the package. All in all, I am really glad we did this, they were well equipped and prepared for all (I'm well over 70) and the guides knew the drill well I highly recommend them and for you to try it at least once. I loved it, but I'll never do it again

My wife and I had never been rafting before. We were excited to try it, but both were kind of scared of the very idea. In particular, I have a very real fear of drowning in foreign waters. As soon as we sat down for our safety briefing with Travis, a lot of those fears abated. He was lighthearted and funny, but also knew when to drive home a point about keeping safe. Shea was our guide, and she was AMAZING! She gave us good, detailed instructions on what to expect one we were in the water, and I felt a lot more comfortable after that. We had the most fun I've had in a long time! The trip was a decent amount of time. The scenery was amazing and it was an overall great trip. As an added bonus, they give you complementary digital photos of your trip at the end. I was expecting one or two pictures, but there must have been around 20 of them! They got some great action shots of us. I highly recommend using Clear Creek. They were the best!

I planned a trip to Golden for my Bday. Golden is a great place if you love hiking. I found Clear Creek Rafting Co. on a whim. I’ve always wanted to raft rapids because it looks like a blast and looks like it takes guts! I signed up for the intermediate. I was traveling alone so I was grouped with 2 other parties who were great ! The pregame instructions were clear and the equipment was in great condition. David was our guide and he was awesome, a real pro!! And he’s got some great jokes for the ride back! The river had risen so some of the intermediate was actually advanced. (I felt like a badass!)😳I ended up taking a dip in the river but was pulled out quickly! (Sorry you lost your white shades David!) This was an unforgettable birthday and experience! I’m not sure anything can top this for me! Thank you to bros from Philly and the Family from Nebraska! I’d def go back !! The photos were great and after reviewing some of the earlier trips I didn’t feel so silly falling out of the raft! 😂 humbling experience! This place is hands down awesome ! All of the reviews were just! Pics are cool cause they’re free! The adrenaline rush was Real!!! Thank you to the magic bus driver also! First Timers Tip: don’t tell them it’s your bday until after the trip! Houston Signing out!🫡

First whitewater trip, and loved every second of it! Our guide was extremely experienced, and my family and I felt safe under his direction. Equipment was in great condition and views were stunning! Highly recommend & will definitely return on another trip to the Denver area!

My family and I spent an incredible day on the Colorado River with the Liquid Descent Team. We were a group of 10 ( 2 boats) and everybody had a blast. The guides for each of our boats were friendly, knowledgeable about the river and rafting, and made sure we all had a good time. We had younger kids so we did the beginner’s trip and everybody had such a good time they were ready to come back and try the intermediate trip.. I would definitely recommend Liquid Descent to anyone who is looking to go white water rafting on the Colorado River Thank you for a great day on the water.

Fantastic time! Facility is very clean and well organized. Guides are great- safe but make it fun. Sky Trek was my favorite followed by the zip lines. We did not raft but it seemed very popular and everyone looked happy. Would highly recommend

Just left we went on a beginners trip with Shay and had an incredible experience. She was so much fun. Everyone was so professional and safely was top priority.This was our second trip I am over 60 an took my kids and they also loved it. We will definitely be back. Also Lucky explained everything in detail before our trip so we knew what to do once we got out on the rapids. Wear the wetsuits they are included- rent the shoes the water is cold and enjoy the FREE pictures 💕

Went Zip lining with Gus and Bug today, awesome day! Great guides that made it so fun, easy and kept us all safe! Definitely would recommend this activity and Colorado Adventures.

For the most part this place is 5 stars all the way! The pricing was fair the adventure rafting was so much fun. Upfront I will say I’m not thrilled with the booking. I called ahead booked a month out, and called to confirm that our group of six would be together and they assured me up and down this was happening. I even asked about the water levels being able to accommodate us and again I was told 100%. We checked in still a group of six they said we are good to go we will all be together, I paid in advance for the picture package for us we looked forward to it. Then they leave it up to the guides to break the news (mind you who work for tips) to be the bad guys and break up our group with random people. I was not happy with the company, the guides on the other hand so much fun and high energy. A lot of hurry up and wait but I get it, that’s a lot of people they’re responsible for keeping safe. Our guide Delaney was so much fun and encouraging in our beginner course! She was patient and knowledgeable, not enough good things could be said about her. They work for tips and we made sure she got hers thanks again!!!

Had a wonderful time on a 54 degree day. We did the intermediate level. Our guide Stephen was very knowledgeable, kept us safe, and fun. Wetsuits and jackets kept us warm and drier. Wish we would have paid the extra $3 and got the booties. Our feet were numb after 3 hours in plain water shoes. As a mom with 2 teenage daughters on the trip who have only done class 2 rapids, the guides kept the boats close, had several pull over areas to regroup and discuss the next set of rapids. After a big set of rapids the lead boat pulls over in case the other boats need help. Also the bus driver stops along the road and has a throw rope to help anyone in need. Love the added safety. Would highly recommend them.

My daughter and I had the BEST time on the Aerial course today! Our guides Harper and Aubrey were AMAZING! We had such a great time with them. They did an excellent job explaining everything and were so encouraging throughout the course. I have a fear of heights and with their encouragement I was able to overcome my fear and do almost the entire course, including the GOLD! Highly recommend!

We were in the area and my husband loves pizza and after looking at the photos online, we decided it would be something worth trying. We were there during lunchtime on a Thursday and ended up having to wait 15 minutes for a table but there are bench seats in the waiting area, so the wait was not terrible. We were under a bit of a time crunch so ordered immediately after being seated and our food was out in a reasonable amount of time. My husband and I both enjoyed the pizza and we also ordered the garlic bread with cheese, which was very good. The server was attentive especially considering the number of tables he seemed to be caring for. I believe we would probably order the thin crust next time because it looked delicious and as much as we loved the mountain style crust, we found ourselves peeling the bulk of the breading off after the first piece and putting it to the side and not eating it. We would definitely return to Beau Jo’s in the future if we are in the area.

Sometime 20+ years my boss took me and some of my coworkers here. I loved it and I need to visit this place again. We are staying in Avon so I thought it's now or never. We enjoyed our lunch and love their Mountain Pie where you van put honey on the crust.

We stopped here for lunch while on a tour. Our tour guide suggested the pizza and it was a great recommendation. The pizza was delicious. Especially with some honey on the crust. Wait for food was short. Prices were reasonable. Service and food were great.

We ordered a 5lb half Motherlode, half Spicy Victoroni tonight and it was a total disaster. The entire pizza was raw, undercooked, and cold. It was doughy and inedible, with toppings that literally were cold to the touch, like they came straight out of the fridge, no heat necessary! When we were presented with the pizza at pickup, it looked promising, but after diving in, it was clearly undercooked. We drove out of our way for this and ended up throwing away a $66 pizza. Absolutely not worth the hype or price. If you can’t handle large pies properly, don’t offer them. It’s clear that it was cooked too hot, too fast. Maybe it’s because it’s a Friday night, and Beau Jo’s is riding on the “Colorado favorite”, but this was nothing short of a half-baked disappointment (literally).

Stopped by for an early dinner on the way home. I wanted chicken wings. Thought about pizza but decided on chicken wings , stuffed mushrooms , and a yummy cranberry salad when I got there. This venue is in the town that started the gold rush. It has a lot of history and old dwellings. This location is one of my favorites. It has a rustic charm to it that invokes nostalgia, history and a show of old purpose. The food is delicious and pizza is its forte. Their pizzas is the best pizza ever ! I’ve traveled and had pizza all over this country. But now, when I think of pizza , I think of Beau Jo’s bc Beau Jo’s have perfected the art of pizza making and its recipe across the board. All I have to say about their food , is no matter what you get, it’s gonna be delicious and you’ll be happy with everything you choose. The portion of our salad was perfect for 2 also. You can get the wings dry rubbed or with sauces. I ordered the dry rub and it was perfectly cooked. The stuffed mushrooms were served hot and delicious. Our server was sweet, quick , considerate and honest. Never had slow or bad service there. We were seated right away. No waiting. The dining areas are spacious with plenty of seating. No booths just tables and there’s a bar. It’s a place you can take family , colleagues and have meetings at. The atmosphere is casual, friendly and inviting for all ages. You’ll see lots of nostalgic pictures from the past and old art that were once used long ago. An old mining shaft is on display too. The bathrooms are located on the ground level by the stairs and the rest are upstairs. There is also outside dining if you prefer. There are 2 entrances. The front and the back. Depending on your time of arrival , you will have to pay for parking either in the lot facing the highway or on the side of the street by it.

I’m not from Colorado but my wife is and she has ALWAYS said it is a staple and a must. HOWEVER!!! Only Idaho Springs can do it. The others are not the same. I’m NEVER disappointed when I go to this great place! We order 2 different large pizzas and sometimes a couple different appetizers. The Hearty Arty is artichoke dip with different veggies. Don’t forget to honey up your crust!!!

Great pizza we tried the BLT w/ added hot honey crust and Tiptop. Flavors are as described in the menu. Honey cheese bread was great as well, its a must try combo.

They don't plow the parking lot or shovel the sidewalks so it's all ice. The room didn't have a screen on the window and it was left unlocked when I got there so anyone walking by could have opened it and gotten in. It's right next to a busier road and you can hear every car go by. The toilet wouldn't flush half the time. I wasn't given the wifi password when I checked in so I don't know if they even have it. The pillows were horrible and the bed wasn't much better. The rates are well over what it's worth, even if you are just using it for sleep. You can hear other people in the hall very clearly even when they aren't yelling.

Front desk REFUSED to let us check in early. When we were only just over an hour early. Ridiculous! Views were ⁷ok though. And there were chairs to sit outside the rooms and enjoy the view. Rooms were okay, looks like they tried to remodel, however their lack of plugs made this like charging phones and other devices more challenging. The lamp on the table between the bed wasn't plugged in to anything nor was a standing lamp next to the bed. No plugs. We had to move the lamp to the top of the microwave to be able to charge things and had no lights bedside. Definitely a MOTEL stay!

Horrible experience. The only good part of the stay was check in and that was at night. The bathroom window did not lock had to use my toothbrush as a security lock, thank goodness Safeway was next door. The fridge ran really warm, the hair dryer/plug didn't work when I told the grumpy lady with white hair she brushed it off and said we don't have maintenance on the weekend you have to wait until Monday. There is no iron and ironing board which was odd to me. They charged my card despite choosing the option of book now pay later, I have never been charged until I checked in well low and be hold at 10 am they charged my card, I didn't get up there until 5 pm when I called a rude lady who said yeah I charged it's part of the policy I told her I haven't even checked in she said well that's the policy so I did. Not to mention to take a shower was horrible the water wasn't even lukewarm despite letting it run for minutes. We went for Mother's Day weekend so I figured to give this little motel a try big mistake. I highly recommend staying somewhere else!!! Super disappointed because it really is a cute place.

My room was 89 degrees hotel staff attempted to fix the issue by opening a window and setting a/c at 60 the a/c was so loud i could not sleep 2 hours later room was 84 i could not take a/c noise i turned it off and opened windows then door until room was 82 81 i would close them and try to sleep but 2 hours later it would be 84 too hot i repeated this until 8:15 when i just opened the front door until i checked out at 09:45 morning staff said room was next to the boiler and should not have been rented they would tell the owner by the way i did not have hot only just warm water 111 DOllars for the worse hotel stay of my life and 10 pct higher than they charged last year. Not even an offer of compensation

Air conditioner was not working properly just made noises. Bathroom was ok, it has shampoo, soap and hair dryer. It is an old building, glad the room were not carpeted. They used a lot of the odor covering agent.

Will never stay there again. Stayed March 15 - 16, 2025. Sleepless night. Be aware they allow dogs. Dog owner stayed close to my room and the dog was barking at night. Someone else was screaming over phone since 5 am. Thin walls and no noise restrictions. Extremely dirty coffee machine in the room, so could not use it. On top of that, they take your belongings and trash it. A couple of hours after check out, I came back to pick up my bathing suite which I forgot in the shower and was told it was trashed and when I requested staff member to check my room, she refused and suggest I do dumpster diving.

My fiance made a reservation for us and our dogs. Our room was clean and new! The renovations obviously paid off, however, this room was extremely average. This is okay though, we basically used the room to sleep in anyway. We had to pull the cuck chair and the desk chair to the foot of the bed to play video games though. Definitely a 3 star room. My fiance said that she was friendly to the staff at check-in and the staff seemed somewhat apathetic, I believe that this is worthy of between 2 and 3 stars for service as we did not have many interactions with staff. I love where the building is, It took me 15 minutes to walk to Safeway and back to pick up beer. The lodge is located on the main street for tourists; there's flashy restaurants, historical sites and hiking all within 20 minutes drive (also dispensaries).

Gorgeous, relaxing place to stop and admire the river, have a picnic or a small cookout, places to shop nearby. Love the area so much, it's so beautiful! 😍❣️

Courtney Ryley cooper in Idaho springs is a hidden park alongside with scenic river. Clean park to stop by with beautiful views around with picnic tables and kids playground while surrounded by river. It is perfect spot for family picnic and have a quiet lunch by the water.

Lovely city park next to clear creek. Plenty of picnic tables and a nice break from traffic.

Fun park, bathrooms and access to the river. Playground for kids. Clean and well kept.

Hidden treasure! Very nice small Park, port a toilets available. Picnic tables as well. Benches by the Stream just the right place to sit in the shade taking the scenery buy a Colorado River. I will be back!

We stopped here on our way West on i70 to give the kids a chance to burn some energy. Even at midday in August, there was a nice breeze and some shaded areas for sitting. The creek, which is fully fenced off from the play area and runs directly along the park, sounds really nice and adds to the experience.

Beautiful spot to stop and eat. We didn't need one, but it was nice there were grills if we did. Nice smaller park with plenty of seating for picnic.

The historical aspect is interesting, however the directions to get there are not particularly clear. If you are driving an RV, be mindful of the tight streets.

Interesting piece of history along a beautiful creek. Nicely paved trail beside the creek where you can easily see trout swimming.

August 2021 October 14, 2023 after lunch and going to some stores we walked over to the Charlie Taylor Water Wheel and Waterfall before heading over to Indian Hot Springs. The trees and water were beautiful. October 14, 2023 Belle and I in Idaho Springs for a day trip. We stopped at the Mother Cabrini Shrine, Tommyknocker Brewery, the Waterfall and Water Wheel, and Indian Hot Springs.

It's a nice little memorial of sorts, hidden by the freeway. We went in tbe evening and it was very peaceful. Worst part is, as other reviewers have pointed out, the directions to this place on Google Maps is terribly off. It literally takes you to the hill where there's a flag beneath which is the water wheel. Instead, you have to drive into the downtown of Idaho Springs. There's a parking lot on water street. Try to find the walkway beneath the freeway bridge, that leads you to the water wheel park.

The wheel turns into a must see giant pumpkin. It's an only 5 minutes walk from the parking lot and dog friendly.

We missed this area last time because it was on the other side of the highway from the Idaho springs main strip of shops. There is a path from the city hall building with the train in the back that goes under the overpass. There are 3 benches in front of the wheel for viewing. It's quite a peaceful spot. You will see water rafters coming through the creek water because there is an entry point for the rafting groups further down the walking path.

Love the walk along the water wheel. Going here for Independence Day has become our tradition and I think it's easy from the photos to see why. Of course in years where there hasn't been rain, it's tough for them to put on this show, so it can be hit or miss depending on the year, but when they're doing the show, it's incredible. But going to the water wheel is great any time of year... love the ice waterfall that forms in winter too.

Lilly is absolutely amazing. She is so knowledgeable and passionate. I’m so glad we got to meet her and hear everything she taught us about Dr. Underhill, his wife, and the history of mining in Idaho Springs. Thank you, Lilly!

The tour guide (I think her name is Lily), was very friendly, very interesting, insightful and knew a lot about the Underhills. Everything is so well kept. The back patio was very peaceful and restful. The ticket price is a bargain! Even my small children liked it. It was a great experience!

Tour provided a great back story and info on the town, interesting to learn about the previous homeowners and their impact on the community. The tour guide, Lilly, made our day! She was kind and very knowledgeable, made me excited to learn the information!

An informational tour with a ton of interesting facts about the town and its history. What really made this experience stand out however, was Lilly! Her enthusiasm about the information she was conveying was absolutely contagious. This was a great experience, thank you Lilly!

This house is gorgeous and the tour guide was outstanding! We really loved all the trivia and the garden is lovely

Really wanted to visit. Hours during winter/ spring are Saturday and Sunday only. Not so great if you are wanting to visit when on vaca. Read the history...sad we didn't get to go see it.

Cute, cozy, museum very friendly staff. Lots of history here.

This is a great area, had everything one needs.

Gorgeous place that is a must stop if driving to the top of Mount Blue Sky! Entry permits are needed and the staff at the gate is always super helpful about letting you know what conditions are like at the top!

You cannot drive up to MT Evans past labor day! You can only make a reservation for the Lake itself. You can climb the ridge and we tried but had to do too many scrambles so we came back down. The views were gorgeous though looking out. I do encourage people to climb the MT Evans trail at least until you get to the mail box up there or whatever it was. You pass these two like windows into the valley that are pretty. I'm not sure how to call them. I have a photo of what I mean attached. It is really pretty up here and there are mountain creatures all over the place! So keep an eye out for them. Heads upr reservations are $12 dollars. I do wish the trail to mount Evens was better marked that is the only thing I would wish for this place.

Summit Lake Park is absolutely stunning. You can go as far as you want and no matter the distance will be met with gorgeous views. The drive to Summit Lake Park can be windy and have quite the turns. Take your time and just enjoy the views. If there are turn-offs I recommend using them to take a moment to snap beautiful photos. This place is dog friendly but please be respectful of the wildlife. This is their home and we are just visitors.

Awesome place, loved it.. it started snowing when I reached the parking lot.. this is one of the best and must visit..there is an entrance fee and reservation is needed..there is no to less cell phone coverage so recommendation is to book in advance.. it's also on higher altitude so come prepared with layers of clothes..roads are narrow and on a foggy or Snow or rainy day viability is very less..

Gorgeous!! Decently clean bathrooms as well. To my understanding this area technically needed a separate day pass, but it was worth it to be able to go walk towards the overlook and spend some time at the lake. Be aware of changing weather, especially if your permit time is for the afternoon. Enjoy! *Pictures from end of June!

Such a beautiful place to take pictures and so many flowers. The hike to the lake is very short but if you aren't used to the altitude, bring water and go slow. A few of us got lightheaded but we had only arrived to Colorado

Parking lot that holds maybe 50 or more cars with some road side parking available. There are 2 bathroom huts here so you won't have to wait long to use it if at all. There were some wild goats in the lot when we pulled up. If it's full there is a second lot about half a mile up the road as a backup.