Idaho Springs and Georgetown (Denver, Grand Junction: houses, living in, restaurants)

[fish2026]

Ive visited these towns several times - they are scenic with nice old houses.

Has anyone ever LIVED in one of these places and can they relate what life is like there?

[2bindenver]

small mining towns. I love to have dinner in Georgetown on my way down the hill from playing in the mountains.

[luvgeot]

We have been going to Georgetown for 30 years and we love it more each time we go! We think it is the BEST kept secret in Colorado! We hope to retire there in a few years. One of our favorite things to do in the summer in Georgetown is to sit outside overlooking the valley with the smell of pine in the air hearing the train's whistle in the distance as it passes over the trestle. We are from Chicago so we are looking to slow down a bit and relax when we are able to get away! Summit County is really beautiful but it is unaffordable for most people. Georgetown is just a 20-30 minute drive away, just as beautiful and MUCH more affordable. People in Georgetown have the best of both worlds..... spend the day up in Summit County enjoying all the amenities those town have to offer and then come back to the the peace and quiet of quaint little Georgetown to relax. Don't get me wrong....Georgetown has its own amenities to enjoy....shops, restaurants, train rides etc. Georgetown also has a annual 4th of July parade followed by picnic in the park and the first two weekends in December each year they have a Christmas Market that truly takes you back in time! Both events are just WONDERFUL! If you are looking for a laid back, relaxing way of life and enjoy the four seasons.....Georgetown in my opinion is the place to be!

[Longing for New England]

I have lived in Georgetown for almost 20 years and I own a shop in Idaho Springs. It is not as nice as it seems. There is nothing to do in this town. Be prepared to drive long distances for things. The economy is tourist based. It is dead in winter and busy in summer. I hate that I cannot check my mail at the post office at certain times of the day during summer because of the busy tourist section of town. Spring is short and summer is even shorter. The climate is DRY and it is difficult to grow anything (including a nice lawn). The nights are cold. The highway (I-70: the only way in and out of town) can be miserable. It is packed on the weekends and holidays making any travel in or out of town difficult. The local politics are a joke. The upper crust crowd rule the roost making things difficult for others. I have very little that is nice to say about the town. I am moving to the East coast soon. So , I may not have the best opinion of the place. I have lived here too long and I am in search of my dream place to live.

[Shuffler]

ya but, wasn't your ex-Mayor in Playboy or sumthin'.....??

[steveindenver]

We have a place in Georgetown which is used as a staging area for the ski areas or just a quick getaway.

There are a couple of decent places to drink, nowhere really good to eat and a bunch of tourist oriented shops that are very often run by some real nutters. Honestly you would have to be between here and crazy-ville to think you could make a living in such a way in such a town; but it takes all types.

Prices are still decent. There is easy and I mean exceptionally easy access to a lot of good hiking, biking (if you are in great shape) motorcycle and jeep trails.

The downsides are that noise and pollution are both rather high given the proximity to the highway, you have to drive a while for decent food and groceries and the town does have quite a few crazies and prices are headed up.

[luvgeot]

Being from Chicago,the cool summer nights and dry sunny days are what we like most about Georgetown in the Summer. The highway can get a bit crowded .....especially on Sunday's after 3p.m. when everyone is heading back to Denver, if you are local you know when to avoid the highway. This is a LITTLE town in the mountains......a getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life...... NOT the place to be if you are looking for convenience/necessity shopping ! A great place in my opinion to be retired ....rest, relax enjoy the BEAUTY etc. and Summit county is just 20-30 minutes up the highway. Whatever you need is there ! The towns economy is tourist based and I do agree about the lack of places to eat......they definitely NEED more family friendly dining. All in all.....if you LOVE Colorado and the mountains.....can't find a better deal than Georgetown! Just 20 minutes up the highway......$$$$$ Unaffordable for most and they have the same climate and highway issues.....etc.

[DgoNative]

Why would anyone want to live in the smog-trapped valley towns of I-70? There are plenty of those tiny towns scattered throughout the mountains, close to amenities, and not bisected by six crowded lanes of pollution.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by DgoNative

Why would anyone want to live in the smog-trapped valley towns of I-70? There are plenty of those tiny towns scattered throughout the mountains, close to amenities, and not bisected by six crowded lanes of pollution.

Amen to that. I continually call the strip of I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction the "I-70 Sacrifice Zone," coined first, I believe, by Denver Post columnist Ed Quillen. That is exactly what it is. Before I-70 (and, yes, I'm old enough to remember that), Silver Plume, Georgetown, and Idaho Springs were neat old mining towns with real character. The presence of I-70 hard next to them destroyed all of that ambiance--just as gambling did to Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek (ANOTHER big Colorado mistake, in my opinion). There are only a few former Colorado mining towns that have even a scintilla of atmosphere or authenticity left--Victor, Rico, Creede, Silverton, and Ouray. The rest have been loved to death by the beautiful people and fancy development. Even in the five towns I just mentioned, the scourge is coming.

[steveindenver]

Why would anyone want to live in the smog-trapped valley towns of I-70? There are plenty of those tiny towns scattered throughout the mountains, close to amenities, and not bisected by six crowded lanes of pollution.

Name these other towns.

Also, please find the ones as close to Denver.