The short answer
Yes. The Mighty Argo is one of the easiest family outings near Denver. It's in Idaho Springs, about 30 minutes west of Denver off I-70 (Exit 241), at 2350 Riverside Drive. The cable car ride takes about ten minutes each way. Kids 5 and under ride free, and kids 6 to 17 pay $19.95. There's also a real gold mill to explore and real gold to pan.
- Where
- 2350 Riverside Drive, Idaho Springs, CO 80452 (I-70 Exit 241)
- Ride time
- About 10 minutes each way, climbing 1,250 feet
- Cable car, kids 6-17
- $19.95 (kids 5 and under free)
- Cabins
- Enclosed and heated, so it works in cool weather too
Four things kids actually like
1. The gondola ride
You board next to the old mill at 7,550 feet. A few minutes later you're high above Virginia Canyon. Some of the cabins have glass floors, and which one you get is luck. Bighorn sheep live on the rock faces on the north side of the canyon and are used to the cabins passing over. Mule deer, elk and red-tailed hawks show up too.
2. Gold panning
Each kid gets a pan and a seat at the trough, plus about ninety seconds of instruction. Most people find flake gold, and plenty find garnets. Whatever ends up in your pan goes home in your pocket. Panning is $21.95 for kids 6 to 17 and $4.95 for kids 5 and under, and it's included with the mill tour.
3. The mill and tunnel tour
It's a one-hour guided tour. You start at the tunnel portal where the ore carts came out, then follow the rock down through crushers, stamp batteries and shaker tables. It's cool inside the mountain all year, so bring a layer. Kids 6 to 17 pay $19.95, and kids 5 and under pay $4.95.
4. The view from the top
The deck at Miner's Point runs out past the canyon rim, with 1,250 feet of canyon under the rail. On a clear day you can see the Continental Divide across the western horizon. Food and drinks are at the Outpost at the top.
Good to know before you come
- Combo option: The Gold Package bundles the cable car, mill tour, gold panning, all-day parking and a food credit. Kids 6 to 17 pay $34.95, and kids 5 and under pay $4.95.
- Timed tickets: You can change or refund them any time before you arrive. If wind or lightning stops the line, your ticket is refunded or moved.
- Parking: Parking is sold separately: $2.95 for 1 hour, $4.95 for 2 hours, $9.95 for 4 hours, or $14.95 for all day.
- Dress: It's cooler at the top, and cooler still inside the mill. Layers work best.
- Prices: The prices above are what we charge at the time of writing. The booking page always shows the current price.
Plan a family day at the Argo.
Questions? Call us at (983) 955-8866.