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The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail holiday

Colorado and the Rocky Mountains Steam Tour

17-day Colorado steam-rail tour from Denver to Grand Junction with nine heritage trains

Illustration of Colorado and the Rocky Mountains Steam Tour

The Railway Touring Company offers this 17-day escorted tour immersing you in Colorado's mining heritage and Wild West character through nearly 300 miles of steam-hauled narrow-gauge railway. You fly from London Heathrow to Denver, where you spend five nights exploring the Colorado Railroad Museum, Rocky Mountain National Park at nearly 12,000 feet, and the Georgetown Loop Railroad, an 1884 engineering marvel pulled by a Shay locomotive. From there, the tour takes you south to the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the world's highest cog railway at 14,115 feet, and the Royal Gorge Scenic Railroad along the Arkansas River in Vista Dome cars. You continue to Alamosa for two historic narrow-gauge rides on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad, then to Durango for a journey on the line that once hauled silver and gold ore. A Tour Manager guides the entire trip, arranging all transport, accommodation in quality hotels, and included meals. On Day 15, you return to Denver aboard the Amtrak California Zephyr, climbing through the Rockies and past Glenwood Canyons before flying home to London.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure listed for August 2026; confirm future dates and availability with The Railway Touring Company.
  • The from-price of GBP 5,995 (approximately USD 8,006) covers the package; compare against current flight fares from London Heathrow at time of booking.
  • Day 2 includes only a ride on the Galloping Goose railcar at the Colorado Railroad Museum; the Leadville and Cripple Creek trains on Days 5 and 6 are short excursions, not full-day journeys.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Denver

    Fly to Denver

    Afternoon flight from London Heathrow to Denver, the capital of Colorado. Based in Denver for the next five nights.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Denver

    At leisure in Denver and a visit to Colorado Railroad Museum

    Relaxing morning in Denver, then travel by coach to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, with time to explore the exhibits and a ride on a Galloping Goose No. 7 railcar. Evening free in Denver.

  3. Day 3overnight: Denver

    Sightseeing at Rocky Mountain National Park

    Guided sightseeing tour up to almost 12,000 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park, which features the highest paved road in the US and over 350 miles of trails. Buffet lunch included.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Denver

    Steam at the Georgetown Loop Railroad

    Coach transfer to the Georgetown Loop Railroad, an 1884 three-foot narrow-gauge engineering marvel, hauled by a giant Shay locomotive departing from Silver Plume in standard class open carriages for views of the Clear Creek Valley. Visit to a mine and free time in Georgetown before returning to Denver.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Denver

    Leadville Railroad

    Coach 75 miles west of Denver to the former frontier mining town of Leadville (10,430 feet), with time to explore before a trip on the scenic Leadville Railroad. Return to Denver in late afternoon.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Colorado Springs

    Visit to Garden of the Gods; steam and saloons in Cripple Creek

    Coach south to Colorado Springs via the 1,367-acre 'Garden of the Gods'. Continue to Cripple Creek for a journey on the Cripple Creek and Victor Railroad into the mountain wilderness, then on to Colorado Springs for a two-night stay.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Colorado Springs

    Pikes Peak Cog Railway and charming Manitou Springs

    Coach transfer to Manitou Springs to travel up Pikes Peak Cog Railway, at 14,115 feet the highest cog railway in the world, through aspen and pine forest on a track reaching a 24% grade. Free time in Manitou Springs before returning to Colorado Springs.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Alamosa

    Royal Gorge Scenic Railroad, on to Alamosa

    Coach to Canon City for a midday departure on the Royal Gorge Scenic Railroad, hauled by an F-Unit diesel locomotive, travelling in Vista Dome class with access to an open-air gondola car, following the Arkansas River through the Royal Gorge, lunch included. Continue by coach to Alamosa for a three-night stay.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Alamosa

    Cumbres & Toltec Railroad, Rio Grande Train

    Morning departure from Alamosa on the Rio Grande train to Osier, with staged run-pasts for photography and lunch at Osier station. Return to Alamosa early afternoon.

  10. Day 10railovernight: Alamosa

    Steam at the world famous Cumbres and Toltec Railroad

    The Antonito Excursion: motorcoach transfer from Antonito to Chama, stopping at Osier for lunch, then board the steam train from Chama back to Antonito with allocated seating and panoramic Western scenery.

  11. Day 11overnight: Durango

    Sand Dunes National Monument; on to Durango

    Early morning visit to the Sand Dunes National Monument near Alamosa, then coach via scenic Rocky Mountain roads to Durango, arriving in time to film steam trains at the narrow-gauge roundhouse. Two-night stay in Durango.

  12. Day 12railovernight: Durango

    Steam at the Durango and Silverton Railroad

    Morning departure from Durango to Silverton on the narrow-gauge line originally built to haul silver and gold ore, travelling in 1st Class with complimentary morning pastries and non-alcoholic beverages. Return to Durango late afternoon.

  13. Day 13overnight: Ouray

    Durango Yard Tour, then 'Million Dollar Highway'

    Guided tour of the Durango roundhouse with behind-the-scenes access and photography as the morning trains leave for Silverton. Coach over the 'Million Dollar Highway' via Silverton (lunch stop) and the San Juan Skyway to Ouray.

  14. Day 14railovernight: Grand Junction

    Grand Junction

    Coach north to Grand Junction on US Route 550 (Trails of the Ancients Byway), with a short stop at Ridgway to see the Galloping Goose No. 1 in the Railroad Museum. Check into a centrally located hotel in Grand Junction.

  15. Day 15overnight: Denver

    Amtrak 'California Zephyr' to Denver

    Mid-morning departure on the Amtrak 'California Zephyr' from Grand Junction, climbing through the Rockies and the Sierra Nevadas, past the Moffat Tunnel and Colorado's Gore, Byers and Glenwood Canyons, seated in coach class on the upper deck. Arrive at Denver Union Station in the early evening.

  16. Day 16overnight: in-flight

    Fly back to UK

    Free time to relax in Denver before transferring to the airport for the evening flight back to the UK.

  17. Day 17

    Arrival in London

    Arrive back in London at midday.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4The Georgetown Loop Railroad departs from Silver Plume hauled by a Shay locomotive, climbing through the Clear Creek Valley in open carriages.
  • Day 7The Pikes Peak Cog Railway climbs to 14,115 feet through aspen and pine forest on a track that reaches a 24% grade.
  • Day 8The Royal Gorge Scenic Railroad follows the Arkansas River through the Royal Gorge in Vista Dome class with access to an open-air gondola car.
  • Day 12The Durango and Silverton Railroad, a narrow-gauge line built to haul silver and gold ore, departs in 1st Class with complimentary morning pastries and non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Day 15The Amtrak California Zephyr departs Grand Junction and climbs through the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas, past the Moffat Tunnel and Glenwood Canyons, arriving at Denver Union Station in the early evening.

Included

  • Scheduled flights from London Heathrow to Denver and return
  • 15 nights accommodation in quality hotels
  • 15 breakfasts
  • 4 lunches
  • All train travel, transfers, visits and tours as detailed in the itinerary
  • The services of a Tour Manager

Questions travellers ask

Is all the train travel included?
Yes. The itinerary includes rides on nine heritage railways: Galloping Goose No. 7, Georgetown Loop, Leadville, Cripple Creek and Victor, Pikes Peak Cog, Royal Gorge Scenic, Cumbres and Toltec, Durango and Silverton, and Amtrak California Zephyr. Transfers between towns are by coach.
Is this escorted or independent?
Escorted. A Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout the 17 days. All transport, accommodation, and rail journeys are arranged.
What is included in the price?
Scheduled flights from London Heathrow to Denver and return, 15 nights in quality hotels, 15 breakfasts, 4 lunches, all train travel, transfers, visits, tours, and the services of a Tour Manager.
How much walking is involved?
Days include coach transfers between towns and guided sightseeing tours (Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods). Free time in towns allows self-paced exploration. The Pikes Peak Cog Railway reaches 14,115 feet but uses the train; no mountaineering or long hikes are described.
What hotels are included?
The itinerary specifies hotel locations (Denver, Colorado Springs, Alamosa, Durango, Ouray, Grand Junction, and Denver again) and nights in each, but specific hotel names are not detailed in the operator's description.
When does this tour run?
One departure is listed for August 2026 at GBP 5,995 per person. Contact The Railway Touring Company to confirm availability and any other dates.

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