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Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

Colorado Rail Experience

Eight-day Colorado heritage rail tour from Denver to Colorado Springs

Illustration of Colorado Rail Experience

Vacations By Rail's Colorado Rail Experience is an 8-day escorted tour that travels from Denver to Colorado Springs on six heritage railroads, each with its own character and history. The itinerary departs Denver on the narrow-gauge Georgetown Loop, built in 1884, and includes steam-hauled and diesel trains through the San Juan Mountains, the Animas River Gorge, and across the Colorado-New Mexico border. A Tour Manager stays with the group throughout; most stops are two-night stays, allowing time to explore mining towns such as Silverton (established 1874) and recreational sites like the Garden of the Gods. Each day features a different train, from the intimate narrow-gauge Cumbres & Toltec to the vista-dome Royal Gorge Route. Daily breakfast, two lunches, and one dinner are included, plus all rail and coach travel. The tour suits repeat rail travellers, couples, and history lovers, and those who prefer an organized itinerary without independent navigation.

What to know before you look closer

  • Day 8 includes a morning tour and group transfer to Denver International Airport to accommodate afternoon flights; the departure is not an overnight train.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Silverthorne, CO

    Boarding the Georgetown Loop Railroad

    Meet the Tour Manager and group in Denver, transfer by motorcoach to Golden for a tour of the Colorado Railroad Museum, then ride the narrow-gauge Georgetown Loop Railroad (completed 1884) between Georgetown and Silver Plume. Scenic drive to Silverthorne.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Silverthorne, CO

    Riding the Leadville Railroad

    Board the Leadville Railroad north through the Arkansas River Valley, crossing the Continental Divide on a two-and-a-half-hour round trip past Fremont Pass, with conductor commentary including stories of Molly Brown.

  3. Day 3overnight: Durango, CO

    Wild West history on the way from Silverthorne to Durango

    Motorcoach south via Breckenridge to Fairplay's South Park City Museum (a recreated Gold Rush town), continuing to Durango near the New Mexico border through the Rio Grande National Forest.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Durango, CO

    Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

    Board the 45-mile Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (a National Historic Landmark, featured in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) alongside the Animas River and above the Animas River Gorge to the 1874 mining town of Silverton.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Alamosa, CO

    Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

    Board the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad from Chama, North America's longest and highest narrow-gauge steam railway, crossing the Colorado-New Mexico border 13 times over 64 miles, including the Cascade Creek trestle bridge, with a lunch stop at Osier before continuing to Antonito and on to Alamosa.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Colorado Springs, CO

    Royal Gorge Route Railroad in First Class with lunch

    Coach to Cañon City to ride the Royal Gorge Route Railroad in a First Class vista-dome car along the Arkansas River, past the Hanging Bridge and beneath the Royal Gorge Bridge, with a three-course lunch in the dining car. Continue by coach to Colorado Springs.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Colorado Springs, CO

    Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway and the Garden of the Gods

    Board the Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway for a nine-mile climb to the 14,000-foot summit of Pikes Peak, then a drive through the Garden of the Gods' red rock formations.

  8. Day 8

    Traveling home

    Tour of Colorado's railways concludes after breakfast; a group transfer to Denver International Airport accommodates flights departing after 1:00 PM.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Day 1: Board the Georgetown Loop Railroad, the narrow-gauge route completed in 1884 between Georgetown and Silver Plume, then visit the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden.
  • Day 2Day 2: Ride the Leadville Railroad across the Continental Divide on a two-and-a-half-hour round trip, with conductor commentary on Colorado's mining heritage.
  • Day 4Day 4: Travel the 45-mile Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad alongside the Animas River and Animas River Gorge to the historic 1874 town of Silverton.
  • Day 5Day 5: Board the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad from Chama, crossing the Colorado-New Mexico border 13 times over 64 miles, including the Cascade Creek trestle bridge and a lunch stop at Osier.
  • Day 6Day 6: Ride the Royal Gorge Route Railroad in a First Class vista-dome car along the Arkansas River beneath the Royal Gorge Bridge, with a three-course lunch in the dining car.

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 7 nights' hotel accommodation
  • All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
  • Breakfast each day, 2 lunches, 1 dinner
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance (not included but can be arranged)
  • Flights and Airport transfers

Also sold by

The same itinerary is listed by more than one company. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included in the price?
Yes. All rail and coach travel throughout the 8-day tour is included in the from-price of USD 3,799, along with 7 nights' accommodation, daily breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner, and all guided tours.
Which trains are featured?
The tour includes the Georgetown Loop Railroad, Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Royal Gorge Route Railroad, and Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway.
Is the tour escorted?
Yes. A Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish.
What hotels are included?
The tour stays at Hotel Indigo Silverthorne (2 nights), Holiday Inn Express Durango Downtown-Animas River (2 nights), Holiday Inn Express Alamosa (1 night), and Hyatt Place Colorado Springs/Downtown (2 nights).
How much walking is involved?
The tour has a Mobility Rating 2, which includes typical city walking, stairs, and boarding/exiting trains. The Pikes Peak ascent is by railway to 14,000 feet.
What is not included?
Flights, airport transfers, and cancellation & travel insurance are not included, though insurance can be arranged.

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