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Vacations By Rail has withdrawn this trip from sale. We keep the page for reference and comparison. The same itinerary is still sold by another operator, listed under Also sold by below.

Vacations By Rail · Escorted rail tour

From Deserts to Peaks: A Canyon Spirit Adventure

Seven-day escorted rail journey from Salt Lake City to Denver aboard Canyon Spirit

Illustration of From Deserts to Peaks: A Canyon Spirit Adventure

Vacations By Rail's seven-day escorted tour From Deserts to Peaks carries travellers aboard the Canyon Spirit, a new luxury train, from Salt Lake City through Utah and Colorado to Rocky Mountain National Park. The journey opens with two nights in Salt Lake City, where a coach excursion takes you to Park City and up Hidden Peak by tram for valley views. Day 3 marks the departure of the Canyon Spirit, a train featuring domed, window-lined Signature Class coaches that carry you east through desert canyons and high-country passes to Moab. A guided tour of Arches National Park follows, then the train continues across the Colorado border to Glenwood Springs and Denver, where two nights allow time for Boulder and a half-day naturalist tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. A Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout; six nights span four- and five-star hotels, and meals include five breakfasts, two lunches, and three dinners. The pace is relaxed, with most stops lasting one to two nights, and the landscape shifts from mountain ranges to terracotta deserts to alpine terrain.

What to know before you look closer

  • The Canyon Spirit's new 2026 route is brand new; verify departure dates and exact itinerary details with Vacations By Rail before booking
  • Flights and airport transfers are not included; you must arrange your own transport to Salt Lake City on Day 1 and from Denver on Day 7
  • Days 1 and 7 involve independent arrival and departure; you make your own way to and from the hotels

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Salt Lake City

    Arriving in Utah's mountainous capital, Salt Lake City

    Make your own way to the five-star, Venetian-style Grand America Hotel for a two-night stay, with time to explore independently before meeting the Tour Manager and group for dinner at the hotel.

  2. Day 2overnight: Salt Lake City

    Into the mountains of Park City

    Coach to Park City, a former silver-mining town, with free time to explore, then board the Snowbird Summer Scenic Tram to climb 2,900 feet to the summit of Hidden Peak (13-minute ride) for views over the Salt Lake Valley. Optional evening visit to Temple Square to hear the Tabernacle Choir rehearsal.

  3. Day 3overnight: Moab

    To Moab on Canyon Spirit

    Board Canyon Spirit on its brand-new 2026 route from Salt Lake City to Denver, in domed, window-lined coaches with Signature Class service, passing the Thistle Tunnels, Soldier Summit, Price River Canyon and the Book Cliffs, arriving in Moab.

  4. Day 4overnight: Glenwood Springs

    Exploring Arches National Park and onward to Glenwood Springs

    Guided tour of Arches National Park, including Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch (the world's longest natural arch), then rejoin Canyon Spirit for a narrated journey to the resort town of Glenwood Springs.

  5. Day 5overnight: Denver

    Crossing the Rocky Mountains on Canyon Spirit

    Final leg of Canyon Spirit's route through the Colorado Rockies and across the Continental Divide, arriving at Denver's historic Union Station, then transfer to The Oxford Hotel, a Denver institution since 1891.

  6. Day 6overnight: Denver

    A day in Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park

    Coach transfer to Boulder with free time downtown, then into Rocky Mountain National Park with a naturalist for a half-day tour including Sheep Lake, Horseshoe Park and Many Parks Curve. Final group dinner in Denver.

  7. Day 7

    Tour conclusion

    After breakfast at The Oxford Hotel, the journey concludes; make your own way to Denver Union Station or Denver's airport for onward travel.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Ride the Snowbird Summer Scenic Tram 2,900 feet up Hidden Peak for views over the Salt Lake Valley
  • Day 3Board the Canyon Spirit on its brand-new 2026 route from Salt Lake City, passing Thistle Tunnels, Soldier Summit, Price River Canyon, and the Book Cliffs
  • Day 4Guided tour of Arches National Park includes Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch, the world's longest natural arch
  • Day 5Cross the Rocky Mountains and Continental Divide on the final leg of Canyon Spirit into Denver's historic Union Station
  • Day 6Half-day naturalist-led tour of Rocky Mountain National Park includes Sheep Lake, Horseshoe Park, and Many Parks Curve

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 6 nights' hotel accommodation
  • All rail and coach travel throughout the tour
  • Signature Class rail travel
  • 5 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance
  • 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 train travel included in the price?
Yes. The from-price of USD 6,299 includes all rail and coach travel throughout the tour, including Signature Class service aboard the Canyon Spirit.
Is this tour escorted?
Yes. Vacations By Rail assigns a Tour Manager to provide expertise and accompany the group from start to finish.
Which train do we travel on?
The Canyon Spirit, operating its brand-new 2026 route from Salt Lake City to Denver via Moab and Glenwood Springs in domed, window-lined Signature Class coaches.
What hotels are included?
Two nights at the five-star Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, one night in Moab (hotel unspecified), one night in Glenwood Springs (hotel unspecified), and two nights at the four-star Oxford Hotel in Denver.
How much walking is involved?
Mobility Rating 2: includes coach transfers, walking in Park City and Boulder, a 13-minute tram ride to Hidden Peak, and a half-day naturalist tour of Rocky Mountain National Park.
What meals are included?
Five breakfasts, two lunches, and three dinners. Cancellation and travel insurance are not included.

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