Western USA - Colorados National Parks and Trains

WESTERN USA
COLORADOS NATIONAL PARKS & TRAINS
09 DAYS FROM $1,309 US
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Phone: 1-888-682-6449/1-303-670-5640
Fax: (425) 984-7676

Experience Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah on a nine-day roundtrip from Denver. Visit the Colorado Railroad Museum and Garden of the Gods. Next, ride the rails, including Pike’s Peak Cog Railway, Royal Gorge Route Railroad, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, and Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, before taking in Mesa Verde National Park, Arches National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Day 1 Mon. DENVER

Enjoy some time at leisure to relax or do some independent exploring. Your Tour Director is on hand this evening to answer any questions.

Day 2 Tue. DENVER –PIKES PEAK COG RAILWAY–COLORADO SPRINGS

Begin the day with a visit to the COLORADO RAILROAD MUSEUM. This “must-see” site for rail fans features more than 70 historic narrow and standard gauge locomotives and cars. Then, travel south to the town of Colorado Springs, located on the plains at the foot of Pikes Peak. The natural beauty of Colorado Springs is legendary. The view from the top of nearby Pikes Peak inspired Katharine Lee Bates to compose “America the Beautiful” more than 100 years ago. Visit the GARDEN OF THE GODS, a city park that is a garden of towering red rock formations. Next is a fabulous train ride on the PIKE’S PEAK COG RAILWAY, the world’s first diesel-electric cog locomotive and highest cog railroad. Travel along Ruxton Creek in Englemann Canyon, then over Four Mile Switch where you’ll get your first glimpse of Pikes Peak. At about the 5-mile point, the grade gets steep as you climb above timberline and reach the 14,110-foot summit of Pikes Peak.

Day 3 Wed. COLORADO SPRINGS–CAÑON CITY–ROYAL GORGE ROUTE RAILWAY–ALAMOSA

This morning, journey to Cañon City and the Royal Gorge to experience the ROYAL GORGE BRIDGE & PARK. Spanning a quarter mile across is the world’s highest suspension bridge at 1,053 feet high. The panoramic vistas of the gorge are as mesmerizing as the Grand Canyon. See spectacular views of the Arkansas River and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the Aerial Tram ride. Then, all aboard the ROYAL GORGE ROUTE RAILROAD. Travel on a diesel locomotive for 12 miles following the most spectacular section of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad through the gorge on tracks laid more than 120 years ago. Riders often spot wildlife such as eagles and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. The views are breathtaking, so bring your camera. Overnight in Alamosa, surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo range to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the west.

Day 4 Thu. ALAMOSA–CUMBRES & TOLTEC RAILROAD–DURANGO

Today you travel on the CUMBRES & TOLTEC SCENIC RAILROAD, America’s most authentic steam railroad built more than 120 years ago. Jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico, the 64-mile line connects Antonito, Colorado, and Chama, New Mexico, via 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass and is an archetypal remnant of the Denver & Rio Grande narrow-gauge railroad system that once stretched hundreds of miles throughout the Rocky Mountains. Travel through the beautiful San Juan Mountains on tracks that tamed the West. You’ll cross the Colorado-New Mexico border 11 times. The train stops in Osier, Colorado, for lunch. Disembark the train at Cumbres Pass and continue by motorcoach to Chama. Later, arrive in Durango, a town born in the gold rush and silver mining era and at times run by gunslingers. (L)

Day 5 Fri. DURANGO

Excursion on the DURANGO & SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD. Board the narrow-gauge Durango-Silverton train this morning for a scenic ride through San Juan National Forest. Experience the adventure of traveling by a coal-fired, steampowered locomotive on the same tracks miners, cowboys, and settlers of the Old West took more than a century ago. The locomotives used to pull today’s train are 1923–25 vintage. This historic train has been in continuous operation for more than 123 years. The train hugs steep canyon walls as it winds its way through Rio de las Animas Canyon with vistas of snowcapped peaks. Free time in Silverton, once a major mining town, which owes its name to the bragging statement by an early miner, “We have no gold, but silver by the ton!”

Day 6 Sat. DURANGO–MESA VERDE–MOAB

Visit the ruins of ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK. See Spruce Tree House, which dates from 1200 A.D. and is tucked under a sandstone cliff face. Spend time at the park’s museum, depicting the story of these people who mysteriously disappeared almost 700 years ago. Continue on to Moab, a small town on the Colorado River surrounded by red sandstone formations.

Day 7 Sun. MOAB–GLENWOOD CANYON–VAIL

This morning, visit ARCHES NATIONAL PARK where you will see the world-famous “Delicate Arch.” Continue your journey through the massive 1,800-foot walls of Glenwood Canyon and then continue to the Vail Valley area, one of America’s most popular mountain resorts. Stroll through the pedestrian village and experience the unique shopping opportunities, or let one of the world-class chefs prepare a meal to delight your tastebuds. Overnight in the Vail area.

Day 8 Mon. VAIL–ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK–DENVER

See Colorado’s largest natural lake, Grand Lake. Cross the Continental Divide and behold vistas of lush meadows, alpine glaciers, and thundering waterfalls. Take scenic Trail Ridge Road over magnificent mountain terrain, which attracted the likes of Kit Carson and his group of trappers to ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK. A break at 12,000 feet provides fantastic alpine scenery. Next is a short stop in Estes Park before returning to Denver. Nestled in a high mountain valley at just above 7,500 feet elevation, Estes Park features hundreds of unique shops, galleries, and restaurants for you to enjoy. Free time this evening to enjoy one of America’s fastest growing cities. A bustling area centered around a milelong pedestrian promenade is lined with outdoor cafés and flower baskets. Dinner at one of the 300 restaurants and a horse-drawn carriage ride could be the perfect ending to the day. Note: The drive through Rocky Mountain National Park is subject to favorable road and weather conditions.

Day 9 Tue DENVER
The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers are provided to Denver International Airport.

SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS

Denver, Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, Durango, Mesa Verde, Moab, Arches National Park, Glenwood Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park.

INSIDE VISITS

Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.

MEALS

1 lunch (L)

SUPERIOR HOTELS

Twin-bedded rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, service charges, and tips for baggage handling. Listed hotels or equivalent. DENVER Comfort Inn Downtown (ST); COLORADO SPRINGS Clarion Hotel Downtown (F); ALAMOSA Inn of the Rio Grande (F); DURANGO Holiday Inn Durango (F); MOAB Big Horn Lodge (ST); VAIL/BEAVER CREEK (AREA) Comfort Inn Beaver Creek (ST)

Departure Dates
May - September

Prices
From approx $1,309 US per person based on double occupancy

More Tours and Cruises available on request