Colorado Rail Experience

Your Colorado vacation begins as you meet the Tour Manager and rest of the traveling group in Denver at 9:00 A.M. this morning. On a deluxe motorcoach, we transfer to Golden, where our explorations begin at the Colorado Railroad Museum. A tour through its featured exhibits, extensive collection of rolling stock and Roundhouse restoration facility offers an insider's perspective of this fascinating site.

There's free time to find lunch independently before we immerse ourselves in the mining history of the Rocky Mountains aboard the Georgetown Loop Railroad. This narrow-gauge, two coil loop railroad was completed in 1884 and takes us on the original four-and-a-half-mile loop between Georgetown and Silver Plume. A marvel of engineering in its day, the steam-hauled railroad takes us through thick pine forests and around rolling hills as we travel in vintage cars.

Leaving Georgetown, a scenic drive through the rugged landscape takes us to the resort town of Silverthorne, where we check in to our hotel. Overnight Silverthorne, CO.

Stepping back in time after breakfast, we discover the mining and railroad past of Leadville today. Aboard the Leadville Railroad, we follow a course north through the Arkansas River Valley, traveling into thick groves of alpine trees lining the river. Views of some of Colorado's tallest peaks come into view as the train continues through the lush valley, and we even cross the Continental Divide during the two-and-a-half-hour round trip.

Journeying through Colorado's untamed wilderness, the route rises more than a thousand feet, providing excellent panoramas of the Fremont Pass. Onboard commentary by the conductor adds additional insights into the journey as we learn about the region's colorful history and famous residents - including Molly Brown, the "unsinkable" Titanic passenger who lived in Leadville for many years.

Upon return to Silverthorne, the remainder of the day is free to enjoy the wild scenery surrounding the town. Dining independently tonight, savor Colorado's varied cuisine, with everything from steak and lamb to trout and spicy Mexican-style dishes found on menus. Overnight Silverthorne, CO.

• Breakfast

Leaving Silverthorne after breakfast, we enjoy a day of scenic travel by motorcoach. Heading south, we pass through the popular ski resort of Breckenridge enroute to the town of Fairplay. Here, we stop to visit the South Park City Museum, an authentic recreation of a Gold Rush town. More than 40 buildings are filled with thousands of artifacts that reflect the social and economic aspects of life in a frontier boomtown. Stepping in to the general store or schoolhouse transports us back to 19th-century Colorado as we immerse ourselves in this lawless but formative period of U.S. history.

Continuing to Durango near the Colorado and New Mexico border, our route includes inspiring vistas of the Rockies. As we pass through quaint mining towns and the unbroken wilderness of the Rio Grande National Forest, we stop to admire the scenery and stretch our legs.

Arriving in Durango late this afternoon, the rest of the day is yours to explore this historic town, which is brimming with Wild West history, restaurants and unique shops to uncover. Overnight Durango, CO.

• Breakfast

Delving deeper into the Old West after breakfast, we board one of the most scenic railways in the U.S.A., the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

This wonderful 45-mile heritage railroad is a National Historic Landmark and showcases the area's history as well as its natural beauty. Hauled by a diesel locomotive, we chug alongside the emerald-green Animas River and across the remote wilderness of the National Forest. Riding this route, it's hard not to imagine oneself in a movie, perhaps because the railroad and surrounding areas were featured in the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. A highlight of the journey is traveling above the Animas River Gorge on a manmade ledge on the side of a canyon, offering spectacular views of the gorge down below.

Our destination is Silverton; an 1874 mining town located high in the San Juan Mountains. While now a hotspot for tourists and winter sports, its gritty past is still visible in its historic buildings and adventurous atmosphere. After returning to Durango, the remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight Durango, CO.

• Breakfast

Crossing Colorado's southern border after an early breakfast, we enter New Mexico for an unforgettable journey.

Starting from Chama, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is the longest and highest narrow-gauge steam railway in North America and also one of the most loved. Crisscrossing the Colorado and New Mexico border 13 times, the two states' scenery is on full display on this 64-mile ride, including glimpses of steep canyons, colorful meadows, ranches, grassy hills, beautiful mountain ranges and rushing waters. Hauled by a vintage locomotive, a highlight of the journey sees us cross the Cascade Creek trestle bridge - a historic structure that carries the train 137 feet above the river below. Pulling into the remote hamlet of Osier, we stop for lunch, before continuing our heritage rail voyage into the San Luis Valley, the oldest settled area in Colorado. This journey gives us an insight into life in this striking landscape during the heyday of American rail travel.

On arrival in Antonito, we continue to our hotel in Alamosa where we enjoy dinner together this evening. Overnight Alamosa, CO.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Traveling by coach to Cañon City after breakfast, we embark on our fifth heritage rail journey on this exploration of Colorado.

Breathtaking scenery is revealed during a trip on the Royal Gorge Railroad as we witness majestic views of this spectacular canyon as the Arkansas River cuts through the rocky landscape. From our seats in the train's First Class vista-dome car, we admire the Hanging Bridge at the narrowest point in the chasm. A three-course lunch is served in the dining car as we savor a beautifully prepared meal of local flavors while ever-changing views unfold outside the large windows. Our excursion concludes with a stop underneath the soaring Royal Gorge Bridge, which was the world's highest bridge from 1929 until 2003 as it rises nearly a thousand feet above the river below.

After our journey, we continue by coach to Colorado Springs, a hub for culture and adventure. The rest of the day can be spent exploring the offerings of the city, perhaps checking out the varied dining options or visiting one of the local museums. Overnight Colorado Springs, CO.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Having inspired the writing of the song America the Beautiful, Pikes Peak has become known as America's Mountain. After breakfast today, we board the Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway for a nine-mile climb up this revered mountain.

Keep an eye out for the local wildlife on the journey to the top as we pass Ruxton Creek in Englemann Canyon, Minnehaha Falls and Deer Park. From the summit at more than 14,000 feet above sea level, there's free time to bask in incredible 360-degree vistas of mountains, forests and lakes stretching as far as the eye can see. Just as with the trip up the mountain, the descent is also narrated by a knowledgeable conductor who provides us with facts about Pikes Peak and the Rockies.

Afterward, we enjoy a drive through the Garden of the Gods - a National Natural Landmark site of dramatic red rock formations that reach up to 300 feet tall. Returning to Colorado Springs, the rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight Colorado Springs, CO.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Colorado showcased breathtaking American beauty from its impressive peaks, gorges, rivers and of course, railways. Viewing the Rocky Mountains from places other forms of transport can't reach was an incredible experience. Journeying on six of the state's most scenic railroads, we have uncovered stunning landscapes from the heights of Pikes Peak and the depths of Royal Gorge, as well as the state's heritage, discovering the Wild West and Gold Rush to the industrial history.

Your tour of Colorado's railways concludes after breakfast. A group transfer to Denver International Airport accommodates flights departing after 1:00 P.M.

• Breakfast