The Royal Gorge Route Railroad offers passengers a close-up view of one of Colorado’s most striking landscapes, following a 12-mile stretch of track along the Arkansas River in the southern part of the state. The route runs through the Royal Gorge, a canyon carved by the river and reaching depths of up to 1,250 feet.
The journey starts in Cañon City, about an hour south of Colorado Springs, at a depot completed in 1914. Along the way, the train passes an old pipeline built to supply water to Cañon City, travels beneath the Royal Gorge Bridge and crosses the Hanging Bridge, a 175-foot structure suspended above the river. The gorge narrows to about 30 feet at its tightest point.
Although the tourist train began operating in 1998, the railway route dates back nearly 150 years. In the late 1870s, the Denver & Rio Grande and Santa Fe railroads competed to build through the canyon in a dispute known as the “Royal Gorge War.” The companies eventually reached an agreement, and the Denver & Rio Grande built the tracks, which later extended to the mining center of Leadville.
Passengers can choose from Vista Dome cars with broad views through glass-enclosed roofs, Deluxe Class seating in a vintage dining car, or Coach Class. Some dates also offer First Class lunch and dinner tickets. Every ticket includes access to the train’s open-air car, where passengers can take in the canyon from beside the tracks.
The train travels west to Parkdale before reversing and returning to Cañon City. Engineer Adam Clawson, a third-generation railroader, provides commentary on the gorge’s landscape and history as the train passes through it.
Sources: Condé Nast Traveler.