“We are making history,” said our host, excitedly. “This is the first train route to Moab, Utah.”
It was a journey of many “firsts.” Not only was I embarking on Rocky Mountaineer’s newly launched train route from Denver to Moab, it was also my very first time to Moab, as well as Canyonlands and Arches national parks.
The luxury Canadian Rail Line offers train journeys that explore some of the most scenic spots within Western Canada and the Canadian Rockies. Three routes originate from Vancouver: The “First Passage to the West” includes stops at Kamloops and Banff/Lake Louise; the Journey through the Clouds” visits Kamloops and Jasper; and the “Rainforest to Goldrush” includes stops at Whistler, Quesnel and Jasper.
The company’s first luxury rail venture within the United States — “Rockies to the Red Rocks” — debuted in August 2021. Transporting passengers from Denver to Moab and vice versa, the journey includes stops at Glenwood Springs, Colo., site of Glenwood Hot Springs; and Moab, Utah, the gateway to the red rock wonderlands of the Southwest and home to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
Glass-domed coaches make it easy for passengers to get great photographs from their seats.
Credit: 2021 Rocky MountaineerLike their counterparts in Canada, each passenger railway car leaves nothing to be desired in the way of comfort, service and elegance. The Rockies to the Red Rocks route pampers passengers with Rocky Mountaineer’s upscale Silverleaf level of service. The attentive crew quickly responded to my every need or request with pleasant professionalism.
Each single-level, glass-domed coach provided ample viewing opportunities, and access to an outdoor viewing area was just a few steps away. (This is where I heard a few passengers exclaim, “I just can’t stop taking pictures!”)
After we selected our meal choices from the menu, gourmet breakfast and lunch were served from the comfort of our leather-cloth, cushy, reclinable seats.
Plus, adjacent to our carriage was a separate lounge car smartly set with small seating areas arranged near the windows. It offered another space to enjoy the scenery with the added benefit of a bartender at the ready to craft freshly made premium cocktails.
Highlights of the Rockies to the Red Rocks Route
I have long considered a trip to Moab, but had nixed the idea of a road trip as I have never enjoyed spending hours focusing on the road instead of the view. Flying was a possibility, but I was not in a hurry.
With a slow pace to enjoy the scenery, the train runs parallel to the Colorado River all the way into Utah, from the high peaks to the first glimpse of red rocks.
From downtown Denver, the train zipped along, eventually ascending nearly 10,000 feet in elevation along tracks winding between mountain peaks as we made our way to the Continental Divide of Colorado through the Moffat Tunnel. It was thrilling, curving through the alpine landscape with huge pine trees and golden aspen forests buttressing the tracks with distant peaks framing the scene.
One of my favorite stories that our host regaled us with on the two-day journey was the historical origins of the Moffat Tunnel, including the very tracks of the rail line that spawned the new route we were experiencing.
According to our host, Moffat was a 19th-century railroad industrialist determined to build a railway route from Denver through the Continental Divide into western Colorado and all the way to Salt Lake City. To achieve this feat, a tunnel (named after him) was chiseled into and through the rocky granite of James Peak.
It was thrilling, curving through the alpine landscape with huge pine trees and golden aspen forests buttressing the tracks with distant peaks framing the scene.
As our host was telling the story, the train entered the darkness of the 6.2-mile-long tunnel that first opened up to train travel in 1928. We learned that Moffat, due to misfortune, was unable to complete the railway line to Salt Lake City; instead, the tracks end near Moab.
When the Rocky Mountaineer company began scouting for their first railway journey in the U.S., it settled upon the Denver to Moab “Moffat” under-utilized railway route, creating the first passenger luxury rail journey to cover the tracks between the Rockies and red rock country.
There were plenty of stories and tales told at each panoramic turn and twist of the route. Other favorites that linger in my memory include an animated account of the Sundance Kid and the Robber’s Roost shootout in Western Colorado, and the image of Doc Susie, a pioneer mountain doctor who snowshoed to needy patients in freezing temperatures.
Then, all of sudden, the journey came to an end as we neared the Utah line with just an hour left to go before disembarking in Moab.
I know it’s a cliche, but in this case, the saying seemed to be true: “It really is all about the journey, not the destination.” Sure, I was excited to reach Moab and stay over to explore the national parks. The red rocks have been on my travel wish list for a long time. But reaching the destination in such a special way enriched my total experience tenfold. I had not expected to have so much fun on the journey to get there, while enjoying the wonderful hospitality and amenities onboard the Rocky Mountaineer.
Rockies to the Red Rocks Recap
The “Rockies to the Red Rocks” railway vacations start back up in the spring of 2022. The basic trip is a two-day rail trip between Denver/Moab or Moab/Denver with one night in Glenwood Springs, Colo. The railway vacation is offered as a roundtrip, too. Add-ons such as hotels and activities are easily customizable for the client before and after the rail trip. Check with Rocky Mountaineer in 2022 for new promotions.
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