Colorado Trains!
Featuring Three Rail Excursions, Eisenhower Presidential Library,
Mesa Verde National Park, & more
June 21-July 1, 2024
Tour Number R1145
11 Days – 10 Nights – 15 Meals
One of the best ways to see the awesome, mountainous Colorado scenery is aboard a train, and this tour will include the Royal Gorge Railroad, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad. But trains aren’t all that will interest you on this wonderful journey…we will see Mesa Verde National Park, the “Million Dollar Highway”, the “Switzerland of America”, the Eisenhower Library and Boyhood home, and a fun-filled evening at the Bar D Chuckwagon Dinner Show! You really don’t want to miss the bus on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure!
Day 1: Let’s head out West! Our first day will take us through the rolling hills of Indiana, past the Gateway to the West, St. Louis and into Columbia, Missouri for our overnight stay.
Day 2: After an included continental breakfast we will set out to enjoy more scenery of the Midwest, traveling through Missouri and into Kansas. Arrive in Abilene to visit the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Boyhood home of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the only 5-star General who became President of the United States. We will continue to Salina, KS for tonight’s overnight stay. Dinner will be included. B, D
Day 3: With compass west we continue across the “Sunflower State”, known for its Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. Soon we will arrive in colorful Colorado. “The Silver State” is known for the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies, the colorful canyons, and the sparkling mountain streams. Tonight, we check-into our Canon City hotel and enjoy an included dinner. B, D
Day 4: Depart bright and early and head for the historic Santa Fe Depot. It will be All Aboard at nine o’clock for this spectacular 2-hour railroad adventure that is like no other. This 24-mile journey follows portions of the famous Denver and Rio Grande Western rail line. From the amazing Hanging Bridge clinging precariously to the steep granite walls of the Royal Gorge to the breathtaking scenery of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Royal Gorge Route offers one of the most stunning railroad experiences imaginable. After our rail adventure, our destination today is Durango, routing through the rugged Rio Grande National Forest, across the Continental Divide at Wolf Creek Pass, and through the San Juan National Forest. We’ll arrive this evening and check into our hotel for a two-night stay in this one-time mining town of Durango. This evening, we will browse the interesting Victorian downtown of Durango. B
Day 5: Today, the Navajo Trail takes us to nearby Mesa Verde National Park for a chapter in the story of prehistoric America. The park’s name is Spanish for ‘Green Table” as it is a large plateau towering 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the surrounding valleys where farming Pueblo Indians have lived for more than eight centuries. We will drive the Cliff Palace Loop Road and spend time at the Visitor’s Center, a series of dioramas reveal their cultures with items found during excavations. Upon returning to Durango this afternoon we will refresh at the hotel and then head to the Bar D Ranch to enjoy an authentic Chuckwagon Supper and Old West Cowboy Music Show! B, D
Day 6: Enjoy an included breakfast before check-out. We’ll then head to our next rail adventure aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Powered by a steam locomotive, you’ll step back in time and history as you ride the rails. The three and one-half hours of spectacular mountain scenery through the Canyon of Rio De Las Animas to the once booming mine town of Silverton. With boardwalks and false-fronted buildings that recall the Wild West, this movie set was used for many films. Before departing we will take time for lunch on our own, and stroll past the old-time shops. Our journey then continues northward on the scenic San Juan Skyway’s US 550, the spectacular “Million Dollar Highway!” We will stop in Ouray, “the Switzerland of America.” Our overnight will be in Montrose where we will enjoy a included dinner. B, D
Day 7: After an included breakfast we depart for the next stop on our Colorado journey…Denver. We will view the Black Canyon of the Gunnison from the South Rim observation point and drive east through the fertile valley to Gunnison, settled in 1874. We’ll cross the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass and view more of colorful Colorado, national forests, and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Our stay in Denver will be for two nights. B
Day 8: An exciting day awaits us! We’ll head to Georgetown to experience the majesty of the Georgetown Loop Railroad…the most complex railroad loop in the world. To capture the rich silver deposits deep within the mountains between Georgetown and Silver Plume engineers were challenged to build a rail line that would climb more than 600 feet of elevation in two miles while traversing some of Colorado’s steepest canyon walls. Their masterpiece, the Devil’s Gate High Bridge, completed this feat in 1884. After our rail adventure we will take time to browse in the largest railroad gift shop around and stroll the picturesque “Silver Queen” mining town. We will return to the hotel for a leisurely evening and enjoy the Kickback reception at our hotel. B
Day 9: We’ll depart Colorado today and head back to the Great Plains. We’ll return to Salina, Kansas for our overnight stay. We will enjoy our farewell dinner this evening, a chance to recall all our favorite Colorado memories! B, D
Day 10: Depart Salina after an included breakfast and head east to St. Louis, viewing the great Midwest along the way. B
Day 11: After an included breakfast we check out of our hotel and begin our final journey home. Plan to arrive early evening with so much to tell your family and friends about this great Colorado adventure. B
Tour Cost Includes:
Roundtrip transportation via Croswell Deluxe motorcoach
Ten (10) Nights Accommodations
Ten (10) Breakfasts, Five (5) Dinners
All Sightseeing, Admissions and Attractions as described
All Taxes and Gratuities on Included Meals and Lodging
Luggage Handling
Tour Cost Per Person:
$2799.00 Double Occupancy
$2449.00 Triple Occupancy
$4249.00 Single Occupancy