One more place to enjoy near Durango in Colorado
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a historic steam-powered train that travels 45 miles through the rugged San Juan Mountains between the towns of Durango and Silverton, Colorado. Originally constructed in 1882 to haul gold and silver ore from the mines of the San Juan region, the railroad has operated continuously for more than 140 years and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961. Today, the train carries passengers through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the American West, following the winding course of the Animas River as it climbs nearly 3,000 feet in elevation between the two historic towns.
The railroad was built as a branch of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad to serve the booming mining camps of the San Juan Mountains during Colorado’s silver rush of the 1880s. The narrow gauge of three feet between the rails, rather than the standard four feet eight and a half inches, allowed the track to negotiate tighter curves through the steep mountain canyons at a lower construction cost. Thousands of laborers, many of them recent immigrants from Ireland and China, blasted tunnels through solid granite and carved roadbeds into sheer cliff faces using little more than hand tools, dynamite, and sheer determination.
The town of Silverton grew rapidly after the railroad arrived in July 1882, with the population swelling to more than 2,000 as prospectors, merchants, and saloonkeepers flooded into the isolated mountain valley to capitalize on the mineral wealth of the surrounding peaks. The train hauled concentrated ore out of the mountains and brought in supplies, machinery, and passengers, creating an economic lifeline that sustained dozens of mining camps in the high country for decades. At the peak of mining activity, the railroad operated multiple trains daily between Durango and Silverton, with additional branch lines reaching the mining districts around Eureka and Animas Forks.
The decline of silver mining following the Silver Panic of 1893 and the eventual exhaustion of profitable ore deposits led to a gradual reduction in freight traffic during the early 20th century. The railroad pivoted toward passenger and tourist service as scenic travelers discovered the breathtaking beauty of the Animas River Canyon, and the line captured the imagination of Hollywood filmmakers who used the railroad as a backdrop for numerous Westerns and adventure films. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Around the World in 80 Days, and dozens of other productions have featured the iconic coal-fired steam locomotives thundering through the mountain wilderness.
The Rio Grande Southern Railroad and the Silverton Railroad, along with connecting narrow-gauge lines, created an extensive network of mountain railroading that stretched across southwestern Colorado during the late 19th century. These railroads carried passengers, freight, and mail through some of the highest and most isolated communities in the United States, including the legendary mining camps of Ouray, Telluride, and Lake City. While most of these connecting lines were abandoned by the 1950s, the Durango to Silverton segment survived through a combination of local determination, historical preservation efforts, and the enduring appeal of steam railroading.
The most famous attraction onboard is the open-air gondola car, which offers passengers an unobstructed 360-degree view of the Animas River Canyon as the train winds through narrow gorges and across towering trestles. These cars fill up quickly on the outbound morning departures, so arriving at the station early is essential for securing a spot on the preferred river-facing side of the train. The experience of hanging over the edge of a 400-foot cliff with the wind in your face and the sound of the steam whistle echoing off canyon walls is one of the most exhilarating rail experiences in North America.
The High Line, a section of track carved into a sheer granite cliff face approximately 400 feet above the Animas River, represents the most dramatic and photographed segment of the entire journey. There is no road access to this section of the canyon, making the railroad the only way to see this stunning stretch of the Animas River Gorge, where waterfalls cascade down moss-covered cliffs and bald eagles frequently soar at eye level with passengers on the train. The engineering required to build this section of track in the 1880s was considered a marvel of its era and remains an impressive feat of 19th-century railroad construction.
The historic Durango depot, constructed in 1882 and beautifully preserved with its original Victorian-era architecture, serves as the railroad’s headquarters and includes a free museum showcasing artifacts, photographs, and exhibits on the history of narrow-gauge railroading in Colorado. The adjacent roundhouse and machine shop, where locomotives are restored and maintained using many of the same techniques and tools employed a century ago, is open for guided tours that provide a behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary effort required to keep coal-fired steam locomotives in operating condition.
Passengers will also see the remains of the Tacoma hydroelectric plant, built in 1905 to supply power to the mines around Silverton, and the ghost towns of Needleton and Elk Park where hikers disembark to access the Weminuche Wilderness Area and the Chicago Basin trail network. These whistle-stop locations provide access to some of the most remote backcountry in Colorado, where dedicated hikers can explore alpine lakes, mountain passes, and 14,000-foot peaks far from any road or established trailhead. The train will stop on request and pick up backpackers who have arranged for flag-stop service in advance.
Riding the train is the primary activity, with several ticket options available for different preferences and budgets including standard class, premium class, and the deluxe parlor car experience. The standard round-trip journey takes approximately three and a half hours each direction, with a roughly two-hour layover in Silverton where passengers can explore the historic town, enjoy a meal at a local restaurant, and visit the shops and museums along Greene Street. Many passengers choose to ride the train one way and return to Durango by motorcoach shuttle, which reduces the total trip time and provides a different perspective of the surrounding landscape along Highway 550.
The Silverton layover is an opportunity to walk the wooden sidewalks and gravel streets of a town that looks much as it did during the mining boom of the 1890s. Visitors can tour the San Juan County Historical Society Museum housed in the old county jail, browse the silversmith shops and art galleries that line Greene Street, or enjoy a cold craft beer at one of the town’s historic saloons. The town sits at an elevation of 9,318 feet, and the air is noticeably thinner here than in Durango, so visitors from lower elevations should pace themselves and stay well hydrated while exploring.
During the Christmas season, the railroad operates special Polar Express train rides based on the beloved children’s book, with elves, hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa Claus himself as the train journeys through a winter wonderland of snow-covered mountains and frozen waterfalls. These themed excursions sell out weeks in advance and have become a cherished family holiday tradition for residents of Colorado and New Mexico who return year after year for the festive experience. Additional seasonal trains include the Autumn Photo Special during peak aspen colors in late September and early October, and the Spring Wildflower Trains that coincide with the blooming of wildflowers in the high country.
Historic locomotive tours at the Durango roundhouse offer railroad enthusiasts and mechanically curious visitors an up-close look at the inner workings of the coal-fired steam engines that power the trains. The skilled machinists and boilermakers who maintain these century-old machines are among the few remaining artisans in the country who possess the specialized knowledge required to fabricate replacement parts and keep the locomotives in compliance with modern safety standards. The machine shop tour explains the complex process of boiler maintenance, wheel turning, and valve timing in terms that are accessible to visitors without an engineering background.
Photography opportunities along the route are extraordinary, with every curve in the track revealing a new composition of steel bridges, rushing whitewater, and towering granite cliffs framed by the pristine wilderness of the San Juan National Forest. The most iconic photographs are captured at the High Line, where the train appears to float impossibly against a near-vertical cliff face above the river, and at the Animas Canyon Bridge where the locomotive crosses a steel trestle backed by a dramatic backdrop of 13,000-foot peaks. Serious photographers should bring a telephoto lens for wildlife and long-distance shots, along with a wide-angle lens for capturing the full scope of the canyon landscape.
The train provides flag-stop access to the Weminuche Wilderness Area, and backpackers can disembark at Needleton to hike into the Chicago Basin, one of the premier backcountry destinations in the entire Rocky Mountain region. The basin is home to a resident herd of mountain goats, stunning alpine lakes, and access to four of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks including Mount Eolus, Windom Peak, and Sunlight Peak. This is a true wilderness experience requiring advance planning, proper gear, and a minimum of two to three days to fully explore the basin and its surrounding summits.
Whitewater rafting on the Animas River through Durango pairs naturally with a railroad journey, and several local outfitters offer combination packages that include a morning train ride followed by an afternoon of Class II and III rapids through the town of Durango. The river is colder and swifter in the upper canyon alongside the tracks, and the dramatic perspective of looking up at the High Line from a raft in the river far below offers a completely different appreciation of the railroad’s audacious engineering achievements.
Fall color viewing from the train during late September and early October is among the finest leaf-peeping experiences in the American West, as the aspen groves blanketing the San Juan Mountains explode into brilliant shades of gold, orange, and crimson. The railroad schedules additional trains during this peak season to accommodate the surge in demand, and the combination of steam locomotives, autumn colors, and freshly fallen snow on the highest peaks creates a photographer’s paradise that draws visitors from around the world. The morning departures offer the best light for photography, with the low-angle sun illuminating the canyon walls in rich golden tones.
The scenery along the route includes dense ponderosa pine forests, open sagebrush meadows, and the alpine tundra of the high peaks visible in the distance as the train approaches Silverton. Wildlife sightings are common on every trip, with passengers frequently spotting mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, black bears, and the occasional moose along the river corridor. Birdwatchers should keep an eye out for bald eagles, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and peregrine falcons that patrol the canyon, while dippers and belted kingfishers work the rushing waters of the Animas River below the tracks.
Late May through mid-October is the primary operating season for the railroad, with daily departures from Durango during the peak summer months of June, July, and August. The morning departure at 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. is the most popular option and fills up first, and reservations made several weeks in advance are strongly recommended for any travel date between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The railroad adds a second daily departure during the busiest weeks of summer to accommodate the surge in demand from tourists visiting Durango and the Four Corners region.
Late September and early October are arguably the finest weeks of the entire season for a railroad journey, with comfortable daytime temperatures, dramatically beautiful fall colors, and fewer crowds than the peak summer months. The aspen groves in the high country reach their peak brilliance during the last week of September in most years, though the exact timing varies with elevation and weather conditions. Photographers and leaf-peeping enthusiasts should monitor local fall color reports and book tickets early because the autumn trains consistently sell out well in advance.
The Christmas and holiday season brings the beloved Polar Express trains that operate on select dates from late November through the end of December, and these special excursions require tickets purchased months in advance. The winter landscape transforms the canyon into a silent snow-covered wilderness that is nearly unrecognizable from its summer appearance, and the experience of riding a steam train through the falling snow with holiday lights glittering at the depot is genuinely magical for children and adults alike.
Early to mid-May offers the first departures of the season, with the added excitement of snow-dusted peaks, high river levels from spring snowmelt, and the first wildflowers appearing along the lower elevations of the canyon. The weather during this period can be unpredictable with the possibility of late spring snow showers, but the reduced crowds and the sense of a mountain world shaking off winter more than compensate for the occasional cool and damp day. Passengers should dress in layers and bring rain gear regardless of the forecast when traveling during the spring shoulder season.