'The scenery just keeps going and going': onboard the newest luxury train in the USA
If your clients have done the original Rocky Mountaineer in Canada, they’ll be a shoe-in for its inaugural US route between Denver and Moab, says our writer
Screeching and squealing, brakes and tyres grip and slip on the rounded red rocks as our Hummer driver George guns us up and over improbably monolithic boulders with names like Top of the World. We pause long enough atop Rollercoaster Rock to get our hands in the air before he plunges us downwards, headfirst – a trick he later reproduces in reverse, to shrieks of delight.
Moab, Utah, America’s off-road capital, proves the perfect place to get my petrolhead on, my optional Hell’s Revenge 4x4 Hummer Tour commendably taming this giant’s playground of a landscape. It’s not what I’d expect on a Rocky Mountaineer tour, with the Canadian rail operator more known for its silver crowd. But this is America, baby, and I’m on the operator’s inaugural US route, Rockies to the Red Rocks, launched back in August 2021, a two-day, 354-mile route linking Denver, Colorado with Moab, Utah. And as Chris Woods, the train manager, tells me later: “We do tend to skew a bit younger down here.”
Most aspects of my four-night package prove pure Rocky though, the implausibly scenic route opening up some of America’s finest parklands, a succession of spectacular, otherwise-tricky-to-reach sites such as Utah’s Ruby Canyon lining the route.
My opening two-night stay in the cute and compact tourist town of Moab, where Rocky partners with Moab Adventure Centre, provides ample time to bus into Arches, gazing in wonderment at the over-sized “hoodoo” outcrops, arches and “windows” carved into the fiery red sandstone landscape by the elements. The following morning I venture into Canyonlands National Park where I’m in equal part humbled and awestruck by the sheer scale and drama of the otherworldly vistas at Shafer Canyon, Grand View Point and Green River Overlook.
ALL ABOARD
Boarding the train at Moab that afternoon for the five-hour stretch to the historic Colorado mountain town of Glenwood Springs, I appreciate the level of personal space, the carriage’s big picture windows perfectly framing the amazing views. Other welcome features include the ease of leaving my packed luggage in my room upon checking out, which is whisked ahead to my next hotel, plus the inclusion of gratuities in packages.
Stately Mt Garfield and the resplendent, rust-red Ruby Canyon feature among today’s scenic highpoints, seeing me rush to the half-open-sided vestibule areas between the carriages to grab some photos unimpeded by glass, returning to my seat to await the dinner service before reaching my destination, the cosy old Hotel Denver.
Known for its healing, invigorating waters, Glenwood Springs’ hot spring pool comes highly recommended. The town is also decidedly easy on the eye, and not short on stories.
Swinging by the bar at The Colorado, another historic property used by Rocky, I discover it’s where the first teddy bear was created. The following morning finds me on a short, pleasant hike to the leafy local graveyard to see the supposed resting place of fabled gunslinger Doc Holliday, of Wyatt Earp Gang fame.
Back at the station next morning, an expectant air descends on the platform as passengers mill around chatting, clutching their free teas and coffees or posing for pics on the train steps. Once boarded, wheels rolling at 11am, our carriage’s affable, unflappable onboard host Mike leads us in a mimosa toast before we enter spectacular Glenwood Canyon where, he informs us, the concept of the scenic dome vista train carriage was born to better capture the views.
And what views… the train hugging the Colorado River on one side, rugged, vertiginous slopes rising from the tracks on the other, with the gentle, snaking progress of the train serving to better present the vistas as we skirt Gore Canyon’s treacherous rapids and marvel at the distant snow-capped Gore Range.
We may be travelling at a stately average speed of just 35mph but Mike keeps things upbeat, balancing his at-seat drink and dining service delivery, aided by culinary host Dillon, with pointing out sites of interest. Most of these cue a deep dive into his stash of stories, “fun facts” and dad jokes, each accompanied by a broad grin, smiling eyes and infectious laugh.
Edging closer to Denver, James Peak and the front range of the Rockies loom into view before we pass Winter Park ski resort and are swallowed by the Moffat Tunnel, emerging 15 minutes later into a different landscape with different weather, the rich sunshine replaced by an ethereal misty haze.
It’s not long to Denver now, where the train is ushered in to a platform and a welcome from Rocky staff. Here, I transfer to my latest Rocky-recommended hotel, The Crawford, part of the impressive, mixed-use reimagining of Grand Union Station. With the regular A line airport rail service leaving just outside, it couldn’t be more practical.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE
A welcome addition to the Rocky roster, the US experience will be familiar to anyone who’s travelled the Canadian routes but there are differences. For starters, alas, there’s no top-tier GoldLeaf service, as the US tunnels can’t accommodate the taller carriages. In response, Rocky has bolstered its SilverLeaf service with a SilverLeaf Plus option.
While both feature at-seat dining, the latter, my choice, offers a slightly better F&B offering, with more local flair, and access to a separate lounge car with tended bar. While naturally a step down from the premium GoldLeaf experience, as those who’ve tried both are quick to tell me, it is more affordable. Plus, while the SilverLeaf carriages are slightly less panoramic than GoldLeaf, they’re still pretty awesome, and that jaw-dropping scenery remains the same regardless.
Ultimately, I’d say it’s an instant classic, an excellent way to experience a spread of America’s diverse topography, flora and fauna, but I’ll give the last word to Mike.
“Guests who’ve travelled both rails are like, ‘wow, your scenery just keeps going and going,’” he says, adding: “Plus, we have a bit of American flair to us, too.”
Book it: The two-night Rockies to the Red Rocks (from £1,394pp), which can be taken in either direction, slots nicely into all manner of wider itineraries, not least Colorado or Utah self-drives, adding in national parks such as Zion and Bryce. Rocky Mountaineer’s website features a plethora of options, including packages starting or ending in Las Vegas (from £3,250pp) while serious rail fans can opt for a seven-night Denver return journey package (from £3,518pp). All prices for 2024. Flights not included. rockymountaineer.com
Rocky Mountaineer snapshot
Smarter: Booking outside the late May/ June and September/early October peaks should ensure more space in the carriages. Mike recommends riding the route in May or mid-October, when the lower-lying cottonwoods burst into their autumn colours, following the aspens found at higher elevations.
Better: Having an extra carriage to kick back or mingle in with SilverLeaf Plus really ramps up the comfort and sociability aspect, aided by refreshing drinks from its tended bar.
Fairer: Sustainability is a growing focus at Rocky Mountaineer, which recently completed its first report mapping carbon emissions across the business. The operator strives to support the local communities it visits, favouring local suppliers and travel partners, such as Moab Adventure Tours, while actively recycling and composting onboard waste.
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Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
