Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

Hidden away in a little-known corner of the southern Rocky Mountains is a precious historic artifact of the American West. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a proud remnant of the spirit that won the West.

Built in 1880, it was part of the San Juan Extension of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroads, with tracks running from Denver through the ore-rich Rocky Mountains to Silverton, Colorado and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Its path, through steep passes and deep gorges is the stuff of adventure novels and was an engineering feat for the time. The decline of silver mining in the 1890s ended the railroad's vital role. It was abandoned in 1969, but the most scenic part of its route, its equipment, and its buildings were saved.

Today, as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, the train fulfills another important mission - taking passengers on the ride of their life - the way it really was.