Discover the Unseen Southwest
While many travelers take in the region's beauty from trails and lookouts at numerous national parks, some hidden gems are best viewed onboard a Rocky Mountaineer train, as its tracks weave through the sagebrush and piñon pines.
On a two-day rail journey, Rocky Mountaineer's premium rail coaches travel along the historic Union Pacific Rail Trail, following the Colorado River between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. Even for those who ride the tracks regularly, like Chris Woods, Train Manager on the Rockies to the Red Rocks route, the scenery here always delights.
"There's a section of track as we go through Byers Canyon, which is a smaller and steeper granite canyon, and then come out past Hot Sulphur Springs — we're very high up on the Colorado River — and meander through some cottonwood trees and small farming areas," Woods says. "That transition out of the canyons is one of my favorite spots."
Large glass-dome coaches make it easy to capture the landscapes in photos, and the onboard Hosts provide helpful heads-ups on upcoming sights. The Hosts share information on the geology and history of the West and the natural forces — and people — who have shaped it. For photographers looking for that perfect shot, the coaches also have a small outdoor viewing area for unimpeded photography.
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