Rockies to Red Rocks with Rocky Mountaineer

May 27, 2021
|In The NEXT Network, News, Inspiration, Guides
|By AAA Travel

Rocky Mountaineer has an unforgettable experience waiting for AAA Members. The Rockies to the Red Rocks is a vacation package filled with highlights best seen by train, including Ruby Canyon, Mount Logan, and the Continental Divide. Wind alongside rivers, through mountain ranges, and past ancient rock canyons as your train travels between the mile-high city of Denver to the red rock formations of Moab.

Journey through two days of extraordinary landscapes between Moab, Utah and Denver, Colorado. Vast canyons, inspiring deserts, natural archways and enchanting hoodoos are just a start. Available in SilverLeaf Service, this Rocky Mountaineer rail route is filled with highlights best seen by train. AAA Members can also book one of Rocky Mountaineer’s carefully curated packages, with options to start or end your journey in Las Vegas or Salt Lake City. While we’ve described the journey on this route heading west from Denver to Moab, you can also travel from Moab east to Denver.

For those whose journey starts in Denver, you begin traveling alongside the Colorado River through a series of canyons and rugged landscapes. As you enjoy breakfast and a beverage, take in the scenic views of the Gross Reservoir dam. Built in 1954, it has a surface area of 440 acres with a spillway that sits at 7,225 feet elevation. As you ride, you’ll pass through Moffat Tunnel and emerge on the western side of the Continental Divide. This railway tunnel opened in 1928 and cuts through 6.3 miles of mountainous terrain.

Enjoy a three-course, regionally inspired lunch as onboard Hosts share stories about the region we travel through. Make sure you keep your camera nearby as you travel along the Colorado River through a series of picturesque canyons, including Byers Canyon and Gore Canyon. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as these canyons are the perfect place to spot bighorn sheep, bears, mountain lions, deer, and marmots. As the train nears Glenwood Springs, you’re close to the end of the first day’s journey. Here is where you can rest and reflect on the day’s adventure in the comfort of your cozy hotel room.

In the morning, you’ll board for another day of incredible scenery as you head southwest past mountain vistas, desert cliffs, and amazing rock formations. Enjoy a two-course hot breakfast as the train passes by Parachute Creek and Mount Logan towards De Beque Canyon, a 15-mile long narrow canyon with stair-step cliffs of sedimentary rock layers.

Look out for Mount Garfield. At 6,600 feet, it’s the highest point of the Book Cliffs so it should be easy to spot! These sandstone cliffs and mountains stretch nearly 200 miles from west to east – another great excuse to get your camera out! As you follow the Colorado River you will cross over the state line between Mack, Colorado, and Westwater, Utah. Take in the stunning red rock formations lining the cliffs in Ruby Canyon which is only accessible by train or from the river. This canyon is 25 miles long and takes its name from the red sandstone cliffs that line the canyon walls.

As you reach Moab, you’ll be greeted by its brilliant red sandstone backdrop and you’ll get your first glimpse of the iconic Arches National Park; a 73,234-acre wonderland of geological marvels. Depart the train and travel to downtown Moab via a motorcoach transfer. Welcome to the scarlet city!

The Rockies to the Red Rocks route will be available as a preview season with 40 departures from August to October 2021 and a full season schedule for 2022 and beyond. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit our product page.

In the meantime, join us on a virtual journey and discover what awaits in our new video. Vast canyons, chromatic deserts, natural archways, and enchanting hoodoos are just the beginning!