Post Summary: Plan a Trip on the Historic Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Words can not describe accurately enough just how majestic and grand are the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Some of Colorado’s most jaw-dropping sights are in its southwestern corner.
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I first visited this part of Colorado with my family when I was 16 years old and I remember telling myself on that trip, “I WILL move here one day”. Well, I have yet to permanently relocate to Colorado, but I sure do visit as often as possible.
In 2019, Randy and I took an epic Colorado national park road trip and during our visit we spent a couple of days in the San Juan Mountains. We strongly feel that this is our favorite spot in all of Colorado and we’ve seen a large majority of the state. So we were stoked to visit again in the summer of 2021. While we were there, we hiked the incredible Blue Lakes Trail and then ended our trip with an unforgettable trip on the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway.
Are you looking to ride the historic train to Silverton as past of a larger trip to Colorado? You may also like these articles:
- Off-Roading in the San Juan Mountains
- Backpacking the Blue Lakes Trail: A Trail Guide
- Epic Colorado National Park Road Trip
Where is the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad?
The Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway travels between the two historic cities of Durango and Silverton along the Animas River.
Although the distance between Durango and Silverton is only 45 miles, the train only moves at a top speed of 18 MPH making it a three and a half hour trip one-way. But this slow rate of speed makes it perfect for enjoying the sites and taking lots of photographs!
The History of the Train to Silverton
The city of Durango was founded in 1880 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway and the following year in 1881, construction was started on the train line to Silverton. It was completed in July of 1882 and started transporting both passengers and freight back and forth from Durango to Silverton.
I was surprised to find out that, even though the train’s primary purpose was to transport mine ores out of the San Juan Mountains. From the very beginning of its development, the railroad was promoted to travelers as a “scenic route”.
Trip Options on the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
There are several different trip options for your adventure on the historic Narrow Gauge Railroad. You’ll need to book your advance tickets through the official Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad website, found here.
Durango to Silverton Round Trip
The most common trip option on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a round trip that starts in Durango, stops in Silverton before returning back to Durango.
With this option, you can choose between a historic steam engine or the cheaper diesel engine that offers the same views and experience.
Usually, passengers complete this round trip in one day totaling about 9 hours from start to finish. But when booking, you do have an option to stay overnight in Silverton and return to Durango a day or two later.
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We booked a round trip ticket to Silverton and it was a pretty long day of train travel but definitely worth the experience!
Skyway Tour (Train & Bus Combo)
If you’re not quite up to a full 9 hour day, then you may want to consider booking the Skyway tour. This tour combines a one-way train ride with a deluxe motor coach bus ride to complete the round trip. You’ll start the day leaving Durango on the bus, spend a couple of hours in Silverton, and return on the Narrow Gauge Railroad.
One bonus to this option is that you’ll also get to experience part of the famous Million Dollar Highway. Which is perfect if you don’t already plan to drive the Million Dollar Highway on your trip to Durango. Traveling via bus is also much faster and comfortable than the train, but also includes epic views.
The only downsides to this option is that you don’t get to experience both sides of the train and it is more expensive than the traditional round trip on the train.
Cascade Canyon Express
Another fabulous option is the Cascade Canyon Express. This shorter (& cheaper) route travels half-way to Silverton, stops at Cascade Canyon for a short time, and returns to Durango only 5 hours later. By far the best option if you’re short on time or just don’t want to spend the entire day on the train.
Which Seats are the Best Seats?
Ahh, perhaps your asking yourself, “what seats should I book?” That’s an easy one. Sit as close to the back of the train as possible. I say this for two reasons. One, it’s better for photographs. You’ll have better opportunities to snap a photograph of the front of historic train with the scenic mountains in the background. Talk about Instagram worthy. And secondly, you’ll be much further from the engine exhaust. And after a day of sitting right behind the engine, trust me you want to be as far away from the exhaust as possible.
When you go to book your seats online, you’ll be given the option of a few different class of cars from first class to regular coach. We booked the open air gondola car that allowed for unobstructed views of the landscapes around the train. And I also appreciated how the seats faced out – perfect for taking in every last view!
But if you’re more interested in booking a first class car for the stellar service or a regular coach car for the protection from the elements then go for it!
What to Pack for the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
You don’t need to bring much with you for a day on the train – but do make sure that you have these things:
1. Travel Snacks & Water
A long (but awesome) day on the train can be exhausting so make sure you bring enough energy-boosting food to get you through the day. There are snacks available for purchase on the train but I usually like to bring my own snacks just in case!
Some of our favorite travel snacks are the traditional PB&J, grapes, trail mixes, Go Macro Bars, and RX Bars.
2. Sunscreen and Sun Protection
The sun in Colorado can be INTENSE. If you’re sitting near a window, you’ll need to protect yourself from the sun with sunscreen. This Sun Bum sunscreen is so light and easy to fit in your pack. Also, it’s super protective against the sun. It’s also reef friendly, so save it for your next trip to the beach!
In addition to sunscreen, make sure you protect your face with a sun hat. I really enjoy wearing this Vintage Style Cap from Amazon. It has tons of colors to choose from, I’ve been loving the yellow.
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Sunglasses are never a bad idea, either.
3. Lots of Layers
Depending on when your trip on the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway is, you may encounter cooler than expected temperatures. Especially during an early morning if you’re seated in one of the open air train cars. Don’t forget to pack a jacket for your trip.
What to do in Silverton on Your Stop-Over
When you book a round trip to Silverton – you’ll get about 2 hours to explore the town of Silverton. And 2 hours is actually plenty of time to enjoy this historic one-street town. During your stop you may want to grab lunch and spend the rest of your time taking in the sights and doing a bit of souvenir shopping.
But honestly, just strolling up and down the main street in Silverton is a great way to spend the allotted time here.
Best Spots for Lunch
- Avalanche Brewing Company – We’ve actually eaten here a couple of times over the years on our road trips through Silverton – and it’s definitely worth coming back to! They serve up delicious pizzas made with homemade dough. It’s also a popular spot for both weekend hikers and through backpackers.
- Handlebars Food & Saloon – Just down the road, you’ll find another great option for lunch – Handlebars. Here, you’ll find a traditional American cuisine with a very rustic atmosphere complete with old mining-town vibes.
Combine your Train Ride with a Backpacking Hike
Did you know about the epic backpacking trails that are only accessible via the Durango Silverton train? Yeah, neither did we – not until most of the other passengers in our train car were dropped off in the middle of nowhere somewhere between Durango and Silverton.
It’s true that riding the Durango Silverton train is a great way to access Chicago Basin, a great base for summiting Eolus, Sunlight, and Windom peaks.
If you want to find more information on entering the backcountry via the Durango Silverton train, you can find that here, on their website.
Now that I know you can access Chicago Basin from the train, I feel like I need to plan another trip back to Durango and go backcountry camping!
Other Things to do in Durango, Colorado
Visit Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is located only about an hour from Durango, Colorado and it’s the perfect day trip if you have the time.
Mesa Verde National Park is home to some of the most incredible cliff dwellings left behind by the Pueblo people. You can book a tour through the cliff dwellings or learn about ancient Native American culture at the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum.
You can read more about Mesa Verde National Park on this post about Colorado’s epic National Parks.
Grab a Drink or Bite to Eat at 11th Street Station
Ready for a drink after a full day on the train? Head over to 11th Street Station for delicious cocktails and delicious bites from local food trucks. This is also the perfect spot to eat if your group can’t agree on a place to eat because you’ll find something for everyone here. We ordered the most delicious sliders from Backcountry Gourmet and they were to die for!
Go Off-Roading in the San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains in Colorado provide some of the best dirt roads for Jeeping and off-roading in the mountains. We enjoyed this experience in 2019 and it’s a terrific way to spend a day or two on your trip to Colorado. You can read more about our off-roading experience, here.
More Colorado Adventures
- Backpacking the Blue Lakes Trail: A Hiker’s Guide
- A Quick Guide to Colorado National Monument
- Off-Roading in the San Juan Mountains
- Epic Colorado National Park Road Trip
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