Moose, mooners and mountains: all aboard the new Rocky rail route

We’re about an hour into our Rocky Mountaineer journey when we first see them. From the five polished railcars that provide our train travel at a breezy 35mph, providing ample opportunity to gaze at the landscape, rather than the typical high-speed rail experience, we’re privy to a different kind of flash. Our route, which hugs the Colorado River for almost all of the 345 miles on our two-day itinerary, is also occupied by numerous rafters – who, upon sighting this iconic train, swiftly stand, turn and drop their trousers to expose their buttocks to the passengers onboard.

Our carriage erupts. Naively assuming this to be a humorous one-off, we’re promptly enlightened by the train staff: “The most we’ve counted in a single trip is 63 mooners,” we’re told. This ‘Colorado salute’ is one we’re confronted with multiple times throughout our tour; we roar and raise our glasses to the mooners as we pass by; it never gets old.

I’m travelling on one of the Rocky Mountaineer’s newest services, from Moab, Utah, to Denver, Colorado. Established in 1990, the luxury train operator runs three picturesque and multi-award-winning services through western Canada, with a fourth inaugural US route launched in 2021: the Rockies to the Red Rocks. Designed to showcase the epic scenery of the great American southwest, this magnificent passage incorporates mountain vistas, desert cliffs and wildlife spectacles for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

open image in gallery

We begin our odyssey in the small town of Moab, a major centre for outdoor activities and the gateway to some of the US’s most dramatic national parks, including Arches and Canyonlands. Don’t leave without taking a sunset Hummer tour; we tried the hair-raising Hell’s Revenge 4x4 tour courtesy of the Moab Adventure Centre, which traverses seemingly impossible terrain, including rock inclines and narrow canyons. Prepare for treacherous off-roading (and to scream a lot).

We’re welcomed on to the Rocky Mountaineer train via a red carpet and offered a mimosa to kick off proceedings. Each single-level railcar on this line has a glass dome and oversized windows, providing optimum conditions for gawping at the sights. Cars can seat around 50 people, but there’s plenty of space with a generous pitch and reclining leather seats – Southern Rail this is not. A dedicated lounge car for each carriage is home to a cocktail bar with complimentary tipples; ours had a self-playing piano you can programme with everything from contemporary hits to classical melodies.

Read more on rail travel:

Big skies, dramatic landscapes and top-notch service are our unremitting bedfellows on this journey. Mere minutes in and we’re treated to vast, high desert scrubland interspersed with bursts of yellow and orange desert flowers, and the looming snow-topped La Sal Mountains. Reaching heights of nearly 13,000ft, these imposing alpine-esque peaks are the second-highest mountain range in Utah.

Each car has a devoted onboard host and Mike, our affable companion, supplies us with regular beverages, facts and stories about the environment we’re travelling through. As we approach a ghost town named Cisco, he cranks up “Cisco Clifton’s Fillin’ Station” by Johnny Cash, a song allegedly inspired by the Man in Black’s 1960s sojourn to what was once a bustling town before the construction of the major I-70 highway, which rerouted visitors from the small settlement, a development prophesied in the song. Cash’s bass-baritone voice and melancholy story is the perfect soundtrack for traversing this lonely stretch of the American west.

open image in gallery

We cross the Colorado-Utah state line and head into Ruby Canyon, so named after the red sandstone cliffs that line this 25-mile ravine, before passing Mount Garfield, the highest peak of the 200-mile Book Cliffs and named after the 20th president of the US. The colours and undulations of sandstone look like Viennetta – all caramel and brown ribbons of stone. At its foot sit terraced vineyards that produce red wine served on the Rocky Mountaineer. The first vineyard was planted here in 1890 and the region is now known as Colorado’s wine country.

Turning 180 degrees, the train enters De Beque Canyon before passing Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flattop mountain. Small towns with names plucked from a 1950s US film script pass by – Parachute, Rifle, Silt – and the landscape begins to change from dry desert to lush, green pastures. The train sounds two long laments, a short toot, then a final long call to mark our approach into Glenwood Springs, a pretty resort town that claims to have the world’s largest mineral hot spring pools.

We alight and take the two-minute walk from the railway platform to the Hotel Denver, our pleasant lodgings for the evening. Our bags are being transported for us, so we check in with ease, before heading to the Hotel Colorado for a cocktail in front of the fire pit. Dating back to 1893, it’s here that the teddy bear is believed to have been invented by hotel maids during President Roosevelt’s 1905 stay.

The next morning, we depart in a whirl of blazing sunshine and blue skies. On our way, we gasp at a pair of bald eagles resting in a tree and their substantial nest in a nearby ponderosa pine tree; these majestic creatures boast the largest nests of any bird in the world. We also spot moose and pronghorn (also known as the American antelope); elk, deer, black bear, coyote, raccoons, osprey, deer and bighorn sheep are some of the other creatures that call this part of the world home and which have been spotted from the confines of the train.

One of the best parts of the journey is seeing parts of this wild interior that would otherwise be inaccessible. So it is with the steep, high walls of Gore Canyon and the turbulent white water that rages through it. We pass through occasional ranch towns and head up towards Moffat Tunnel, which at 2,800m above sea level is the highest elevation we reach. By this point, the rain has begun to fall and visibility becomes more difficult, with a combination of mist and Canadian wildfire smoke creating a moody high-forest scene carpeted with Colorado blue spruce and Douglas fir; it feels light years away from the hot desert of the previous day.

It’s at this point that Mike tells us of the large family who live near the railtrack, who emerged to wave on the train’s maiden voyage – a habit they’ve maintained ever since. Sure enough, we approach their homestead and see adult son Tristan and their German shepherd dog out front, waving as we pass. It’s a touching reminder of how different life is out here in canyon country and of how a passing train can be the major event of the day.

open image in gallery

Locally sourced food is served to our seats by the onboard chef throughout the trip, with highlights being the braised beef short rib and rich chocolate torte, although all the puddings are delicious. All food, drink, gratuities – and three nights’ accommodation – are included in the cost, which helps keep the focus on pleasure, rather than the unseemly business of cash changing hands.

Entering the “tunnel district” on the front range of the Rocky Mountains, we pass through no fewer than 30 tunnels on our approach to Denver, before hitting the Big 10 curve – a marvel of rail engineering that sees the train loop round on itself as it winds through the landscape – and crossing the Continental Divide. Arriving in Denver – known as the Mile High City, due to its significant elevation – at around 5pm, I’m somewhat saddened that this extraordinary adventure has come to an end.

While the Canadian leg of the Rocky Mountaineer tends to draw an older crowd, we’re informed that this particular route has attracted a younger clientele, drawn to the two active outdoor destinations of Moab and Denver. Regardless of age, this isn’t a cheap junket, making it a popular choice for passengers celebrating landmark birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions.

open image in gallery

Whether you’re a fan of slow travel, trains, or simply captivated by the spectacular scenery in one of the world’s most fabled landscapes, a trip on this gentle railroad is a truly unforgettable experience: this is American wilderness enjoyed in complete comfort; the epitome of the romance of rail travel at its very best.

Prices start from £1,703 per person, including three nights’ hotel accommodation in Moab, Glenwood Springs and Denver, breakfast, lunch and dinner, two days’ Rocky Mountaineer SilverLeaf service, and luggage handling and rail station transfers in Moab, Glenwood Springs and Denver.

For more information, visit rockymountaineer.com

Read more of our best USA hotel reviews