During our time in Colorado we had a number of things we wanted to do. There were national parks to visit, cities to explore, and epic views to experience. However, if you asked my husband there was one thing he wanted to do more than anything else. He wanted to take the train from Durango to Silverton. He has spoken of this one experience for years. I am generally not a fans of trains, but David loves them. I think his love of trains parallels with his love of history and he also views trains as a classic way to move around the country. To have the opportunity to ride on one of the few steam engine trains left in the world was something he did not want to miss. Lucky for me our good friends, Craig and Christy came to visit, and they also wanted to experience the train ride, so we made it happen.
I will say it is an interesting experience. You can go through the old train station to pick up some tickets, learn about the history of this railroad and they have a gift shop too. David loved every minute of it and watching him made me smile.
Eventually it was time to board the train and prepare ourselves to enjoy some beautiful scenery as we went from Durango (around 6,000 feet in elevation) to Silverton (around 9,500 feet in elevation). The train ride takes you through some of the most beautiful mountains ranges that are part of the San Juan Mountains.
When they say you will see some epic views they are not kidding! As a side note: I would recommend sitting on the right side of the train when boarding because you get a better view on the way to Silverton. It is three hours one way to Silverton, so starting out on the right side of the train ensures you don't miss anything. You start the journey full of energy and you are excited to see the mountains, valleys and river. The train does turn around on the way back to Durango, but after the three hours to Silverton, and then walking around for two hours in Silverton, it is easy to dose off on the train ride back to Durango.
As I mentioned above, eventually you make it to Silverton and have a few hours to explore this mountain town. we had enough time to grab a bite to eat since it was an all day trip. Though they do allow food on the train and also sell snacks on the train as well.
After a few hours exploring the town it was time to head back to Durango. There were still a few more epic views awaiting us on the way back, but I will admit to taking a quick nap. The gentle rocking of the train and a cool, crisp breeze blowing in the windows was so relaxing . If you, or your loved one, loves trains this is probably one of the most beautiful train rides you can ever take. It is long and full day, but seeing the joy on David's face made it all worth it to me!
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