Photo by Cwojtun, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About Rocky Mountaineer, Rockies to the Red Rocks
This is slow travel through canyon country: a daylight-only luxury train linking Denver with Utah's red rock desert, with an overnight hotel stop in Glenwood Springs so nobody sleeps on board. Glass-domed SilverLeaf coaches serve breakfast and lunch at your seat while commentary points out the Rockies, river canyons, and wildlife outside. Trains run only in the warmer months, and journeys are sold end to end rather than point to point.
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- UT
- Rating
- 3.7 ★ 3 Google reviews
Upcoming Events
No ticketed events are currently listed for Rocky Mountaineer, Rockies to the Red Rocks. Many heritage operators publish schedules seasonally or run on regular open hours instead of dated events.
Check the operator’s website for current hours and special runs, or subscribe to event alerts and we’ll email you when something is scheduled.
Plan Your Visit
- Hours
- Monday: 12:00 – 7:00 PMTuesday: 8:00 – 10:00 AMWednesday: ClosedThursday: ClosedFriday: ClosedSaturday: ClosedSunday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
Find the Depot
The Trains
The Denver-Utah route is worked by Rocky Mountaineer's single-level SilverLeaf cars — custom glass-domed coaches with oversized windows and reclining seats — because the signature bi-level GoldLeaf domes are too tall for this corridor's loading gauge, which must also clear Amtrak Superliners and double-stack container trains. Guests booking SilverLeaf Plus gain access to a renovated lounge car with signature cocktails and a small outdoor viewing area. Motive power across the company's fleet has included former Canadian National GP40-2L units, EMD SD40E rebuilds, and SD70M locomotives leased from Union Pacific.
History
See full history
Rockies to the Red Rocks brought the Rocky Mountaineer formula to the United States. The Canadian original traces to a Via Rail daylight sightseeing service whose first departure ran on May 22, 1988; after two money-losing seasons the federal government sold the route, equipment, and brand in 1990 to Mountain Vistas Railtour Services, a company of Vancouver businessman Peter R.B. Armstrong, and the privatized Rocky Mountaineer grew into a benchmark for luxury daytime rail touring with multiple routes across British Columbia and Alberta. Its first United States route was announced in November 2020 and began service earlier than planned on August 15, 2021, running on Union Pacific trackage between Denver and Moab with an overnight stop in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. On April 21, 2026, the route was taken over by Canyon Spirit, the American affiliate under the same parent company, and extended beyond Moab to Salt Lake City — though the Rockies to the Red Rocks name is still sometimes used alongside the new brand.
Around the Depot
Moab is the basecamp of Utah's red rock country: the Grand County seat sits on the Colorado Plateau at just over 4,000 feet, immediately south of the Colorado River. The entrance to Arches National Park lies four miles north of town, Canyonlands National Park is nearby, and visitors pour in for the Slickrock Trail's mountain biking and the annual Moab Jeep Safari. A uranium boomtown in the 1950s and a film location since John Ford shot Wagon Master here in 1949, Moab now thrives on its dramatic scenery.
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.