Taking a Ride on the Durango-Silverton Steam Train!
We finally accomplished our childhood dreams of riding on a steam locomotive train, or choo-choo, to us, for short! Months in advance we booked the Durango-Silverton Steam Train Ride in Colorado. Originally, we booked the tickets for May. However, after arriving in Colorado in late April, we were afraid the weather would be too cold in the open gondola car.
Although it states expressly on your tickets when you purchase that no refunds or exchanges are allowed, we called the customer service number and asked if we could change our ticket days to later in the year. The very nice lady in customer service moved our tickets to September 9 on our desired seats with no issues. Although we had a little rain on the return journey, otherwise the weather was perfect.
Of course, when the day of our train finally arrived, we had already changed our traveling plans many times throughout the year. It was a little more difficult than we initially thought to travel to the train depot in Durango. When we originally booked our tickets, we thought we would still be truck camping and staying in the area. But the middle of the summer we decided to quit truck camping and hook the camper back up.
Which meant, we were sitting at the Thousand Trails campground in Gunnison, CO for our train ride. This was a long nine-hour roundtrip drive with the West Highway 50 Bridge closed. We also did not realize that the train ride was from 9:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Wow! It was a long day, but so worth it.
A Steam Train Ride through the San Juan National Forest
The Durango-Silverton Train provides you with so many options to experience this gorgeous train ride. You can choose a diesel engine or a steam engine train from the Durango Depot to Silverton. If you want a shorter ride, you can take the Cascade Canyon Express that lasts only 5.25 hours roundtrip. The Cascade Canyon Express does not travel all the way to Silverton, but instead turns around halfway.
If you do not want to ride the train roundtrip, you can choose a bus one way and ride the train for the other. You can take the train to Silverton and catch the bus back. Or you can take the bus from Durango to Silverton and catch the train back to Durango. There are lots of options and season specials to experience this exciting adventure.
We decided to take the long way and booked the steam engine for both ways. When we booked this train ride, we did not realize that it takes 3.5 hours each way and you stop in Silverton for two hours. Of course, the website clearly states this. We tried to be really smart before our trip and we brought tuna fish and snacks. However, not realizing how long the day was going to be, we left them in the truck. The only regret we have on this trip was not bringing our snacks with us.
But, riding a train through the San Juan Forest! Wow! We will never forget this amazing train ride through the gorgeous national forest. The views of the Animas River and the gorgeous Canyons of the Rocky Mountains will have you standing up on the train for better views and photographic moments. We oohed and ahhed once we reached the national forest on our steam train.
We booked the open car, or gondola, on the 9:00 a.m. Steam Train from Durango. After riding the train, we would again book the gondola and the steam train! You can see so much of the scenery and everyone on the gondola has a first-class seat facing the open windows. We brought sock caps and I brought gloves, just in case. And, on the return ride from Silverton, we used them!
The Steam Engine provided the childhood glee of the chugga chugga. Every time the engineer blew the whistle, we giggled and tried to capture it on our recording. Seeing the steam rise above the engine and sometimes, from the sides of the locomotive, made our faces light up. We were our childhood selves again, riding a choo choo train!
The San Juan Mountains and the Animas River
Although the right side of the train from Durango to Silverton has the best views, if you ride the train both ways, you will see all the views. Most websites that we searched recommended booking the right side. And, we did for our morning ride. However, in the morning the sun was right in front of us on the way to Silverton. And on the return ride to Durango, the afternoon sun was also right in front of us! If we booked again, we might take the bus to Silverton and ride on the right side back. Or sit on the left in the morning and the right in the afternoon, depending on the time of year.
For the first part of the trip leaving Durango, the views are not spectacular. You ride a little ways through the town of Durango, which is more fun on the way back, as I will explain later. The Missionary Ridge that you can see after leaving Durango is nice, but not epic. You also follow the highway for a long while and can hear the noise in the open gondola. But, you are riding a steam engine and that in itself is so much fun.
After you pass the Missionary Ridge, you start the climb. Just when we thought, well at least we experienced a steam train, we begin to see the Needle Mountains. The views become amazing. As you travel further along towards Silverton, the Animas River makes its appearance. The colors of this river in places remind you of a glacier lake. You cannot get over the beauty of the river with the Grenadier Range in the backdrop.
The most exhilarating part of the journey for me was the river below, the mountains in the background, and the train taking corners around the rock. You can witness the Engineer on the Locomotive with the steam and whistles, maneuvering around rocks with the river below and the mountains in front. Oh, my goodness, what a sight! Sometimes you will also see the Conductor waving his hat on the side of the train, which adds to ambiance. I had to stand up to take in the entire magical scene. I would have done a happy dance on this amazing ride, but the train rocks along on the tracks and the cars sway from side to side. What an adventure!
One gentleman living in the area was explaining to his family beside me the different scenes along the route. He kayaks the river and frequently catches the train. Of course, I had to eavesdrop to learn about the underground cave where the river flows and different scenes along the journey. I enjoy listening to the knowledge of others when they have more experience than I do.
Another fun tip while traveling on the train is that along the journey, the train passes inches by large rocks. Windell and I both let out a couple of deep breaths on some of the turns around these rocks. We tried to record these close encounters with our GoPros without bruising our knuckles, and it is a memorable experience.
As the train continues towards Silverton, you gasp with delight on the views. Waterfalls make their appearance and the gorgeous river below with the amazing canyon views wll make you gasp. Eventually, you reach the town of Silverton for a two hour exploration and lunch.
Arriving at Silverton, Colorado on the Durango-Silverton Steam Train
Everyone disembarks the train in Silverton for a couple of hours to eat and explore. Silverton is a very small touristy town with mainly dirt roads. Because we had forgotten our tuna fish, against our usual adventuring style, we bought some lunch in Silverton. Although many tourists were waiting in line to enter one restaurant, we choose to go cheap and eat fried food.
The main enterprise of Silverton seems to be tourist shops and restaurants for those arriving for the train. To stretch our legs after the long train ride, we walked the town for a while after eating. There are public bathrooms that are clean with plenty of stalls. It was fun to walk around after the train ride, but the town is very small. Silverton is not a place we would visit if it was not our train stop.
If we were to take the train again to Silverton, we would remember to bring our tuna fish and snacks and sit in the public area, recalling our amazing train trip thus far. If you like the touristy things, there are many shops in Silverton, although some were closed on the day we arrived. We did buy our postcards here, knowing that we would be late getting back to the Durango Depot.
Ending Our Memorable Steam Train Experience
In addition to the beautiful train ride and the delightful steam engine, riding back through the town of Durango is another enjoyable experience. On the way back, during the afternoon, people wave at the train. It is so much fun to see the children and adults alike, waving as you pass them by. People wave from parking lots, balconies, and even at the railroad crossing when you travel past them. You cannot help but wave back. Some bystanders even asked how our trip was as the train slowed through the town.
This friendliness of the town at the end just enhanced the entire experience. We had such a warm, fuzzy feeling taking a steam engine train with views of mountains, a river, and waving at the friendly people as we returned. If you like train rides, or have a childhood dream of riding a train, we recommend the Durango-Silverton line. We highly recommend the Steam Locomotive and the open gondola car. Bring your cameras so you never forget the amazing beauty. Or better yet, record yourself giggling with delight when the engine whistles!
Baby, It’s Hot Traveling Through Arizona!
No one ever said we were the sharpest knives in the drawer. And traveling through Arizona in July and August supported this fact. While planning our truck camping adventure for this year, we originally planned to visit Arizona, Utah, and Colorado while sleeping in the back of our truck. We thought we would be more flexible in our travels and adventuring without the camper.
However, our plans did not work out. Although we loved all the cool things we did in Utah and Wyoming, we hated truck camping. So, we decided to pick up our travel trailer in Colorado and head to Arizona for some of our planned adventures. Traveling through Arizona in July and August was a whole experience unto itself that we hope to never repeat.
Although it was blazingly hot, we did see some bucket list things and have some fun in Arizona.
Our Traveling through Arizona:
- North Rim Grand Canyon
- Bright Angel Point Trail, .5 miles
- Uncle Jim Trail, 4.7 miles, 730 feet elevation
- Navajo National Monument
- Tuba City Dinosaur Track
- Antelope Canyon
- Upper Antelope Canyon
- Lower Antelope Canyon
- Sedona
- Devil’s Bridge Hike via Dry Creek Road, 3.9 miles, 521 feet elevation
- Subway Cave Hike via Boynton Canyon Trail, 7.1 miles, 1100 feet elevation
Boondocking and Campgrounds:
- Kaibob National Forest – Lots of free camping per our Campendium App
- Navajo National Monument – free paved campsites, maximum stay at one time 7 days
- NavajoLand Tuba City R.V. Park – less than $40 a night with full-hookups, AARP discount
- Thousand Trails Verde Valley, Cottonwood, AZ – super friendly staff who helped us out a lot
Why We visited Arizona in the Heat of Summer
Although we knew it was hot, we started traveling through Arizona in July. We had already booked tours for both the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon and we didn’t want to cancel them. So, after our tours we decided to continue traveling in Arizona to the Thousand Trails in Cottonwood. There are a couple of hikes that we really wanted to do in Sedona. Originaly, we planned to stay only a week in the heat and then book it back to Colorado.
Our plans took a nose-dive when our truck wouldn’t start at the campground. Luckily, the Ford Dealership is only five miles away from the TT campground and we easily had it towed. Lucky enough (or maybe unlucky as our truck is not that old), the repairs were all covered by warranty.
However, this unexpected curve-ball meant we had to stay in the heat for three more weeks, a month in total at the campground. We are not used to this level of heat during the day! When you Full-Time RV, you have more choice about climates. So, we had become accustomed to milder climates. Needless to say, we had to adjust our daily routine while sitting in Arizona.
For the entire month we sat at Cottonwood, we hiked early in the mornings. Then, we sat in the camper with the Air Conditioner on all afternoon. After 6 p.m., it cools down enough again to enjoy being outside.
The Stunning Places We Saw in Arizona
The North Rim Grand Canyon
Arizona has some amazing geological features and remnants of ancient life. We finally saw the Grand Canyon at an age when we could both remember it! We did not travel to the South Rim, but we did visit the North Rim. A few people we met recommended the North Rim as it is less busy. We completed two hikes that we enjoyed immensely at the Grand Canyon.
Bright Angel Point Trail
Our favorite hike on the North Rim was the Bright Angel Point Trail. It is accessible right past the Lodge. The views on this trail took our breath away. Returning from the Bright Angel Point Trail, we also took the Transept Trail a little ways to walk out to some more amazing overlooks. I believe the Bright Angel Point Trail is currently closed for some repairs.
Uncle Jim Trail
While at the North Rim, we also hiked Ken Patrick Trail to the Uncle Jim Loop Trail. The parking lot for the Ken Patrick Trail is also the parking lot for the North Kaibob Trail. Vehicles longer than 20 feet are not allowed in the parking lot, so we had to find some side parking around this area.
We walked clockwise on the Uncle Jim Trail. The best views of the Canyon are towards the end of this trail if you also hike clockwise. We stopped for our epic lunch spot while taking in the view. This trail surprised us with the views at the end.
One thing you do need to be aware of on this trail is the horses and mules. You will be walking through the wastes left behind. Although not ideal, we didn’t let it spoil our fun.
We did have on our list to also hike the North Kaibob Trail to the Supai Tunnel. However, our boondocking site was forty minutes away in the Kaibob National Forest and we decided to save this trail for another trip. I believe there is dispersed camping closer to the park but we really like our cell service.
While visiting the North Rim, we did see buffalo. They crossed the road right in front of the truck. This made the adventure even more incredible. Can you ever get tired of seeing buffalo or bison?
Navajo National Monument
We knew nothing about the Navajo National Monument. We actually discovered this little gem by accident while traveling through Arizona. When we pulled up our Campendium app to find a place for the night, and this national monument campground popped up.
The Navajo National Monument has a paved, free campground that you can stay in for seven days. Although the sites are not level, they do provide heated restrooms and trash receptacles. We ended up staying at this campground for three nights, relaxing and exploring the park.
On our second day we visited the Visitor Center, bought some postcards and chatted with the employee for a while. We hiked the three self-guided trails in the Monument. The Sandal Trail is 1.3 miles roundtrip. At the end of the trail, you can see the Betatakin Cliff Dwelling. It is better to see these cliff dwelling in the afternoon, as later in the day, the sun exposes the cliff dwelling. Whereas in the morning, the dwelling is in the shadows.
The Aspen Trail is .8 miles, but it is a little steeper. We really enjoyed this trail and the views of the canyon. The Canyon View Trail, also .8 miles, would have better views if they allowed you to walk across the rock to really see the Canyon. However, debris was placed to disallow walking on the rock. So, we behaved ourselves and hiked back.
If you are traveling through Arizona, Monument Valley, you might want to stop in at the Navajo National Monument. Check out the cliff dwelling, talk to the friendly employees, and stay the night in the campground.
Antelope Canyon
Originally, we were apprehensive about the tours we booked for Antelope Canyon. Because we did not know if we would ever return to the area, we booked both the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon Tours. We heard horror stories of being crowded like cattle into the back of trucks to visit the Slot Canyon and walking through the canyon squished like sardines.
I am not going to lie. We were herded into the back of the truck for the Upper Antelope Canyon Tour. The ride to the slot canyon was very bumpy, and I did say “moo” at one time as we laughed at our predicament. However, once we arrived, our guide was amazing.
She made sure we had plenty of time to see the Slot Canyon, while not running into any other groups. She took pictures and explained different features of the Canyon. We were pleasantly surprised by the tour.
There is only one thing that bothers me about slot canyon tours; guides always point out rocks saying they look like something else. All the slot canyons we visited are gorgeous and you are excited just to be in them. I don’t need to see a giraffe in the rock. But I assume other people like that kind of thing.
The Upper Antelope Slot Canyon is beautiful. It was worth being packed into the back of a truck. However, the Lower Antelope Canyon blew us away.
We booked our tower for the Lower Slot Canyon with Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours. We were still led by a guide. However, you walk straight from the tour building down to the Canyon trail with no bumpy ride.
We both thought the Lower Antelope Canyon was prettier and more of a slot canyon than the Upper Antelope Canyon. We believe that the amazing pictures we associate with Antelope Canyon must have been taken in the lower Slot Canyon. This canyon tour is also cheaper than the Upper tour.
If you do visit Lower Antelope Canyon, though, be careful! As usual, I bumped my head on a rock because I was talking and not paying attention. If you can only do one tour, book the Lower Antelope Canyon tour. You will not regret it.
Sedona
Cottonwood, Arizona is only a half an hour away from Sedona, Arizona. If you research amazing things to do in Arizona, you probably will run across a lot of unforgettable hikes in this area.
Because our truck breakdown was a major one, the Ford Dealership kindly lent us a car for over a week. So, instead of lamenting our situation, we decided to go hiking. Now, there are a few things I must warn you about hiking in Sedona.
Firstly, it gets hot quick. If you are not used to heat, go early in the morning. By ten a.m., the heat is miserable. We started our hikes around 6:30 a.m.
Secondly, hiking in Sedona includes some climbing over slick rocks. For me, it meant crawling up some of the rocks on all four or scooting down on my butt. Just be aware. On every hike we did, I climbed on all fours in at least one portion of the hike.
The Devil’s Bridge Hike
To access the Devil’s Bridge Trail, you must park at the Dry Creek Parking lot located at GPS 34.89042, -111.82074. If you have a 4×4 or UHV, you can drive all the way to the trailhead. If not, you can park in a parking lot and hike the Dry Creek Road to the Devil’s Bridge Trailhead. You will need to buy a day pass or display your America the Beautiful Pass at the parking lot.
You can easily find your way to Devil’s Bridge with all the signs and other hikers enroute. The most difficult part of the hike to the Devil’s Bridge is climbing the rocks towards the end. However, it is well worth a little rock scrambling to walk out onto the arch and feel that sense of accomplishment. While you are there, take the short hike to the bottom of the bridge for a different perspective. You will enjoy it!
The Subway Cave
The Subway Cave has been on our bucket list for a few years now. Being inside the cave and looking out at the splendid scenery is exactly how it looks in the internet pictures.
To access the Subway Cave trail, we parked at the Boyton Canyon Trail Parking Lot, GPS 34.90767, -111.84904. The parking lot is located in the Cocino National Forest. You must purchase a day pass or use your America the Beautiful Pass.
You hike the Boyton Canyon Trail for two miles until you turn right at a large Alligator Juniper tree. The side hike to the cave is easy to find and chances are, you will meet other hikers also hiking to the cave. The most difficult part of this hike is definitely the entrance of the cave. If you do not want to hike around the edge of the cliff, be prepared to do some crawling up the cave entrance.
To crawl up the entrance of the cave, we started on the left side with the crevice. You can find a few footholds on this side. However, the crevice narrows and you have to switch to the right side of the entrance. Windell had to push me up by my butt a few times. To come back down, we schooched on our butts down the original right side without the crevice.
Other hikers are super helpful and will pull you and push you to get into the cave. Or, you can walk along the cliff side to enter it. Either way, you must get up into that cave because you will be amazed.
Cathedral Rock Hike
Okay, open disclaimer here. We did not complete the Cathedral Rock Hike. Firstly, I incorrectly thought we were hiking to the Church of the Holy Cross. But we were not. It was actually located across the valley.
There are some amazing views from this rock, and we decided to attempt it. However, when we reached the point of scaling through the crevice with small footholds, we both quickly gave up. Remembering our difficulties in scaling the Subway Cave entrance, we decided only the most epic view would be worth trying to come down that small crevice.
So, we hiked around the rock on a different trail to see some views and headed back to the parking lot. Sometimes it is good to know your limits.
Soldier Pass Trail
After our failure of trying to hike Cathedral Rock, it was still only seven in the morning. So, I thought, heck let’s try the Soldier Pass Trail to the Hidden Cave. We had heard from other hikers that the trail and the cave were both worth seeing, although the sacred pools were dry.
We headed to the small parking lot at GPS 34.8843, -111.78377. However, the parking lot is closed Thursday thru Sunday, and you must take the shuttle. On the rest of the days, the gates do not open unil 8 a.m. When we arrived, there was already one car waiting for the gates to open. If you want to hike early, your best option is probably the Sedona Shuttle from the Possee Grounds Park and Ride. The first shuttle is at 7:00 a.m. and arrives at the trailhead is 7:08 a.m.
However, as we sat at the closed gates at the trailhead, we looked across at each other. We didn’t want to start a Sedona hike at 8 a.m. in the heat. And we had already finished our two bucket list hikes. So, we headed back to the campground to sit in some AC.
Thousand Trails Campground at Cottonwood, Arizona
Because our truck required major repair, we had to buy an extra week while staying at this Thousand Trails Campground. We had no idea when we would be able to leave Arizona. The employees at the Campground were very friendly to us and worked with us to ensure we had a place to stay. We appreciate all of their help.
Luckily, the campground has a lot of hiking paths that kept me busy early in the mornings. I could continue exercising and we had plenty of cell service with our signal booster. So, we sat tight until our truck was fixed, taking some time out to make videos, do online classes, and write blogs.
Heading North to Cool Off
After traveling and sitting in Arizona for over a month, our truck is finally fixed. We appreciate the amazing sights, canyons, and hikes we have enjoyed. But we are ready for cooler weather!
We learned a lot about ourselves this year. Firstly, we don’t like truck camping. We are not those people who want to shower and poop outside for any extended period of time. We are a little too spoiled by programmed coffee and a bidet. However, we are glad we found this out about ourselves before we tried it in Alaska or Canada, where our little camper was not nearby to give us relief.
The second item we discovered is that we are not nearly as fond of the desert scene as we are of oceans and snow covered-mountains. Yes, there are lots of geological features and landscapes in the desert that you will not find other places. And if you enjoy seeing dinosaur tracks and ancient pueblo cliff dwellings, this area of the U.S. is perfect. However, after a summer in the desert, we are ready for cooler temperatures and some ocean adventures. Our plans for the next several years do not include any red rocks or cactuses.
America the Beautiful Pass
USING OUR AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL PASS
Maybe we were naive when we first started traveling four years ago in our RV, but we didn’t know about the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass until we read up on RVing. Now, we buy a pass every year because we love visiting National Parks while we travel. However, the America Beautiful Pass has more to offer than just National Park entrance. We have used it to enter National Monuments, including the Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Natural Area in Oregon and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine, Florida. We have also used our pass to hike in National Forests without paying day fees. Because we are not yet old enough, we must purchase a new interagency pass for $80 every year. However, when Jessica turns 62, we will buy a lifetime senior pass for $80. This year alone (2024) we have visited eight National Parks to date. We spent several days each in Zion, Yellowstone, Arches, and Canyonlands. Without the America the Beautiful Pass, this would have cost us a lot of money. However, the $80 pass covered all of our entry fees for these National Parks. If we were pulling our RV, the pass would have also covered our recreational fee in the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway where we primitive camped for three days and saw lots of moose!
WHERE YOU CAN USE THE AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL PASS
We have only used our America the Beautiful Interagency Pass at National Parks, National Forests, National Monuments, and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse Natural Area. However, there are so many places you can use this pass. Some National Forests discount camping for half price with the pass. You can also use it in Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Corp of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife, etc.. You can find links to more information with the Interagency Pass at https://store.usgs.gov/2024-annual-pass. Also, don’t be afraid to ask if you can receive a discount, for example, on camping on federal land with the pass. It never hurts to ask!
PURCHASING THE AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL PASS
You do not need to be an American citizen to purchase and use the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass. We met a gentleman from Switzerland traveling through the U.S. and Mexico. He used his pass to enter National Parks and to save on a cabin rental in a National Park. Purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass is easy. You can buy one at any regulated entrance to a National Park. When you pull up to pay, simply ask to purchase the Interagency Pass. It is a fantastic purchase if you will be traveling the U.S. and visiting National Parks. You can learn more about the America the Beautiful and other National Park entrance passes at https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm#america-the-beautiful-passes.
DON’T FORGET ANNUAL STATE PARK PASSES
Also, if you will be traveling in a state and visiting several state parks, you might want to check out an annual state park pass for nonresidents. It is a wonderful way to see cool places in states and it is a lot cheaper than paying the entrance fees every time. We purchased annual state park passes for Washington, Oregon, Michigan, and Wisconsin because we knew we would be checking out a lot of these state parks. These passes have also saved us a lot of money when traveling.
So, be safe and have fun while traveling. And, if you are going to any of our gorgeous National Parks, visiting National Monuments, or hiking fees areas in our National Forests, check out the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass.