Departing Dallas/ Ft. Worth Metroplex

Day 1 – Texas Panhandle

Dalhart is our destination today. It is known by many as the gateway to the Colorado Rockies because of its location in the Panhandle. Watch for the Empty Saddle Monument, honoring past cowboys.

(D) Overnight: Dalhart, Texas

Days 2 & 3 – Great Sand Dunes National Park/ Rio Grande Scenic Railroad

Today we cross the border into New Mexico, then on to our long awaited journey to Colorado. Today is a different kind of scenery not usually thought of in Colorado – the Great Sand Dunes National Park, one of the newest in the U.S. system. The Visitors’ Center will provide an insight into the ecological balance of the dunes and we’ll have an opportunity to walk a short distance on them, a unique wilderness area. The next day listen for “All Aboard!” the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, Colorado’s newest steam train. This great adventure combines the stunning beauty of the San Luis Valley with close-up views of deer, bears, eagles and other wildlife. If nature cooperates, the trees will have begun displaying their brilliant fall foliage colors. No wonder the train is historically called the “Scenic Line of the World.” Enjoy a comfortable ride in a dome car, as you view endless panoramic views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. There will be a two-hour layover in La Veta, a popular artists’ colony before returning to Alamosa for the night.

Day 2 (B,D); Day 3 (B) Overnights: Alamosa, Colorado

Day 4 – Mesa Verde National Park

Another national park is on tap for today! The Department of Interior urges you to experience YOUR AMERICA. Mesa Verde National Park preserves a spectacular reminder of the 1,000 year culture of the Ancestral Puebloans, known as the Anasazi, meaning “ancient.” We’ll make a stop at the Visitor’s Center to learn more about their history, then make stops at park overlooks to view the cliff dwellings.

(B,D) Overnight: Durango, Colorado

Day 5 – Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Train travel today on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad follows the spectacular Animas River, crossing it five times on the journey to historic Silverton. We will pass farmlands, old stagecoach roads, the breathtaking “Highline” – many times in the shadow of 14,000 foot high peaks, often with year-round snow! We leave the train in Silverton for a lunch stop and board our motor coach for the rest of today’s journey. We pass through Ouray, called the “Switzerland of America” en route to Gunnison, a genuine western 1800s town “off the beaten path.”

(B,D) Overnight: Gunnison, Colorado

Day 6 – Royal Gorge Route Railroad

Arrival in Canon City will allow us to have lunch on board the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. Experience the panoramic views of the Royal Gorge from a classic 1950’s Vista Dome Car. This is considered one of the most spectacular scenic railroads in the world – a great way to view the highest suspension bridge in the world! Our overnight stop of Pueblo is home to the exclusive railroad testing facility for all of North America.

(B,L) Overnight: Pueblo, Colorado

Day 7 – Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site

Follow part of the original Santa Fe Trail, as we are transported back to the 1840s at our stop to see Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site. This reconstructed adobe fort is filled with period furnishings, a working blacksmith shop, a carpenter’s workshop, a trade room and more artifacts. It served as a needed supply center in the 1800s and Kit Carson was hunter there for eleven years. We overnight in Dumas. This Panhandle community is proud of its heritage centered around the farming and ranching industry.

(B,D) Overnight: Dumas, Texas

Day 8 – Homeward Bound

Plenty of snapshots in your camera and in your memory to remind you of this colorful Colorado trip, long after you arrive home.

(B)