Emma Franke / Virtuoso
Pronghorn antelopes on the run-in eastern Utah. The Rocky Mountaineer near Red Canyon. Onboard treats.
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Moab to Denver with a view.
In the weeks before I hopped on my flight to Salt Lake City, friends who heard I was joining a Rocky Mountaineer route often knew exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned my upcoming trip. “Oh, I’ve seen that train on Instagram,” they’d say. “The one with the huge windows!”
It’s true – the view is the big draw on the two-day journey, which I took eastbound from Moab, Utah, to Denver with two pre-trip days in Moab. But there’s more to love about moving across the American West at a pace that never tops 60 miles per hour. Here are five things to look forward to.
Double Arches.
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The Extension Pack
Before I boarded the train, my traveling companions and I explored Arches National Park and the surrounding Moab area via guided hikes and a Hummer ride over what felt like the canyon’s steepest sections (which turned out to be a real bonding experience). Rocky Mountaineer can arrange pre- or post-trip adventures in Salt Lake City, Moab, Las Vegas, or Denver, hosted by local tour groups. Exploring the red sandstone landscape around Moab – a filming location for Thelma & Louise and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – gave us an adrenaline rush before the quieter days on the train. We boarded with sunburns and photo libraries packed with pics of fossilized dinosaur tracks.
The Experts
The staff in our car – Jessica, the host; chef Sabina; and our bartender, Cheryl – welcomed us with glasses of prosecco to toast the beginning of our journey, regaling us with trivia as we started moving. The trio, who were with us for both days of our trip, had an answer to every “What is that?” when a new landmark slid into view.
The view steals the show.
Emma Franke
Group Chatting
Each car holds up to 56 passengers, and there’s room for travelers to converse in groups and take in the sights from both sides of the train. Shouts of “Horses!” and “Baby cow!” would summon everyone to the nearest window throughout the day, and the whitewater rafters who give the Colorado River its famed nickname of “Moon River” whenever a train passes by earned plenty of cheers from our group.
Sweet-Treat Supply
The hard work of watching the Southwest go by was made easier by a constant stream of snacks and cocktails, along with multicourse meals served straight to our seats. Often, we’d hear about the local suppliers behind our food, such as Glenwood Springs’ Sweet Coloradough bakery, which turns out a mean peach tart. Ingredients such as locally smoked salmon (which topped a quinoa and apricot salad) and pours of Palisade wine brought the region to our in-seat tables.
Taking it Offline
Am I lying about loving the fact that there was no Wi-Fi on the train? Yes, a little bit. I can admit I’m addicted to my phone. But I would have missed the way shrubs and blue spruce slowly crowded Utah’s sage-dusted canyons and turned the view from red to green as the Rockies neared if I’d had more to do than sit and watch it happen – and I almost certainly wouldn’t have spotted that grazing pronghorn antelope if I’d been allowed my Internet fix.
Departures: Multiple dates, July 1 through October 21, 2024.
Your scenic journey through the American West await....
I help passionate travelers plan food, wine, and active adventures to unique destinations across the globe.