Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a 64-mile narrow gauge steam railroad that winds through some of the most spectacular and remote mountain terrain in the American Southwest, crossing between Colorado and New Mexico eleven times. Designated a National Historic Landmark, this is the longest and highest narrow gauge steam railroad in the United States, climbing to an altitude of 10,015 feet at Cumbres Pass. Originally built in 1880 as part of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway to serve the silver mines of the San Juan Mountains, the railroad today offers unforgettable full-day excursions between the charming towns of Chama, New Mexico, and Antonito, Colorado. Vintage 1920s steam locomotives pull historic coaches through dramatic gorges, over towering trestles, and past fields of wildflowers and stands of pine and aspen. The railroad is jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico and is operated by a nonprofit foundation dedicated to its preservation. Wildlife sightings of elk, deer, bear, and eagles are common throughout the journey, making every trip a memorable adventure through living American history.