Riding Durango’s Scenic Train Ride through Cascade Canyon
Ride passenger in an open air gondola on the scenic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Cascade Canyon. This complete guide features when to go, what to bring, and all about our experience.
For a Colorado adventure like no other, hop on the scenic train ride from Durango to Cascade Canyon on the Historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This is one of Colorado’s top summer experiences and a must do when visiting the charming town of Durango.
Riding in an open air gondola with jaw dropping mountain views, clear blue water, roaring rapids, and jagged rocks made this one of most memorial trips we had during our visit to Durango.
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ABOUT THE DURANGO & SILVERTON RAILROAD
Voted “One of the World’s Top Ten Most Exciting Train Rides” by the Society of American Travel Writers, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a scenic train ride that departs from downtown Durango and takes passengers on a picturesque cruise through the San Juan National Forest, passing dense evergreen trees, with breathtaking views the of Animas River.
Rides to Cascade Canyon are available in the summer from May 26 to May 29 & June 7 to August 13th. Winter rides are available mid November to the beginning of May.
In addition to summer trips to Cascade Canyon, The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad offers a winter excursion to Cascade Canyon, a holiday Polar Express train ride, as well as, scenic roundtrips to Silverton.
To book your trip, you can reserve your spot online in advance. Both sides of the train will get to experience the breathtaking scenic views.
LOCATION & LENGTH
Train rides to Cascade Canyon depart from the Durango Depot located in downtown Durango. Summer rides to Cascade Canyon depart at 9:45 a.m. and return at 3:00 p.m. Winter rides to Cascade Canyon depart at 9:15 a.m. and return at 2:30 p.m. The total trip lasts around 5.25 hours.
It’s recommended to arrive at the Durango Depot 30 minutes prior to departure. Parking at the Durango Depot lot is located a short walk from the station and is an additional fee.
WHAT TO BRING
Each train has a concession car with hot chocolate, coffee, cider, cocktails, and snacks available. Boxed lunches are also available for pre order when booking your reservation.
Water
Train rides are 5.25 hours long so you’ll want to bring plenty of water. We love using our insulated water bottle for cold water all day.
Lunch / Snacks
For the lunch stop at Cascade Canyon.
Jacket
Afternoon thunderstorms are common summer weather in Colorado so definitely bring a jacket in case it starts raining or temperatures drop.
Camera
To capture the beautiful mountain landscapes along this scenic ride.
Sneakers
Once you stop in Cascade Canyon for lunch, you’ll be able to walk around so having a good outdoor shoe is a good idea to explore the area.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our adventure to Cascade Canyon started by meeting at the the Durango Depot Station 30 minutes before our 9:45 a.m. departure. We got our parking spot, checked in, used the bathroom, and found our train car. There is also a free museum and gift shop to check out located inside the station.
Once everyone was onboard, we waved goodbye and headed off through the town of Durango, getting a scenic tour of the backside of the towns local shops and cafes. The train then meets up with the Animas River where we saw rafters cruising down the rapids.
For the next couple miles the train runs along HWY 550 entering the San Juan National Forest and taking you through the small towns of Trimble and Hermosa. As the train climbs up the mountainside the views of the valley and surrounding mountains are breathtaking.
As the train winds along the mountainside, you get a birdseye view of a lush evergreen forest surrounding Shalona Lake.
After you pass Shalona Lake, the trees part and you get the stunning view of the train winding along the rugged mountainside with the Animas River roaring below. The train slowed down so we could fully take in the scenic view.
Continuing on toward Cascade Canyon, the train crosses the Silverton Branch High Bridge, passes the old Tacoma Power Plant and cruises along the Animas River until you arrive at the Cascade Canyon where we stopped for an hour to have lunch and explore the area.
The train then turns itself around and heads back toward Durango giving each passenger the view from the other side. The weather started to turn here so we were glad to have some hot cider and jackets, however, we still stood the whole way back because the views are just too beautiful.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever rode Durango Scenic Train Ride to Cascade Canyon.
Check out our reel riding the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on Instagram!
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WE’RE MIKE & DEANDRA.
Two adventure seekers traveling the U.S in our 37 FT. travel trailer with our two companions, Griffin & Lucy. We share our life on the road and travel guides to our favorite destinations.
This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Ride passenger in an open air gondola on the scenic train ride from Durango to Cascade Canyon. Featuring when to go, what to bring, and all about our experience.