It’s not just a ride, it’s the ride of a lifetime — accompanied by great food, friendly service and drop-dead gorgeous scenery.

by Leslie Doran and Kathryn Retzler
Photos © Ron Ruhoff

Copyright San Juan Publishing, Inc.

Cañon City, Colorado

A RIDE ON THE ROYAL GORGE ROUTE is a unique experience  in the world of recreational railroading. The service is exemplary, the food first class and the level of luxury reminiscent of a bygone era. Top it off with an eye-popping display of Mother Nature’s best, and you’re in for the ride of a lifetime.

Passengers have traveled the winding rail of the Royal Gorge for more than 127 years. The scenic route covers 12 miles and gains 420 feet in elevation between Cañon City and Parkdale. 

The distinctive engines painted the bright “Rio Grande Gold” and historic dome cars (also soon to be bright gold) are a cheery vision as they wind their way along the tracks. The color scheme was originally introduced in the late 1940s, when the California Zephyr became the first transcontinental train to have dome cars in service.

Regular passenger service through the gorge ended in 1967, but thanks to the efforts of a special family, the Ashbys and the Greksas, this service resumed in 1999. This close-knit family, which strives to keep alive traditional and elegant travel with authentic and  historical equipment, runs the railroad.

The visually and geologically spectacular Royal Gorge (originally known as the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas) was formed over millions of years by the roiling Arkansas River. Today, the river churns up Class V rapids, the most difficult to traverse. These challenging waters attract more than 200,000 rafting enthusiasts a year from around the world. The river is also home to an abundant supply of native cutthroat trout, making for great fishing.

As it has for the past hundred-plus years, the train stops at the narrowest portion of the canyon, beneath the Royal Gorge Bridge which hangs 1,000 feet above the tracks. Construction of this, the world’s highest suspension bridge, began in June of 1929, and took just seven months to complete. An engineering marvel, it has been a source of awe and admiration ever since.