The point of our trip out west was to experience Rocky Mountaineer’s Rockies to Red Rocks train journey. The train travels either direction, so we started in Moab, Utah, home to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. It’s definitely worth a few extra days to spend time touring this area!
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Hot air balloon view of Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
The day before our train journey, we picked up our luggage tags at the beautiful Hoodoo Hilton hotel. Located right in the center of town, it has an elegant atmosphere and beautiful courtyard pool.
The following day we transferred from the hotel to the train via a motor coach. “Coach” was our bus driver and would be taking our luggage to the hotel in Glenwood Springs that night, where we would be pre-checked into the hotel with our bags already be in our rooms.
Upon boarding the train, we were met by Chris Woods, the Train Manager, who introduced his team and welcomed us on board. Chris has been with the company for 20 years, and has seen Rocky Mountaineer grow from one line in Canada to 78 active rail cars that include the Colorado rail route.
Once onboard, we were immediately welcomed with beverages of our choice, from seltzer waters, to tea, soft drinks, local and national wines as well as mixed drinks.
All Aboard Amazing!
After our hosts were introduced, the chef talked about the day’s dining choices. For starters, we were served hors d’oeuvres of tamale pies with bear river slaw, pickled red onions, lime cream and garnished with fresh cilantro.
The hosts for our train car were Billy & Sophia who shared stories of the places we passed through and points of interest – including the last known train robbery!
In the Colorado Rockies, Silver Leaf is the domed rail car which has amazing views of the scenery such as Ruby Canyon and Garfield Mountain. Silver Leaf Plus also gives you access to the Club Car lounge as well, where you can relax in comfort. I felt like one of the Vanderbilt’s traveling in this fine manner!
It wasn’t long before they were taking our order for dinner. On the menu was Colorado smoked salmon superfood salad with quinoa and apricot salad, lemon poppyseed vinaigrette as well as boneless pork rib with honey barbecue sauce, cauliflower rice with beet and bell pepper. It was served with a French roll or an amazing corn muffin (wish I had that recipe!)
The train was very relaxing with the staff: Sophie, Billy, Lee, Chris, Kerry (Guest Services), Sabina (culinary host) Chris Woods (Train Manager) John Garner (Lead Train Manager) who took the time to get to know you and endeavored to meet every need.
Mom with Train Manager, John Garner
We were traveling through the Old West with highlights such as 25-mile Ruby Canyon on the Colorado River, which is popular for river rafting and is largely inaccessible by car. Next came Grand Junction, the largest city on Colorado’s western slope. This area has become a major fruit-growing region and is known as Colorado Wine Country.
Terri & Mom enjoying Rocky Mountaineer
The city of Palisade is known for its wine as well as the famous Palisade peaches. In honor of passing through this territory, we were served a Palisade peach dessert – a delicious combination of peaches on top of a shortbread-type base. Next was the scenic town of De Beque, which was the beginning of a very narrow 15-mile long canyon. We got some incredible photos in this area!
Later that evening we arrived in Glenwood Springs just as the sun was starting to set. Glenwood Springs is known for its hot springs and Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. This park has gondola that goes up the mountain to an amusement park that boasts the highest roller coaster in the world. (They also have a swing that goes out over the mountainside – great for thrill seekers!)
One thing I liked about the Rocky Mountaineer service was that we were handed the keys to our room while still on the train, so there was no waiting in line to get in the hotel when we arrived.
Our accommodations were at The Hotel Denver, which was built in 1913. It has so much character and is full of period antiques, such as a piano built in 1885 made out of rosewood. This hotel has hosted many dignitaries from Theodore Roosevelt who would stay for weeks at a time hunting big game and fish. He came so often that it was dubbed “The Little White House.”
I love staying in hotels that are more than just a comfortable place to rest, and this place had lots of character and history! Each room was unique and added to the charm of our overnight stay. But we didn’t get settled in right away – we had to try the famous Glenwood Hot Springs, home of the world’s largest hot springs pool.
Tickets to the hot springs were discounted if purchased through the hotel, so we quickly changed and walked across the pedestrian Grand Avenue Bridge which connects the shopping and dining district with the local attractions. We enjoyed a short but relaxing evening soaking our muscles in the mineral-rich waters, which was a real highlight of our stay (so bring your swimsuits!)
Rosewood piano built in 1885 at The Denver Hotel, Glenwood Springs
Hot springs at night (Hotel Glenwood Springs)
Rocky Mountaineer stays in first-class hotels, and we thoroughly enjoyed our comfortable night of sleep and awakened rested and refreshed the next morning.
Because Union Pacific was working on the tracks, we had a later start to the day, so Doug and I had time to explore the streets of Glenwood and enjoyed a beautiful morning walk.
Returning to our hotel room, we finished packing our bags and left them there. It was so nice to not have to drag our luggage with us, as the Rocky Mountaineer team would transport everything for us and meet us with our bags at the end of our journey.
We walked across the street to board the train and the Rocky Mountaineer team was there to greet us and had a table with coffee, tea, hot chocolate and marshmallows.
As we boarded the train the staff was there to greet us, and the Glenwood Springs staff waved goodbye as we started our second day of our journey.
We were blessed with great weather on both days, and the view from the open-air section of the rail car made for great photo opportunities as we traveled.
Our Day 2 itinerary was from Glenwood Springs to Denver, Colorado, and highlights of today’s journey was following the Colorado river through the 1,000 ft. cliffs of Gore Canyon, where the upper portion is the expert-only section of whitewater rapids.
Even though it was May, a surprise was going through the Winter Park ski resort which was fully operational with no lack of snow coverage!
The engineering marvel of the Moffatt Tunnel was next. At six miles in length, it cuts through the Continental Divide and eliminated 10,800 degrees of curvature. This replaced the dangerous loop over the Rollins Pass as the main line across Colorado.
We learned about David Moffatt, a Denver banker who sunk his entire fortune into this effort. It is an incredible feat of engineering, ingenuity and persistence, which was eventually completed with public funds.
In 1979, the tunnel was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Our last highlight was another engineering marvel of American railroads: the Big 10 Curve. These tight 10-degree radius curves keep the grade to a railroad-friendly 2%, and is a great time to go to the outdoor viewing area to get some exceptional photos.
Arriving in Denver, we were sad to see our train ride come to an end. However, we disembarked filled with a lot of wonderful memories of an incredibly luxurious train experience!
Rocky Mountaineer Tips:
If I had to do it again, I would take the Denver to Moab route. This gives you more time in Glenwood Springs, and also allows you to end your trip with the majestic scenery of Arches and Canyonlands National Park. If you have time, the La Sal Mountain Loop is spectacular as well. If you’d like to see Rocky Mountain National Park, it’s about 90 minutes from Denver so you’ll need some extra time on the front end of the trip as well.
While it’s cooler mid-April to May and you’ll have the fall colors in September and October, the days are longer in June and July.
There are plug-in outlets between the seats, but no USB ports
This is a great option for those with limited mobility. In fact, Rocky Mountaineer is fully wheelchair accessible – they have a lift you can use and a wheelchair that fits down the aisle if needed.
It can be very bright in the glass-domed cars, so you may want to bring a hat and/or sunglasses for protection.
Because Rocky Mountaineer partners with Viking for their Canadian rail route, we are now assisting clients with reservations for this experience. In fact, I learned some tricks for those who are interested in solo traveling, which will save you quite a bit off of the package prices.
Contact me at 770-421-9627 and I’ll be happy to put together a quote for single travelers, couples or groups. Like Viking, it will be a great travel memory for you!
Carol Shaddix
Viking Master Cruise Expert
770-421-9627
Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com
June's Specials
**$25 per person deposits on all sailings**
**Viking River Cruises - Free International Airfare and reduced cruise fares on select sailings
**Many Vikingocean sailings now have additional shipboard credit added to select sailings (up to $1,000 per stateroom!)
It's a bit early in the month to have many specials to promote. However, we have a new Viking Cruises IGT Travel Community Facebookpage, where we will be posting specials (and to keep from overloading your email inbox.)
Click here to join and be notified of upcoming specials, ask questions and post photos of your favorite places to travel!
If you missed the print edition of The Compass, click here to read this issue’s Tales from Our Sails. Our featured client is Julie Hicks of Augusta, Georgia. She recently returned from the Chilean Fjords and Patagonia Explorer and is passionate about sharing her experience.
Carol is a Viking Master Cruise Expert and Group Travel Specialist, and she loves getting people together to enjoy the intimacy and hospitality unique to small ship cruising.
Consequently, our clients benefit from the “inside information” we have as a result of the great relationships we have developed over the years. They don't have to call an 800-number hoping to get a knowledgeable professional to answer their questions, and are also on the “first-to-know” list for specials and bonuses, all while receiving the signature TLC we put into every trip.
Vacations are the highlight reels of the year, and each one needs to be truly memorable.
Great Vacations Matter, Because Great Memories Matter Most
P.S. Whether you have questions about your upcoming cruise, or you have a Future Cruise Voucher you're trying to put to the best use, feel free to contact me at 770-421-9627 or email Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com. I'll be happy to answer all of your questions and give you the best advice for your Viking dollars.
P.S.S. If you've booked direct with Viking in the last 60 days, call 770-421-9627 to get an additional $200 shipboard credit to your reservation!
Imagine Going There Travel, 3600 Dallas Hwy, Suite 230-215, Marietta, GA 30064, (770) 421-9627
