Skip to main content

Relive the Wild West on the Historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

For 141 years, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has been transporting passengers through the remote, scenic Rocky Mountain wilderness of the San Juan National Forest.

By: Durango
Updated: February 20, 2024
The Durango Train runs alongside a river in a narrow canyon in Colorado, where the trees are just turning yellow and orange for autumn. It pulls yellow cars passenger cars.
History and scenic beauty on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Two people holding small glasses of ruby-red beer pose in an open-air passenger car on a Durango Train as the train moves along tracks on a narrow, gray-rock cliffside.
Enjoying brews and views on the Durango Train
The Durango Train rides along the Animas River during fall time. The train's engine is black and pulls ten or so orange passenger cars. The trees are a mix of green and gold.
Fall colors along the Animas River
Shimmering yellow leaves of aspen trees are lit up by the sun. Beyond the trees is the Durango Train, with billowing steam coming from the first engine's smokestack.
Durango Train among yellow aspens
A Durango Train with a black engine and coal car snakes along a high cliff in summertime in Colorado. It pulls several vibrant yellow passenger cars behind it.
Durango Train snaking along a high cliff in summertime
Two train engineers in historical 1800s dress lean out slightly from the engine room of the train in front of a golden stand of aspens. One engineer smiles at the camera.
Train engineers marveling at the golden aspens
The Durango Train chugs along its track beside a rushing river. Along the sides of the tracks are small cliffs of sharp rocks. In the background is a large hill with pines.
Chugging along the river
A group of four people clink beer glasses filled with amber suds as they sit in a historical train car with polished wooden walls and ornate carvings in Colorado.
Cheers-ing in the historical 1880s Yankee Girl car
The large Durango Train has steam blowing through its smokestack. The last two visible train cars are painted pumpkin orange with green trim and silver roofs.
Durango Train on the tracks
The Durango Train stretches around a bend beyond the tall, white, black-speckled aspen trees and the wide, dark-green pine trees. A tall mountain stands in the background.
Scenic ride through the trees

This railroad is designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service and is also an American Society of Civil Engineering Landmark. The Durango Train is world famous and one of the most popular heritage railroads in North America, offering a unique, affordable, family-friendly travel experience that combines Colorado’s colorful pioneering and mining histories with unparalleled Rocky Mountain beauty.

Listen to the steel wheels sing as you venture alongside the rushing waters of the Animas River and amid the towering peaks of the San Juan Mountains to beautiful Cascade Canyon or the historic mining town of Silverton. Operating year-round, the Durango Train is a unique and wonderful way to witness the changing of the seasons, learn about the rich history of Durango and the state’s railroading industry and experience the dramatic alpine landscapes of southwest Colorado. 

The train travels to Cascade Canyon, located deep in the wilderness of the San Juan Mountains, year-round. From early May through October, the train carries passengers to and from Silverton, a destination that feels like stepping back in time to the Wild West — when gold and silver mining in the area was at its peak. 

While you’re at the Durango Depot, don’t forget to visit the free Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum, a 12,000-square foot facility situated in the railyard, housing a carefully curated eclectic collection of artifacts and exhibits that paint a picture of Colorado’s rich railroading and mining histories. Even more interesting, the D&SNGRR Museum is located in one part of the railroad’s roundhouse, the only one of its kind in the world to house authentic narrow-gauge steam locomotives. The museum is open every day the train operates. 

Reservations: 877-872-4607

About Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad & Museum
Ride the Cascade Canyon Express
Take the Silverton Steam Train
Hop on the Cascade Canyon Winter Train
Book Your Train
Learn More About The Durango Train's History
Find More Information About Durango

Related Trip Ideas