Western Rails & Canyons with Canyon Spirit Rail Journey (AG)

9-day tour from Denver to Denver

2026 Tour Details View 2027 Tour Details »

All aboard for a spectacular 9-day adventure through the American Southwest! Your tour through Colorado and Utah begins with an overnight stay in the ‘Mile High City’ of Denver—5,280 feet above sea level. In Colorado Springs, board the Pikes Peak cog railway to reach the summit that inspired ‘America the Beautiful.’ Explore the stunning desert landscapes of Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, and the ancient indigenous dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. Embark on a two-day scenic rail journey aboard the Canyon Spirit train from the outdoor mecca of Moab through Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area and over the Continental Divide to return to Denver. You’ll also explore the natural treasures of Great Sand Dunes National Park and the scenic Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad. PLUS, your tour includes your choice of excursions in Moab so you can plan your day your way.

Special features included in this tour:
• Four National Parks
• Orientation tour of Denver
• Visit Garden of the Gods Park
• Ride on the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway
• Explore the highest sand dunes in North America at Great Sand Dunes National Park
• Visit Durango and ride the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad
• Guided sightseeing in Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Visit Dead Horse State Park
• Globus Choice excursion in Moab – included in your tour, with your choice between a guided horseback ride or Canyons Cruise on the Colorado River
• Explore Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
• Enjoy scenic views on the Canyon Spirit train

Dates & Prices Book Online

800.268.3636

Western Rails & Canyons with Canyon Spirit Rail Journey map

Photo Highlights

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 1 lunch, 3 dinners

Notes:

• Visiting and participating in activities in this region may be subject to favorable weather conditions.
• Canyon Spirit features Signature experience train service with a single-level dome coach and panoramic oversized windows with reclining, comfortable, spacious seats; snacks, meals, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; elevated service, access to an outdoor viewing area, and storytelling from Onboard Hosts. The Premier experience upgrade is available with luxury reminiscent of a bygone era, including extra attendants, additional outdoor space, and regional cuisine in an exclusive dining car.
• Glenwood Springs’ properties are considered moderate 3-star hotels or better. Your chosen hotel is determined by Canyon Spirit; rest assured it satisfies our high standards of cleanliness and comfort.
• The trail to the Escalante Pueblo is a ½-mile-long, paved, uphill, wheelchair-accessible trail.
• Elevation advisement: Pikes Peak Cog Railway is 14,115 feet above sea level. Overnight in Durango (elevation 6512 feet).
• Canyon Spirit is operated by Rocky Mountaineer/Armstrong Collective.

Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN DENVER, COLORADO

Welcome to Colorado! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome drink.

ENHANCED FREE TIME
EXPLORE MORE in Denver with a visit to the Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Art Museum, or enjoy a walk through the mile-long pedestrian friendly 16th Street. Your Tour Director has suggestions for your free time, and your GlobusGO mobile app puts all the possibilities right at your fingertips.

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Day 2 DENVER–COLORADO SPRINGS

The Mile-High City See Denver’s historic Union Station, Mile High Stadium, and more on an orientation tour en route to Colorado Springs. Explore Garden of the Gods Park, featuring 300-foot towering sandstone rock formations against a backdrop of snowcapped Pikes Peak and brilliant blue skies. Take a thrilling ride on the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the highest cog railroad in the world. Travel up to the summit of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak, the place that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write America the Beautiful. Tonight, a home-cooked BBQ dinner with western music under the stars at the historic Flying W Ranch (weather permitting).

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Enjoy Rocky Mountain home cooking under the stars with a BBQ at Flying W Ranch. Feel free to don your western garb and tap along to western music to get you in the spirit at this working cattle ranch in the Colorado foothills!

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Breakfast

Dinner

Day 3 COLORADO SPRINGS–GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK–DURANGO

Peak Perfection A scenic drive travels along the Highway of Legends Scenic and Historic Byway, with views of the Sangre de Cristo Range, home to ten 14,000-foot peaks, and through meandering ranchlands to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Later, continue deeper into the Colorado wilderness passing through the San Juan National Forest to Durango. Tonight is free to explore Durango to visit the local restaurants, saloons, speakeasy, and more on historic Main Street.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS A sandbox of epic proportions, the entire dune field encompasses 30 square miles, with the tallest dune towering 750 feet high. With the highest dunes in North America, Great Sand Dunes National Park is a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, and soaring peaks. Enjoy free time here to explore the dune field trails.

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Breakfast

Day 4 DURANGO. RAIL JOURNEY TO SILVERTON

Rocky Mountain Highs This morning, board the Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad for a scenic ride through San Juan National Forest. Enjoy leisure time in Silverton’s authentic western downtown. Return to Durango on the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway for a free evening.

LOCAL FAVORITE
EPIC RIDE The legendary Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train hugs steep canyon walls as it winds its way through Rio de las Animas Canyon to Silverton, a National Historic Landmark. Silverton, once a major mining town, owes its name to an early miner’s claim, “We have no gold, but silver by the ton!” Spend time visiting the breweries, boutiques, and saloons that dot the thriving Greene Street.

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Breakfast

Day 5 DURANGO–MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK–CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS–MOAB, UTAH

Ancient Mystery Today is a step back to ancient times, lands, and people. Start with a visit to Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, continuing to the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument Visitor Center and Museum, in the Four Corners region of Southwestern Colorado. Continue to Moab for a free evening.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & TRADITION Learn about the Ancestral Puebloans and see their mysterious, centuries-old cliff dwellings. Also, visit the museum that depicts the story of the people who once thrived on this 8,000-foot plateau and stop at a great vantage point for pictures of Cliff Palace, one of the largest of the 700-year-old Anasazi dwellings. Learn of the Native American and historic cultures at the Anasazi Heritage Center and walk in the footsteps of these great people by visiting the Escalante and Dominquez Pueblos.

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Breakfast

Day 6 MOAB. EXCURSION TO CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK & DEADHORSE STATE PARK

Spend your day your way in Moab Visit magnificent Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. Explore more of Moab with your choice of included Globus Choice excursions.

WILD WEST

Saddle up for a guided horseback ride to explore world-famous red rock cliffs landscape and stunning views of the valley. Discover the sights and sounds of the West from the trail. Note: No riding experience necessary; closed- toe shoes and long pants are required to ride.

RIVER RUN

Explore the beauty of Moab on a jetboat ride on the Colorado River. See canyon walls and red rock wonders of the Colorado River bordering Canyonlands National Park.

Return to Moab for a free evening. Perhaps venture to Main Street for regional southwest cuisine and quaint shops, stretch your legs on the Mill Creek Parkway Trail, or consider an optional stargazing activity tonight in a certified International Dark Sky Park.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Explore the spectacular views of Canyonlands National Park to see deep canyons stretching across the Colorado Plateau, an intricate canyon labyrinth with a million crimson hues. Then, on to Dead Horse Point State Park to see a vast mesa with an incredible view of the Colorado River as it twists through a gooseneck canyon 2,000 feet below.

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Breakfast

Day 7 MOAB–ARCHES NATIONAL PARK–CANYON SPIRIT RAIL–GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO

Rockies by Rail Today, explore the incredible landscape of Arches National Park, containing more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch. Then embark on the Canyon Spirit for a scenic train ride in Signature Class. Travel east through the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area. See Parachute Creek and Mount Logan while following the scenic Colorado River. Take in the beautiful red rock formations, desert cliffs of Ruby Canyon, and mountain vistas. Overnight stay in historic Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
TRAIN SPOTLIGHT Canyon Spirit travels through spectacular scenery on the journey to Glenwood Springs and Denver. Signature Service features a single-level glass dome coach offering reclining seats, meals served at your seat, an outdoor viewing area, and panoramic views from oversized windows. Enjoy an onboard culinary experience in regional cuisine and ingredients local to the Southwestern U.S.

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Breakfast

Dinner

Day 8 GLENWOOD SPRINGS–CANYON SPIRIT RAIL–DENVER

On Top of the World A full day aboard the Canyon Spirit through the Colorado high country. Arrive in Denver this evening for a farewell reception hosted by your Tour Director.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGHS From dense wooded forests and white-capped mountains of White River National Forest to the picturesque Byers and Gore Canyons and the tranquil mountain lakes of Arapahoe National Forest, you’ll experience the journey of a lifetime. Cross the high elevations of the Continental Divide with a sparkling wine toast while riding through the six-mile-long Moffatt Tunnel.

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Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 9 DENVER

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Want to explore more of Denver? Extra nights are available for purchase.

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Breakfast

Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

LISA PERLA

Escorting tours for more than 15 years

“It's my passion for travel that led me into the Travel Industry. Originally from New England, I love sharing the area's historical significance and quaint appeal, especially when the Fall colors are at their most brilliant. My heart especially lies in the West, though, with the overwhelming beauty of our parks and canyonlands. I truly enjoy sharing what this wondrous country has to offer, and my goal is for our guests to leave with once-in-a-lifetime memories.”

Accommodations

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

Moab

RIVER RUN

Explore the beauty of Moab on a jetboat ride on the Colorado River. See canyon walls and red rock wonders of the Colorado River bordering Canyonlands National Park.

Price Range: $

WILD WEST

Price Range: $

The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.

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