Booking choice: The Royal Gorge Route Railroad, from $148 per person. Check dates Tour details
Rocky Mountaineer introduced its US route, Rockies to the Red Rocks, in 2021. On 18 March 2025 the parent company, Armstrong Collective, announced that the train would be renamed Canyon Spirit for the 2026 season. Rocky Mountaineer's old route page now redirects to canyonspirit.com, and the Rocky Mountaineer name now covers its Western Canada routes.
This guide answers the questions people still ask under the old name: the route and how long it takes, where you sleep, the classes, what it costs in 2026, the food, tipping and the best time to go. Canyon Spirit is booked through the company itself. At the end we show the scenic day rides you can book here.
The quick answer
Yes, there is still a luxury train from Denver: Canyon Spirit, the renamed Rocky Mountaineer route. It takes two days to Moab, or three to Salt Lake City, in daylight only, with hotel nights in Glenwood Springs (and Moab). Classes are Signature and Premier. The three-day journey launched from $2,123 per person plus tax, and onboard meals, drinks and Host tips are included.
Is there a Rocky Mountaineer in Colorado?
Not under that name any more. Since the 2026 season, the Rocky Mountaineer's Denver route has been sold as Canyon Spirit, by the same parent company.
The CEO's line at the rename was that "our world-class service and onboard experience will remain the same". What changed is the name, the class names and the length: Canyon Spirit added an optional third day from Moab to Salt Lake City.
Rocky Mountaineer vs Canyon Spirit, then, is not a choice between two trains in Colorado. One company runs both brands: Rocky Mountaineer in Western Canada, Canyon Spirit in the US. Questions about Canadian routes, VIA Rail or Vancouver to Banff sit outside this guide.
What is the Canyon Spirit route, and how long is the trip?
Two days from Denver to Moab with a night in Glenwood Springs, or three days to Salt Lake City with a second night in Moab. Each runs in either direction, and a day on board lasts 5.5 to 9.5 hours.
Canyon Spirit's own FAQ gives the days: Denver to Glenwood Springs is 175 miles, about 8 hours; Glenwood Springs to Moab 194 miles, about 5.5 hours; Moab to Salt Lake City 233 miles, about 6 hours.
| Option | Route | Nights | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-day rail | Denver to Moab, or the reverse | Glenwood Springs | Resellers list from $1,739 per person |
| Three-day rail | Denver to Salt Lake City, or the reverse | Glenwood Springs and Moab | Launched from $2,123 per person plus tax |
The highlights Canyon Spirit names: the Moffat Tunnel under the Continental Divide, Glenwood Canyon's 16 miles, the red sandstone of Ruby Canyon along the Colorado River, Mount Garfield and Burns Canyon, plus Price Canyon on three-day trips. Canyon Spirit also lists Las Vegas as a place to start or finish, by highway transfer.
Do you sleep overnight on Canyon Spirit?
No. There are no sleeper cars: the train travels in daylight only, and you spend the night in a hotel in Glenwood Springs, plus Moab on the three-day trip.
Canyon Spirit's hotels page lists the choices. In Glenwood Springs: Hotel Maxwell Anderson, Hotel Colorado, Holiday Inn Express, Residence Inn by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott and Hampton Inn. For the three-day night in Moab: Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hyatt Place, Element, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Hampton Inn and Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn.
Your hotel is assigned by availability when you book, and Canyon Spirit calls the mid-rail hotels "moderate three-star accommodations". Packages booked with Canyon Spirit include luggage handling and station transfers, and your bag meets you at the overnight hotel. In Denver the start or finish hotels include The Crawford Hotel and The Limelight Hotel.
Want a canyon by train this week? The Royal Gorge Route runs year-round from Cañon City.
Check dates for the Royal Gorge Route RailroadGoldLeaf vs SilverLeaf: which class is on the Colorado route?
Neither name is used now. Canyon Spirit sells Signature and Premier. GoldLeaf was never offered on this route; the old SilverLeaf and SilverLeaf Plus match Signature and Premier.
- Signature: every journey includes it. Reclining, pre-assigned seats in a custom-designed single-level dome coach with oversized glass-dome windows, meals at your seat, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, an outdoor viewing area and up to three Hosts.
- Premier: everything in Signature plus the lounge car with its own Host and bar, wine pairings, signature cocktails, premium drinks, more snacks, an extra outdoor viewing area and an extra restroom. Canyon Spirit recommends it for families.
Is GoldLeaf worth it? For Colorado the question does not come up. On the seating plan: seats are pre-assigned at check-in, and Canyon Spirit cannot take specific seat or coach requests. Asking to sit near a friend needs 45 days' notice.
How much does the Rocky Mountaineer cost in 2026?
The three-day Canyon Spirit journey launched from $2,123 per person plus tax. For Denver to Moab, resellers list the two-day rail-only trip from $1,739 per person, twin share.
Canyon Spirit prices move with the date and the class, and its packages page shows from-labels rather than fixed figures. Resellers list the three-day trip in Premier at $2,727 for 2026, and 2027 Signature at $2,529. Use those as a guide and get the quote for your date.
The current offer, America Celebrates 250, takes $250 per person ($500 per couple) off eligible 2026 packages booked by 20 November 2026. Rail-only journeys are excluded.
Two booking rules to know first: no changes within 15 days of departure, and cancellations are non-refundable unless your itinerary says otherwise. For anything planned further out, our Canyon Spirit 2027 note covers next season.
The Vista Dome or Coach through the Royal Gorge, about 110 minutes, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Explore the Royal Gorge Route Railroad Tour detailsWhat food do you get, and do you tip?
All onboard meals, snacks and drinks are included, with regionally inspired Southwest dishes served at your seat. Host tips are included too, so you do not tip on the train.
Premier adds wine pairings and signature cocktails. Dietary needs or allergies go to Canyon Spirit at least 60 days before departure.
The onboard Host gratuities already in the price, per Canyon Spirit's FAQ (amounts may change by travel year):
| Class | Two-day rail | Three-day rail |
|---|---|---|
| Signature | $48 | $71 |
| Premier | $62 | $94 |
Not included: driver guides, tour escorts and hotel porterage, so keep some cash for those.
When is the best time to ride Canyon Spirit?
The season runs April to November. Spring brings wildflowers and fewer crowds, summer is hot and dry, and fall brings aspen and oak color, per Canyon Spirit's FAQ.
For gold aspens in the Colorado mountains, late September to mid-October is the usual window. The desert end in Moab is warm in summer, and the dome coach is where you will spend the day anyway.
Seniors and children: Canyon Spirit's pages list no senior discount, and there is no discounted fare for children. A small number of children travel each season; each needs their own seat, with no car seats or lap infants. There is no Wi-Fi on board. Accessibility needs go in at booking: manual lifts or ramps are available, and a coach with accessible washrooms can be pre-assigned.
Is the Rocky Mountaineer worth the money?
If you want a slow, all-inclusive trip through canyons you cannot reach by road, yes. You pay for two or three days of service, meals, drinks and hotels, not just a seat.
Which trip is best? The two-day Denver to Moab covers the Colorado scenery, Glenwood Canyon and Ruby Canyon included. The third day adds Utah's Price Canyon and ends in a city with an airport. Is it cheaper to fly? As plain transport, a flight or a drive is quicker. Canyon Spirit takes two or three days because the canyons are the point.
Short of time, or want a taste of a dome car first? These can be booked here:
- The Royal Gorge Route Railroad: about 110 minutes in the gorge, from $148, 4.6 stars from 678 reviews.
- The private Pikes Peak Cog Railway tour: the summit by rail from Denver, from $799 per group.
- The Georgetown Loop railroad day: narrow gauge and a railroad museum, from $1,175 per group.
Glenwood Canyon itself is on Amtrak's California Zephyr every day: our alternatives guide shows how.
Cog Railway tickets, a private guide and the Garden of the Gods, in one day from Denver.
Check dates for the private Pikes Peak Cog Railway tourFrequently asked questions
Is Rocky Mountaineer the same as Canyon Spirit?
Yes, the same company. The US route was renamed Canyon Spirit for the 2026 season, and Rocky Mountaineer now runs only in Western Canada.
How long is the Canyon Spirit trip from Denver?
Two days to Moab, or three days to Salt Lake City, with 5.5 to 9.5 hours on board each day.
Does Canyon Spirit have sleeper cars?
No. It travels in daylight only, and guests stay in a hotel in Glenwood Springs, plus Moab on three-day trips.
Do you tip on Canyon Spirit?
Not on the train: onboard Host gratuities are included in the price. Driver guides, tour escorts and hotel porterage are not.
Ready to book
Choose your train
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Royal Gorge Route Railroad
- Scenic train ride through the Royal Gorge
- Access to the open-air car for the whole journey
- The Happy Endings Caboose Cafe and Santa Fe Depot boutique before and after
Pikes Peak Cog Railway & Garden of the Gods
- Private round-trip transport in a luxury Suburban
- Private guide
- Pikes Peak Cog Railway tickets
Georgetown Loop Railroad and Railroad Museum Day
- Denver Union Station and Red Rocks Park
- Colorado Railroad Museum, with a train ride round the grounds mid-May to October
- Georgetown Loop Railroad ride
