Synonymous for over 30 years with train travel in the Canadian Rockies, Rocky Mountaineer is spreading its wheels to offer a new two-day rail journey in the US in 2021. The “Rockies to Red Rocks” route will travel between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah, with an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

The new route will be in addition to the three rail routes that run in Western Canada, between Vancouver and Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, and fulfils a company goal of expanding its luxury, glass-domed rail experience to new markets.

Steve Sammut, president and CEO of Rocky Mountaineer, says, “The work to find a new route has been underway for several years as we needed to find a special location with many of the same features we have in Western Canada – incredible scenery, iconic destinations, and the option for an all daytime, multi-day journey that is best experienced by train.”

He adds, “The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the travel industry, and there is continued uncertainty of when tourism will recover. However, we believe American travellers, and those from around the world, will be eager to explore this region by rail with us… in 2021 and beyond.”

The service is scheduled to launch Aug. 15 with a preview season of 40 departures across 10 weeks through Oct. 23. (A full five-month season will be scheduled in 2022 and beyond.) The company is working with local tourism organizations, hotels and tour operators to curate custom vacation packages that feature tours, activities, and stays in Denver and Moab, so guests can experience even more of the region.

Rocky Mountaineer’s web site also lists additional packages that include visits to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City (though not by train).

Rocky Mountaineer founder Peter Armstrong believes the historic Red Rocks route is a natural for the company as it takes place “in the region where train travel history began.”

He adds, “This region, with its magnificent scenery, national parks, vast opportunities to explore, will delight millions.”

Since it was founded in 1990, Rocky Mountaineer has welcomed more than 2.2 million guests and become the largest privately owned luxury tourist train in the world.