At the top of the Cumbres Pass in Colorado on Highway 17 is a little railroad stop “ghost town" now known as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad National Historic Site. There you’ll find an old train station or Section House which has been lovingly restored by the Friends of the C&TSR, snow shed, covered turn table, car inspector’s house, water tank, and more. Not only is there a kiosk with tons of information but it’s also a nice spot to have a picnic and explore. The site sits at 10,015 feet and at the southern end of the station is an incredible view of the Chama Valley down into New Mexico.

The train used to be known as the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad and it operated from 1881 until 1969 which is when Colorado and New Mexico jointly bought the tracks, the station, and the train. They also changed the name to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.

The train is still in operation and it takes passengers from Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado. The train is also a movie and TV star and you’ll most definitely remember it from one of the greatest movie openings in history: Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade.

Per the C&TSR website, the narrow-gauge railroad “is the longest and most complete example of late nineteenth-early twentieth century railroading in the nation, complete with track, buildings, structures, freight and passenger equipment, and steam locomotives from that era. The Cumbres & Toltec is an outstanding representation of the original 1,000-mile Denver & Rio Grande narrow gauge railroad network that opened the Central Rocky Mountain region for development.” Today, according to Colorado.com, the railroad “is the highest, longest, and most authentic steam-operated railroad in America.” 40,000 people ride the railroad every year and my wife & I were lucky enough to see it in operation. One day we will take our children on that train.