The Famous Durango Train Ride

Our drive from Grand Junction to Durango was quite a challenge. One mountain climb was 13 miles from the base of the mountain. There were high cliffs, many hairpin curves, and no guardrails. The highway was fairly narrow. Our Toyota Tundra rose to the occasion, as we frequently shifted through all six gears up and down the mountains. Thankfully, the temperature gauges for the engine and transmission barely moved. At one point we pulled off the highway to give our brakes a rest. We were surprised and a bit uneasy when the bearded man who had been following us in a small SUV pulled off with us and approached our truck. With a big smile, he identified himself as Mike, a fellow Airstreamer who lives in Silverton, Colorado. We enjoyed a wonderful chat and swapped many Airstream stories. Mike said he was impressed with the way our truck was towing such a big trailer up and down the mountains. So were we, as this was its biggest test since we purchased it four months ago.

The most interesting town we passed through was Ornay. It is a ski village and appears to be prosperous. The historical old buildings are in good shape; the architecture is quaint and interesting, depicting a bygone era. We stopped for coffee and a cookie and walked the mainstreet of the village from one end to the other.

For several years we have been trying to get to Durango to experience the famous round-trip scenic train ride from Durango to Silverton. We finally made it, and the Alpen Rose RV Park, had handled our train reservations before we arrived. Our scenic ride on the rails day provided us with fun, great photo opportunities, a terrific lunch at Silverton’s Brown Bear Café, and a walking tour of the town. The train creaked and groaned up and down several steep grades through the mountains and whistled at each little crossing where small groups of homes were located. We wondered how the huge puffs of black smoke emitted by the old stack could have possibly passed EPA scrutiny. Al Gore never rode this train! We stopped twice to take on water. There were narrow roadbeds, sharp turns, high cliffs, and the rushing Animas River along the tracks. We saw cattle, wild flowers, and quaint old homes and ranches with outhouses and satellite dishes. Ah yes, every child and every adult who has a healthy child within will enjoy a day on the train.

We have really appreciated our stay at Alpen Rose RV Park. It is a clean, effectively managed RV park, located a few miles north of Durango. We were glad to find that it has a terrific laundry. One of the highlights of this park is a home cooked, all-you-can-eat breakfast feast served daily by a volunteer couple for only $6.95. Partake liberally and you will not need lunch.