Fast Facts:
Starting: Colorado
Ending: Colorado
Today's Mileage/Total Mileage: 14 mi/ 2636 mi
(That's car mileage!! We traveled 45 miles on the train itself - 90 round trip)
When originally researching things to do while on this trip, the train ride from Durango to Silverton consistently came up in conversation. Checking out their website, we had to admit that it looked beautiful.
We boarded the train at the Durango station.
At the beginning, the scenery looked pretty Colorado-standard.
The tracks wind along the Animas River. At this end, the river is fairly mild.
This was just particularly gorgeous.
A view of the train itself. As regular folks, we had the option of riding in an enclosed coach, which you can see here, or an open gondola. We opted for the coach, and were very glad we did - much easier to keep the kids on the train itself! And more shaded, considering there is no AC on the train itself. (Though there are bathrooms.)
One of the prettiest parts of the trip was when we crossed over the river gorge.
One of the many waterfalls you see on the trek.
Husband took this picture as we were just about in Silverton.
As pretty as the trip was (and it needed to be - it's 3.5 hrs one way!), I have to admit that Silverton itself was a dud. Pretty much the whole thing looks like this - rows & rows of shops & restaurants/saloons. (If you are a shopper, you would probably have more fun there than we did.) We did eat lunch there & wandered around several of the gift shops - which really means trailing after the kids and reminding them what sorts of things you can and cannot touch (in brief: stuffed animals and clothing are okay; porcelain artifacts and fish bait are not.)
We returned to Durango thoroughly exhausted - the markings of a good day.
No comments:
Post a Comment