Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad

The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad is a historic narrow-gauge railway running 64 miles through the Rocky Mountains between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. The route passes through two tunnels, over wooden bridges, and along canyon walls as it winds through pine forests and open mountain terrain.

The line was built in 1880 as part of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad network to supply mining camps in the San Juan Mountains. After mining declined, Colorado and New Mexico jointly purchased the railway in 1970 to preserve it as a working museum.

The railway operates with steam locomotives maintained using 19th-century methods, giving visitors a direct look at earlier railroad techniques. The workshops in Chama display machines and tools still used today to repair the historic rolling stock.

Trains run from May through October and can be boarded in Antonito or Chama, with full-day trips including a lunch break at Osier Station. The cars are not heated, so travelers should bring warm clothing as the elevation keeps temperatures cool even in summer.

The train crosses the Colorado-New Mexico border eleven times while climbing to Cumbres Pass at 10,015 feet (3,053 meters), the highest railroad pass in North America. Some sections of the wooden trestles along the route still contain timber from the original construction over 140 years ago.

Location: Conejos County

Location: Archuleta County

Location: Rio Arriba County

Inception: 1970

Official opening: 1970

Website: http://cumbrestoltec.com

GPS coordinates: 36.90000,-106.58333

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:24