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Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is America’s highest and longest narrow-gauge steam railroad, running 64 miles between Antonito, Colorado, and Chama, New Mexico.

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Antonito, CO

From the Antonito depot on U.S. 285 you board a coal-fired steam train that climbs toward Cumbres Pass at 10,015 feet, the highest railroad pass in the United States still in regular use. The route curls through Whiplash Curve, ducks into Mud and Rock Tunnels and edges the lip of Toltec Gorge before the lunch stop at Osier Station, a remote high-country meal included with most tickets. Full-line trips continue to Chama with a motorcoach return, while the Antonito Limited turns around at Osier for a same-day round trip back to Colorado.

The line was built by the Denver & Rio Grande in the early 1880s to serve San Juan mining country and was saved from abandonment in 1970 when Colorado and New Mexico jointly purchased it. Today it is a National Historic Landmark and one of the most intact steam railroad experiences in the West. The 2026 season runs May 23 through October 25, Tuesday through Sunday. Coach fares for the Antonito Limited start around $121 for adults, with deluxe and parlor options higher; All Aboard full-line trips start higher still. Book ahead for weekends and fall color, and dress in layers for the open cars.

Photo Gallery

Photo credits: Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR by Dick1737 (CC BY-SA 4.0); Cumbres & Toltec Rly above Rio de los Pinos CO.NM MP316 06.95 by RuthAS (CC BY 4.0); Cumbres & Toltec Scenic No. 483, Chama, N.M. – August 2018 by Jerry Huddleston (CC BY 2.0); Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad excursion train headed by locomotive 484 in 2015 by Drew Jacksich from San Jose, California (CC BY 2.0); Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (5600158167) by My Train Pix (CC BY-SA 2.0); Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad No. 488 in Chama New Mexico – July 2024 – 01 by David Rives (CC BY 2.0); CUMBRES AND TOLTEC SCENIC RAILROAD, CHAMA, NEW MEXICO by CROCKERBD (CC BY-SA 4.0). Images via Wikimedia Commons.

News & Events

See 2026 schedules and book rides on the Cumbres & Toltec website for Antonito, CO.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Antonito Limited: Ride to Osier and back with lunch included, about seven hours round trip.
  • All Aboard full line: Cover the entire 64 miles with a train-and-bus combination between Antonito and Chama.
  • Parlor and deluxe cars: Upgrade for enclosed seating, snacks and adult-only parlor service.
  • Depot shopping: Browse the Antonito depot gift shop before the 10:00 a.m. departure.
  • Photography: Shoot tunnels, trestles and Toltec Gorge from open gondola cars.
  • Antonito: A San Luis Valley town with cafes and lodging near the depot.
  • Conejos County: Historic churches, wildlife viewing and wide-open valley farms.
  • Great Sand Dunes National Park: North of Alamosa, about an hour from Antonito.
  • Alamosa: The valley hub for lodging, restaurants and the Rio Grande Scenic area.
  • Chama, New Mexico: The railroad’s western terminus with western-town lodging.

The Denver & Rio Grande built the line in the early 1880s. When abandonment threatened in 1970, Colorado and New Mexico bought the route and created the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, now a National Historic Landmark.

The 2026 season runs May 23 through October 25, with trains Tuesday through Sunday. The Antonito Limited departs at 10:00 a.m., reaches Osier about 12:45 p.m. and returns about 4:55 p.m. The Antonito depot is generally open 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in season. Call (888) 286-2737 to book.

Arrive early for parking and photos at the depot. Bring a jacket even in July; Cumbres Pass is windy and cool. Sunscreen and a camera with a lens cloth help in the open cars. Same-day tickets are sometimes available, but weekends and autumn often sell out.

The Antonito depot is located at 5234 B US Hwy 285, Antonito, CO 81120. Call (888) 286-2737 or visit cumbrestoltec.com for tickets.

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