Colorado’s rich railroad history developed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as trains carried gold, silver, and other precious metals out of the mountains. The railroad also helped bring people into what was a sparsely populated state. However, as the mining boom went bust and cars took over, rail travel fell out of fashion. Until now. A new daily service is set to run from Denver’s Union Station to Grand County in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
The new route is part of Colorado Department of Transportation’s multi-year Colorado Mountain Rail project. It will run from Denver to Winter Park Resort, Fraser-Winter Park, and the town of Granby from November 2026. At the time of this writing, it’s not clear how much tickets will cost or what the timetable will be.
The Amtrak Winter Park Express has run from Denver to Winter Park in ski season since 2024; however, this new route will be daily, year-round. The new route is on the same track through Colorado as the California Zephyr, which crosses through seven states from Chicago to San Francisco. So you can see mountains and forests dusted in snow along the way as the train makes its way into Grand County. That means it will also pass through the Moffat Tunnel, which runs for 6.2 miles across the Continental Divide – a ridge that directs rivers to the Pacific or Atlantic either side of it. The Amtrak Winter Park Ski Express and California Zephyr will continue to operate, so this new service provides another option for traveling between Denver and the Rocky Mountains.
Why take the Colorado Mountain Rail train and where it might go next
There are plans in place to continue the Colorado Mountain Rail service to Hot Sulphur Springs and Kremmling. From there, it would go up to Snorthwest Colarado’s largest city, Steamboat Springs, which is a historic, bustling ski destination with hot springs. It will then continue to Hayden and Craig. The rail lines are already in place, it’s just a matter of getting passenger trains running and possibly building some new stations in Arvada and Rollinsville. The Winter Park and Granby stations are already built.
Why would you take the train? Driving the highway out of Denver and up into the mountains is definitely doable. But the Interstate 70 mountain corridor and Highway 40 – which run over the Berthoud Pass along the Continental Divide to Winter Park, Granby, and Steamboat Springs – can be busy and potentially dangerous in winter. During summer, driving conditions are easier; however, there can still be construction and traffic. For those without a reliable car for winter driving or anyone flying to Colorado who doesn’t want to deal with getting a rental car, the Colorado Mountain Rail route could be a game changer.
If you’re flying into Denver International Airport (DEN), you can get the A Line directly to Union Station, which takes about 40 minutes. If you end up having to spend time in downtown Denver at the beginning or end of your journey, take advantage of Union Station’s world-class hotel and award-winning restaurants. Once you’re up in Granby, you can use public transportation to get around — The Lift is a free shuttle service that runs between Winter Park Resort, Granby, and Grand Lake. There’s also Granby Connect, which is a local ride-share service like Lyft or Uber.
Fishing, skiing, and snowshoeing in Grand County’s mountains
This part of Colorado grants you access to the Colorado River, which was once called the Grand River – hence Grand County’s name. You can paddle in it from May to September, or go fishing. Winter Park Flyfisher offers guided fishing trips for all abilities.
If you’re taking the Colorado Mountain Rail train during ski season, Winter Park Resort is one of the oldest continually operating ski resorts in the state. If you continue past Winter Park, you’ll arrive in Granby, a postcard-worthy haven for outdoor adventurers. There you’ll find Granby Ranch, which runs guided e-bike tours. It is one of the area’s more affordable ski resorts, and much of its terrain is ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers. At Snow Mountain Ranch, south of Granby, you can go horseback riding, hiking, and tubing in summer. In winter, there’s Nordic skiing, dog sledding, ice skating, and snowshoeing.
Grand Lake has a cute downtown with a wooden boardwalk and boutiques. You can make a souvenir at the Rocky Mountain Folk School; create a ring in a silversmithing class or hand-stitch a leather basket. To get out onto Grand Lake, Colorado’s deepest natural lake, rent a pontoon boat or kayak at the marina. When it’s cold enough, you can also go ice fishing with a guide from Kirk’s Fly Shop.
