Monday was finish up laundry day and we just wandered around downtown Durango. We found a local micro-brewery, Steamworks Brewery, had dinner and a couple of local brews.
Tuesday we were up early and down to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad office, store and museum. We had purchased our tickets on Monday for the trip up and back to Silverton. We debated on getting tickets for an enclosed car our the open car. If the weather is even just bearable, the open car is the only way to go. You'll get a little sooty from the coal burning locomotive, but the scenery, the photo opportunities and just the atmosphere of being in the open car is worth it. We have added this as one of our top five side trips. If you're ever in Durango, this little trip back in history is a must. We journeyed up to Silverton, 9300 feet, from Durango, 6500 feet, a pretty good climb. You have time for lunch and to wander around a bit in Silverton before the train leaves for Durango. Silverton an old mining town "The Silver Queen of Colorado". Prospecting started here around 1860 and then the town followed shortly after that. http://www.silvertonhistoricsociety.org/ We returned to Durango around 6:30 PM, both of us were tired and a little sooty. We picked up something for dinner and returned to the Creek. What a great day!
Engineer is getting the locomotive ready building up steam for the long climb. This was at the station before we left.
Heading up the Animas Valley toward Silverton.
Much of the trip the rail was built along the Animas River.
Beautiful fall colors in San Juan National Forest.
Animas River winding through the forest and mountains.
Stopped at Silverton at the end of the tracks. After passengers unload, then the train backs up to a rail yard were it turns around on a loop and is ready to head back to Durango.
Main street in Silverton. Reminds me of some place else we visited this year. (remember the Orchid Lounge!)
Beautiful views as we depart Silverton.
Snow capped peaks far up a canyon on our way back.
Large rock slide area next to the tracks.
Fall colors along the Animas River. Notice the smoke in the upper right of the picture from locomotive.
We made a few stops going up and back to take on water for making steam.
Several miles of the trip are along very steep cliffs. The Animas river way down there.
A shot of the remainder of the train behind our car as we make a turn around a rock ledge.
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