Buy Now to Steam through Gorgeous Aspens in the Popular Fall Season.

CHAMA, NEW MEXICO, USA, August 3, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- One of the most enjoyable ways to see the brilliant fall colors of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and New Mexico is to avoid all the leaf-peeping congested traffic and instead ride the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR), traveling where there are no roads, across mountainsides of aspens, above rocky gorges and through sun-dappled meadows.

But if you want to experience this bucket list adventure, you better act fast. Select September dates are almost completely sold out in all classes; and Parlor class seating is available on only three dates in the entire month of September!

“Autumn is always a popular time to ride the Cumbres & Toltec,” said Scott Gibbs, C&TSRR Commissioner. “And this year, advance sales are surging. Anticipation is high that this will be an especially colorful fall season due to the ample rain we had. If you want to ride with us, book now.”

Consistently ranked by the readers of USA Today as one of the nation’s top scenic train rides, the C&TSRR is also the highest, longest, and most authentic steam railroad on the continent. This National Historic Landmark is a museum on wheels, owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico to preserve travel by historic coal-fired steam locomotives just the way it was when the railroad was built in 1880.

In the popular – and often sold out - fall season, the C&TSRR steams through tens of thousands of colorful aspen trees, twisting and turning for 64 miles through Rocky Mountain wilderness. Passengers can ride outdoors in a gondola car, in historic coach cars, or in a luxurious parlor car – steaming along in comfort as the golden aspens gleam in the crisp autumn air.

Trains cross state borders 11 times, steaming through tunnels and over high trestles, along the edge of deep canyons, and up to the summit of Cumbres Pass,10,015 feet above sea level. Along the way, passengers might see deer, elk, antelope, and even an occasional bear. All full-day rides include a delicious hot lunch at the halfway point of scenic Osier Station.

There are more than two million acres of aspen trees in Colorado and New Mexico -- one billion trees that if placed together would cover Rhode Island and Delaware. Aspen trees in the Rocky Mountains grow from 6,500 to 10,500 feet in elevation. Although many factors make leaves turn color, as a general rule, the higher the elevation, the sooner the leaves turn gold. That means that over a period of time, you can often see a variety of shades of color on one mountainside, with deeper golds on top at 10,000 feet, blending to pale yellow in the 8,000-foot range. Since the Cumbres & Toltec runs from 7,863 feet to 10,015 feet at the top of Cumbres Pass, you can expect to see pretty fall aspens in varying shades all along the route – a breathtaking sight that makes a ride on the C&TSRR highly sought-after in the fall.

Trains depart from either Chama, NM or Antonito, Colo. There are several trip options, including full and half-day and even a few special departures. Special departures include a geology train, two photo charters pulled by engines #463 and #168 – with historic D&RGW cars, and even several departures on the visiting Galloping Goose #5. Fall rides are extremely popular and are selling out fast, so book early to avoid disappointment at www.cumbrestoltec.com.

Joy Meadows
Meadows PR
+1 303-522-9045
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