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The wind whips through my hair as I stand in an open-air corridor between train cars on 鈥檚 Rockies to the Red Rocks route. We鈥檙e trundling along the tracks through Colorado鈥檚 canyon country, one of the most drop-dead scenic places in North America. To my left, the jagged granite walls of Gore Canyon press in so closely that it feels like they might scrape the side of the train, while on my right, the green-gray Colorado River churns angrily with whitewater that spits out the occasional intrepid kayaker. Precious few travelers have ever laid eyes on this place, even though it鈥檚 just 70 miles as the crow flies from Denver, Colorado鈥檚 capital and most populous city. There鈥檚 not a road in sight: just rocks, rails and rapids.

If you have time for only one amazing train journey in the US, Canyon Spirit is it. Recently rebranded from Rocky Mountaineer, which continues to operate in Canada, Canyon Spirit runs the only private luxury train line with multiday trips in the US. It launched in the US in 2021 with services between Denver and Moab, Utah, and starting in 2026, it鈥檚 expanding to Salt Lake City, Utah鈥檚 capital. With an international airport and better interstate highway connections, SLC makes a more natural terminus for onward travelers than tiny Moab.

Utah is rich with railroad history 鈥� the last spike of the first transcontinental railroad was hammered into the ground about 65 miles northwest of Salt Lake City 鈥� and Canyon Spirit allows travelers to tap into these stories and create their own.

Here鈥檚 what it鈥檚 like on the train trip of a lifetime through Colorado and Utah.

What's it like onboard Canyon Spirit?

I鈥檓 an Amtrak aficionado, but the frequent delays 鈥� often caused by freight trains taking priority on the tracks, even though this practice is illegal 鈥� can ruin trips for travelers. Amtrak鈥檚 California Zephyr (which arrived ) runs trains along this route, but taking Canyon Spirit has several advantages. Canyon Spirit鈥檚 trains run only during the day, soaking in the maximum amount of scenery in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, while Amtrak departs Salt Lake City in the dead of night, at 3:20am eastbound and 11:40pm westbound.

Canyon Spirit鈥檚 trains are luxurious on every level. All seats face forward, so you鈥檙e never missing out on the view, and huge picture windows climb all the way to the ceiling for those mountainscapes that require some neck-craning to see. The luxury train cars are comfortable, with reclining seats (that move without changing the position of the tray table of the passenger behind you), plenty of legroom and at-seat electrical outlets. 

One of the best parts of the Canyon Spirit experience is the onboard hosts, who come onto the mic every so often to narrate the journey with fun facts, bad jokes, railway history, geological features and personal stories. While I鈥檓 a big fan of staring out of a train window for hours, the hosts鈥� commentary gives wonderful context to the beauty you鈥檙e seeing.

Travelers who opt for the more expensive Canyon Spirit Signature experience get access to an additional separate lounge car 鈥� also with picture windows, though not as big 鈥� with a bartender pouring a wider selection of beer, wine and spirits than what鈥檚 on the available-to-everyone meal menu. To reach the lounge car, you pass through the small open-air space between train cars, where you can stop to smell the sage-scented breeze and take photos without a pane of glass in the way.

What's the food and drink like on Canyon Spirit?

Preparing food in the cramped confines of a moving train is no easy feat, and every day, I was impressed by the artfully arranged plates presented on my tray table. Canyon Spirit鈥檚 elaborate three-course menus 鈥� with a set appetizer, a choice of two entr茅es and a pair of desserts 鈥� feature locally sourced ingredients, giving the journey a magnificent sense of place. Favorite eats included a Utah scone with whipped honey butter (Utah is the Beehive State) and bison and wild mushroom lasagna. The hosts also had suggested wine pairings for lunch, with bottles from Colorado vineyards, alongside Rocky Mountain craft beers delivered directly to my seat. The vegetarian options could be improved (dietary requirements can be accommodated, but vegetarian or vegan options weren鈥檛 listed on the daily menu), but it鈥檚 impossible for any traveler to go hungry.

Passengers always have lunch onboard (and sometimes breakfast, depending on what time the train departs) and then have dinner in the town where the train stops.

Which direction should you take Canyon Spirit: eastbound or westbound?

Canyon Spirit鈥檚 route is called Rockies to the Red Rocks, but you can travel in either direction, starting from Utah or Colorado. I鈥檓 partial to traveling eastbound from SLC, which saves the best of the Southwest scenery for last instead of seeing it on your first day. If you鈥檙e heading east, sitting on the left side of the train has a slight scenery advantage, but both sides are treated to a seat-side nature documentary rolling by outside the window.

Travelers can still start or end their trip in Moab, a two-day excursion, or add on the extension to Salt Lake City for a three-day journey.

Where do you sleep?

Canyon Spirit is not a sleeper train. On the three-day journey between Salt Lake City and Denver, the train makes overnight stops in Moab and Glenwood Springs, Colorado, where you disembark and stay at hotels. Your luggage travels separately from the train, so you leave it in your hotel in the morning and then it magically appears inside your room the next night. You鈥檙e also given your hotel key onboard the train, removing the logistics of having to wait to check in when you arrive.

Train nerds and history buffs starting or ending their trip in Salt Lake City should keep with the trip theme and budget an extra night or two to stay at , one of the best historic hotels in the country and a vast improvement to SLC鈥檚 staid accommodations scene, which mostly caters to business travelers. Conveniently coinciding with Canyon Spirit鈥檚 Salt Lake City extension, this property opened in 2024 in the 1909 Union Pacific depot, now restored to its former glory after sitting abandoned for years.

The former Grand Hall is now the lobby and bar with tons of original features, including in-situ terrazzo flooring, jade wall tiles and two massive murals depicting the transcontinental railroad鈥檚 Golden Spike ceremony in 1869 and the arrival of Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The bar seats look directly at the former ticketing windows.

If you don鈥檛 have time to stay, it鈥檚 worth stopping for dinner at , the hotel鈥檚 restaurant that infuses coal into the menu in fascinating ways in an homage to the steam trains that once passed through. The is a highlight, named for the high-end charcoal oven at the heart of the open kitchen. A dedicated chef talks you through how he prepares each dish right in front of you, including exclusive items that aren鈥檛 available for the rest of the dining room.

Where does the Canyon Spirit train stop?

On the extended three-day trip, the train stops in Moab and Glenwood Springs. In Salt Lake City, plans are in place to board at the capital鈥檚 Amtrak station near downtown, but for this preview journey, I got on the train in an industrial railyard. Similarly, near Moab, I disembarked at Crescent Junction right onto a tumbleweed-blown stretch of road close to the intersection of Interstate 70 and US 191. Canyon Spirit is set to build a platform in Thompson Springs, a near鈥揼host town a little further east. In Denver, the train pulls right into the gorgeous Union Station in the River North district. 

Canyon Spirit arranges excursions, which are particularly worth taking on your free morning in Moab, the gateway to two of Utah鈥檚 鈥淢ighty Five鈥� national parks: Arches and Canyonlands. You鈥檙e also free to wander around Moab and Glenwood Springs, both small towns filled with indie shops and cool local restaurants. The town鈥檚 name of Glenwood Springs hints at its natural geothermal pools that you can soak in after a long day of soaking up the scenery from the train window.

Lauren Keith traveled to Utah and Colorado with support from . 糖心传媒 contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.