Today’s epic adventure was a train ride on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad! The scenery, the jaw dropping heights, and the incredibly narrow track that winds through canyons and mountains, and next to the Animas River are absolutely breathtaking.

From the website www.durangotrain.com, the railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. By July of 1882, the tracks to Silverton were completed and the train began hauling both passengers and freight.

From the very beginning, the railroad was promoted as a scenic route for passenger service although the line was constructed primarily to haul mine ores, both gold and silver, from the San Juan Mountains. It is estimated over $300 million in precious metals has been transported over this route.