Antonito Colorado USA - For the second time, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad was voted the "Best Scenic Train Ride" in the 2019 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest.
The Cumbres & Toltec was also the winner in a vote taken in 2017.
Owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico, the historic steam railroad runs for 64 miles across the Rocky Mountains, crossing state borders 11 times as it curls across rivers, through tunnels, over trestles, and along the lip of canyons, at one point steaming over Cumbres Pass at 10,015 feet, the highest point reached by any steam railroad in the nation.
"We are very grateful to the readers of USA Today for voting our historic railroad as the most scenic train ride in North America," said John Bush, president of the C&TS. Last year, they also voted the Cumbres & Toltec the top attraction in both Colorado and New Mexico and it's an absolute honor to be so highly regarded and enthusiastically supported."
About USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
The 10 Best Readers' Choice Award contest provides viewers with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content about the top attractions and things to see and do for popular destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
Nominees for all categories are chosen by a panel of relevant experts.
The nomination panel for each award category is displayed on its contest page.
All voting is digital.
The 10 Best Readers' Choice Award contest is accessible on the website, which averages five million views per month.
2019 Season Opens
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad opened its 2019 season on 25 May 2019 and will operate daily with trains leaving from both Chama and Antonito until 20 Oct 2019.
There are nine different ticket options that help travelers leave from either station and return to their cars by luxury motor coach or train.
All full day trips include a delicious hot lunch of turkey or meatloaf at scenic Osier Station.
The Cumbres & Toltec was originally part of the Denver & Rio Grande Western San Juan Extension that was built in 1880.
It was saved from demolition in 1970 when the states of Colorado and New Mexico stepped in to purchase the railroad and keep it running as an historical example of early railroading in the West.
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