Fall Foliage on the Cumbres & Toltec

October 3-9, 2024

The Train

locomotive chuffing steam in the early morning light

Early the next morning, passing by an engine chuffing clouds of steam as I hoofed by on my way to the coffee shop.

Ann enjoying her coffee next to an old wooden baggage trolley

Ann enjoying her morning coffee.

All aboard!

reflections in the brass ceiling fixture

Nice reflection in the parlor car ceiling fixture.

view from the platform of the parlor car

And then we were rolling!

We were incredibly lucky to catch peak foliage on the Cumbres & Toltec two years in a row!

Okay, I'm just gonna apologize right up front for the excessive number of photos!

old wooden fence and log cabin in a grove of yellow aspens

Between the two of us, Dennis and I took nearly 300 shots, and it was a full day of effort to winnow that number down to a couple of dozen of "the best" photos.

Approaching the remains of the historic Lobato sheep ranch.

Crossing Lobato Trestle, the second highest bridge on the line (100 feet above Wolf Creek).

The route from the Chama side is shorter, but much steeper! The engine is working hard to climb the 4% grade to Cumbres Pass.

Huge clouds of black smoke as the train rounds a bend

Giving it everything it's got!

The Cresco water tank, which is still very much in use. On last year's trip we learned steam locomotives guzzle approximately 7500 gallons of water on their climb from Antonito to the lunch stop in Osier.

train track winding through an aspen forest

Just looks at those aspens! Like the leaves have little lights behind them!

No, I'm not deleting any of these, they're too pretty!

Just wait, this page will eventually load!

It's worth it, I promise!

huge clouds of smoke as the train rounds a bend

Creeping toward Cumbres Pass, elevation 10,015 feet.

view of the train crossing an open plain

Approaching Tanglefoot Curve, where builders had to lay track in wide loops to gain 39 feet of elevation.

distant view of the speeder and golden hills in the background

Taking on water at Los Pinos Tank.

Tom leaning out the window with the tank in the background

Rio de Los Pinos runs through an alpine valley of breathtaking beauty.

Crossing the Cascade Trestle, the highest bridge on the Cumbres & Toltec, 137 feet above Cascade Creek.

A speeder tags along behind the train to put out any fires and pick up anything that falls off.

These next photos ... golden aspens in the afternoon light.

yellow aspens, green fir trees, blue sky

Nope, nope, not deleting any of them!

Sit back and enjoy!

track curving through golden aspens and deep green fir trees

People New England is the best place to view fall foliage. I beg to differ. Vermont has nothing on the dazzling aspen and fir forests of northern New Mexico!

We had planned to spend another day in Chama, but between the mysteriously closed restaurants, and the even more baffling shops, most of which are only open from 10am to 4 pm — while 99% of their likely customers are on the train — we decided to return home via Edgewood and spend the night at Tom and Ann's.

This gave us a chance to tour Tom and Ann's chef d'oeuvre, a soon-to-be-working scale model of the Palomar Telescope.

Dennis and me on the rocks at Datil Well

Hiking the loop at sunset at Datil Well on the last night of the trip. It was one of our best! We're already making plans to do it again next year!