Stops along the Zephyr train line
 

Hi all,
I'm taking a train trip from Chicago to California on the Zephyr line at the end of the summer. We're planning on stopping at Denver for a day/night and Grand Junction for three days. Along the way, we'd like to...

1. Avoid a car rental
2. Hike
3. Visit wineries, breweries and national parks
4. White water raft
5. A little shopping never hurt

Anybody done this train trip? Is Grand Junction a good place to stop? We're two, possibly three women, active, late 20s.

I'm also thinking about adding a stop in Tahoe, but it seems like there's no way to avoid car rental there. Any help would be much appreciated!

I've been on that train, but took it all the way through. It's a beauty but do prepare for arriving at your destinations a few hours late .

I'd be surprised if you'll be able to get all that you want using the various stops that I remember, but it might work... I'm really rather ill-informed on what to do for the intermediate stops but my first inclination is that the Glenwood Springs stop might suit your needs as a stop better than Grand Junction, just since it's closer to the white-water rafting I saw on the Colorado River (although I've heard of people doing (not cheap) expeditions out of G.J. too. )

If understood correctly, there are places to stay not far from the train station in Glenwood Springs (including one famous place where Teddy Roosevelt stayed). With bike rental perhaps, I think going through the Glenwood Canyon would just be gorgeous, at least from what I saw from the train.

DAN

I would also recomend Glenwood Springs.
The train Station is right accross the street from The Hot Springs.

Yeah, we're pretty well prepared for delays. The train is part of the trip for us, so we're just going to take it as it comes. I'll actually be taking it all the way through, I just won't be joined by the rest of my group.

I'm looking at Glenwood Springs now. They seem to have a much more helpful website than Grand Junction. Thanks!

Another vote for Glenwood Springs rather than Grand Junction. Definitely.

Hi Shirley,

I live in Grand Junction and have lived in Colorado for many years and taken the train several times between here and Iowa or Chicago.

I would recommend Glenwood Springs as a great place for you and your friends. The hot springs pool is always fun and there is a spa there as well. From Glenwood east through Glenwood Canyon, there is a great paved path along the river for walking and biking. I am pretty sure bikes are available for
rent.

Rafting is available as well on the Colorado and those companies are bound to have shuttle service.

Lots of places to stay close to train station. The Hotel Colorado would be my choice, especially if sharing the room with a friend and splitting the price. I enjoy sitting in their garden and having something from the bar. Plenty of chain motels close by as well.

Downtown, just a block or so away, has some small shops--nothing really too upscale, but fun to wander anyway.

Grand Junction is bigger and has a great downtown area for shopping. However,I think you would need a car to tour the wineries. There is a limo service in town but that would be pricey, I bet. Can't help much on rafting around here. The Colorado National Monument is interesting and is just west of town, but again, wheels would be needed. Hope this helps.

Linda

Thanks everyone. Through the very helpful Glenwood Springs website I found a B and B about 3 blocks from the train! They also have bikes available to borrow. We'll definitely hit up the Hotel Colorado - don't need to stay there to sit in the garden OR have a drink. : )

Just waiting for my friend to approve the change! Thanks again.

Glenwood Springs will be a great stop for you.

I think Tahoe would work, too. Aren't there buses and shuttles around the lake area?

Lake Tahoe (south) is very doable with Amtrak. We do it the other way, from Emeryville to Sacramento on train, connecting Amtrak bus to South Tahoe.

Search if taking Amtrak bus from Sacramento will work for you.

If not, check out Truckee. May be a local bus there to North Tahoe. Google "truckee transportation" maybe?

The most beautiful places were The Rockies and Sierra Nevada, hopefully you don't cut the trip short.

You don't have to go into Sacramento to get to Tahoe.

If you get off the train in Truckee (a great place for a few hours exploration itself plus Donner Lake and the state park), you can take a local bus to Northstar and then transfer to another bus to Kings Beach on Lake Tahoe's north shore. TART (Tahoe area regional transit) then has buses the circle the entire lake so you can visit/stay in Incline Village, on the west side or anywhere else on the lake. Anywhere along the northshore (Kings Beach, Incline, Tahoe City, etc.) would be my choices to stay a day or two at Tahoe.