We gather at Portland International Airport for our morning flight to Denver, where we are welcomed aboard our private motor coach.

We pause for a relaxed lunch in charming Castle Rock as we make our way south.

We arrive in Colorado Springs and settle into our hotel for a two-night stay at the foot of Pikes Peak.

We come together for a Welcome Dinner to toast the journey ahead.

Overnight at The Mining Exchange, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Our first railway carries us to the clouds. We board the cog railway for the remarkable climb to the summit of Pikes Peak, rising to 14,115 feet as the forest gives way to alpine tundra and the views open across the Front Range. The ascent is a marvel of engineering and one of the great train experiences in the country.

After a hearty lunch, we tour the Garden of the Gods, where towering red sandstone formations rise against the backdrop of Pikes Peak.

After a hearty lunch, we tour the Garden of the Gods, where towering red sandstone formations rise against the backdrop of Pikes Peak. There is time to take in the visitor center and enjoy the setting at an easy pace.

The evening is yours to explore the many dining options near our hotel at your own pace.

Overnight: The Mining Exchange, Colorado Springs, Colorado

We board the Royal Gorge Route for a memorable ride along the Arkansas River, gliding beneath sheer canyon walls that soar more than a thousand feet overhead. A relaxed lunch is served aboard as the scenery unfolds around us.

A relaxed lunch is served aboard as the scenery unfolds around us.

We journey on into the wide, mountain-ringed expanse of the San Luis Valley, arriving in Alamosa with time to settle in and rest before dinner.

We gather for a welcoming group dinner in town.

Overnight: Best Western Alamosa Inn, Alamosa, Colorado

Today we ride the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, North America's longest and highest narrow-gauge steam railway. From the depot at Antonito we climb through the San Juan Mountains, winding past the dramatic Toltec Gorge and across the high country toward Cumbres Pass.

A hot lunch is served at the historic Osier station, and the train carries us onward to the crest of Cumbres Pass, where our coach is waiting.

We continue on a comfortable, scenic drive to the historic mining town of Durango.

We enjoy a group dinner in the heart of Durango's beautifully preserved downtown.

Overnight: Strater Hotel, Durango, Colorado

All aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, consistently named among the finest train journeys in the world. Drawn by a historic steam locomotive, we follow the Animas River through the remote wilderness of the San Juan National Forest to the mountain town of Silverton.

After free time and lunch on your own in Silverton, we travel the legendary Million Dollar Highway, one of the most spectacular mountain drives in America, pausing in the picturesque town of Ouray before continuing to Grand Junction.

We settle in and enjoy dinner together at our hotel.

Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Junction, Colorado

We begin with a scenic drive along Rim Rock Drive through Colorado National Monument, where sheer red-rock canyons and towering monoliths rise from the high desert.

A short, easy drive brings us to Glenwood Springs, and the afternoon is yours to relax and unwind. Soak in the world's largest hot-springs pool, just steps from our historic hotel, or ride the gondola high above the valley to Iron Mountain for sweeping views and optional cave tours. This is a day to slow down and enjoy the journey.

We come together for a relaxed group dinner.

Overnight: Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

We travel east through the beautiful Glenwood Canyon and over the high country to the historic mining town of Georgetown, where we board our fifth and final railway. The Georgetown Loop is an engineering marvel of the narrow-gauge era, spiraling over the soaring Devil's Gate High Bridge.

The Georgetown Loop is an engineering marvel of the narrow-gauge era, spiraling over the soaring Devil's Gate High Bridge.

We gather for a hosted lunch in Georgetown.

Visit the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, where more than one hundred historic locomotives and railcars bring together the story of the mining camps, the narrow-gauge lines, and the mountain towns we have traveled through all week.

We arrive in Denver, our final stop, and gather one last time for a warm Farewell Dinner to celebrate the friendships and the memories made along the rails.

Gather one last time for a warm Farewell Dinner to celebrate the friendships and the memories made along the rails.

Overnight: Hampton Inn & Suites Denver Downtown, Denver, Colorado

We enjoy a final breakfast together before departing.

Our coach transfers us to Denver International Airport for our flight home.

We arrive in Portland, carrying the memory of five great railways and the friends we shared them with.