Train Rides
There is something amazing about trains. The familiar whistle has always promised adventure. The gentle rock of the rails has set the rhythm of our lives. Experience it all again at the Colorado Railroad Museum.
Take a Train Ride pulled by a powerful diesel electric locomotive on Saturdays mid-January through mid-May, late-August & October. Over the summer season, that frequency increases, with Train Rides available Thursday-Sunday from mid-May through mid-August.
Steam-Up Rides depart select dates every 30 minutes 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Admission (Includes Ride): $14 adults, $7 ages 2-17, $12 age 60+. Free for Museum members and children under age 2.
GOLD RUSH DAYS: August 9-10, 2025
As summer begins to wind down celebrate Colorado’s Gold Rush heritage with special programming and ride behind one of the last coal-fired steam locomotives operating in Colorado!
Activities will include Gold Panning demonstrations, turntable demonstrations, and more happening around the Museum’s 15-acre railyard. Plenty of photo opportunities will of course also be on hand—including the Museum’s very own mascot, Spike the Railroad Dog! Food and tasty treats will also be available for purchase.
HARVEST HAUNT EXPRESS: October 18-19, 2025
The Colorado Railroad Museum’s annual Halloween-themed steam-up event is back! Grounds are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with activities taking place between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., including train rides. Guests are encouraged to come in costume for Trick-or-Treating!
Enjoy the Olde Railroaders Silly Graveyard, “not-so-spooky” Haunted Railcars and a hay bale maze. Bring your camera, and get a great picture of your group’s costumes in front of the Pumpkin Patch cart. Tasty treats and lunchtime food options will be available for purchase.
An authentic, coal burning Colorado steam locomotive will pull trains for this event. Regular admission and train ride pricing applies. Capacity is limited, so advance ticket purchase is recommended!
COLORADO CROSSINGS: May 17-18, 2025
Denver’s largest annual rail enthusiast event—the Colorado Railroad Museum’s Colorado Crossings steam-up weekend—returns for 2025 on Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18! This year’s theme, “Fanning the Future!” commemorates the pioneering railfan groups which gave many Coloradans their first taste of up-close-and-personal railroading, and led to the preservation of locomotives and cars that are highly revered today by the “next generation” of railroad enthusiasts.
DINOSAUR EXPRESS TRAIN: May 31-June 1, 2025
Dinosaurs are coming back to Golden, Colorado…only this time, they are arriving on the Dinosaur Express Train! On May 31st and June 1st, railroad tracks will meet dinosaur tracks for a weekend of family fun at the Colorado Railroad Museum as the Dinosaur Express Train chugs into the station.
The world’s first Stegosaurus and Apatosaurus fossils were discovered at nearby Dinosaur Ridge, and Golden is where the first T-Rex tooth fossil was found. So, it’s only fitting that two of every kid’s favorite things—dinosaurs and trains—come together for this fun festival.
COLORADO POWER DAYS: June 14-15, 2025
This weekend, the focus will be on power of all types—check out antique tractors, hit-and-miss engines, vintage automobiles, even a fire truck. And of course, steam locomotion, too! There will be fun activities for the whole family from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regular admission and train ride pricing applies. Advance purchase of admission and train ride tickets recommended.
Peep! Peep! Thomas the Tank Engine is rolling into Golden, Colorado for three weekends of fun this September!
Catch a ride on-board one of Rio Grande Southern’s unique “Galloping Goose” Motorcars!
In celebration of our partnerships with local groups and organizations the Colorado Railroad Museum is excited to offer FREE admission select dates throughout the year!
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride returns once again to the Colorado Railroad Museum! Sure to re-kindle the Christmas spirit in True Believers!
Join us for an exciting new event: Small Wonders Weekend and explore the amazing world of small-scale railroading!
For the early part of January, the Colorado Railroad Museum does NOT offer Saturday Train Rides. The Museum Depot and Outdoor Railyard are open as usual Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Early winter in Colorado can be delightful, but when winter weather comes to Colorado, it can become frightful! Snowfall can vary greatly by region, and we strive to clear parking lots and pathways for your safety, but sometimes it’s just not safe. If it’s snowing mightily outside, or if the snow has just stopped after a large snowfall event, please call ahead (Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) before your visit: (303) 279-4591.
Tour The Colorado Railroad Museum
The familiar whistle has always promised adventure. The gentle rock of the rails has set the rhythm of our lives. Enjoy touring our outdoor railyard filled with vestiges of Colorado’s rich railroad heritage. See our indoor HO Model Railroad and our Changing Exhibits. Then, catch a ride on-board a passenger train pulled by a powerful, vintage locomotive!
The Colorado Railroad Museum features a large, outdoor exhibit space and is effectively an active rail yard. Please wear appropriate clothing for Colorado weather and good footwear – we recommend good walking shoes or hiking boots as well as flexible layers. Grounds open Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday Train Rides depart every 30 minutes 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (crews take a lunch break at 12:30 p.m).
UPCOMING EVENTS BY DATE
