Polar Express in Durango?? (Denver, Silverton: campground, train, relocating to)

[azcater]

Since we will be relocating to Denver in Aug/Sept.. I realized that we won't be able to do the Polar Express train ride here in AZ in Dec like we always do. (My son is a huge train fan and he's been looking forward to Polar Express all year!) So, I was looking into the Durango/Silverton Polar Express but realized that it's like 7 hours from Denver. Yikes! And of course it will be middle of winter, so I don't know how that affects traveling by car. Any suggestions, advice?? Should we just plan a long weekend and make the trek. Are there any other Polar Express special Trains closer to Denver? And if we do decide to do the Durango Polar Express, does it sell out in advance? The one here usually sells out for weekends in June.

Thanks in advance!

[DenverLawGal]

I'm from Dgo. I've made the trip a zillion times from Dgo. to Denver. When you say "middle of winter", what time frame exactly? Because believe it or not, our winter is not exactly dead-on. You might think Dec. is a wintry wonderland, and some years it is, but mostly I've noticed Jan. and Feb. are more wintry wonderlands.

Also, getting to Dgo. is more like 6 to 6.5 hours.

As for selling out, I'm not sure, but Dgo. is very small, so less chance of that happening.

[WhyTee]

I've been on that train. Not during winter though. It was pretty neat, i guess it's one of the few coal trains left in America but I could be wrong. It's a pretty long train ride and everyone waves at it. I'd recommend a weekend out of it. I drove quite a bit further to get there but it was still worth it. Train ride wasn't cheap though.

[DenverLawGal]

Is it the Narrow Gauge? If so, I do think it's one of the last coal trains.

[WhyTee]

You're right, I probably should have checked that first. Was just going off memory of things that happened over 5 years ago. In any case they have a website with details.
Home | Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train

[DenverLawGal]

Oh yes, it's where you go for field trips. Year after year after year....

[AMB8301]

We take the kids on it every year, it doesn't sell out far in advance. We've gotten tickets just a couple weeks before the date and not had an issue. As far as snow goes, it depends. It often doesn't snow much here in Dec so it can be hit or miss as far as a Winter Wonderland. You'll have the most chance of snow probably closer to X-Mas, although last winter we got most of winter's snow early in Dec. I happened to be in Denver for a couple weeks and missed most of it. Driving back down to Durango that trip was interesting, Wolf Creek Pass was closed from all the snow. You just never know!

I'd plan a long weekend and do it. The Polar Express for those who aren't familiar with it, is a short train ride. It isn't the full ride to Silverton or even Cascade which is the halfway point that the train only goes in in the winter. This trip is only 30 minutes or so, through town along the river and then to a local campground where it is all light up with light's. It is supposed to be Santa's village, Santa is out there waving and then he gets on the train. Very magical for the kids, the railroad does a great job at creating the Polar Express. The train coming around the corner in the dusk/dark with the steam puffing and all the children waiting....