VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Beginning April 7 from Denver and April 10 from Salt Lake City, Rocky Mountaineer’s U.S. brand, Canyon Spirit, will begin operating weekly “Rockies to Red Rocks” round trips. These travel on the California Zephyr’s route plus passage over Union Pacific’s Cane Creek branch in Utah through mid-November. However, there are no plans on the drawing board for any new U.S. routes.
A reader comment on a recent Trains.com report [“‘Flex-dining’ lunch additions …,” Feb. 10, 2026] indicated the company was studying expansion south of Denver to Santa Fe, N.M. However, Rocky Mountaineer communications manager Dallas Carlson says, “I can confirm that this is false. While we continue to explore potential new route options in the U.S., we are not considering a route to New Mexico at this time.” She adds, “When speaking with colleagues, they mentioned that the area was briefly researched around 10 years ago, but nothing since.”
Carlson says that bookings for both the Colorado-Utah excursions and this year’s Canadian offerings “are pacing above target for both brands.” Despite new cross-border requirements and fees imposed by the U.S. government, “the United States remains our strongest market for both Rocky Mountaineer and Canyon Spirit.”
A Trains.com spot check of the Canyon Spirit website reveals that the premier upgrade for the Denver-Salt Lake journey, allowing access to the train’s lounge car and other perks, is already sold out on some departures. Prices for the three-day trip — with overnight stops in Glenwood Springs, Colo., and Moab, Utah — start at more than $2,000 per person, including meals and hotel stays.
Canadian route adjustments
The influx of crowds attending World Cup soccer matches beginning June 13 through early July has pushed the price of hotel rooms in Vancouver, B.C., and other North American host cities into the stratosphere. As previously reported, the company will operate 13 new “Passage to the Peaks” two-day excursions between Banff and Jasper, Alberta, with an overnight stop in Kamloops, B.C. [see “Rocky Mountaineer announces …,” Aug. 15, 2025]. This is in lieu of serving the Kamloops-Vancouver segment. The last trips making the revised circuit depart Banff on July 8 and Jasper on July 10; Vancouver will continue to be served by one or two trips weekly in each direction during the period, depending upon the route. Details are available on Rocky Mountaineer’s website.
Meanwhile, operation beyond 2026 over Canadian National’s former BC Rail route north of Vancouver through Whistler, Lillooet, and Quesnel, B.C., is still uncertain. The railroad announced its intention to abandon 214 miles of track last year [see “CN seeks to end lease …,” July 22, 2025]. Rocky Mountaineer’s website shows a 2027 booking option for these “Rainforest to Gold Rush” itineraries between North Vancouver and Jasper. But according to Carlson, “At this time, we do not have any information to share regarding the operation of Rainforest to Gold Rush in 2027. We are still waiting to hear more from CN regarding the rail line and will share more information when we have it.”
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