Canyon Spirit train service comes to SLC
Luxury rail operator Canyon Spirit has begun service to Salt Lake City, expanding its popular Rockies to the Red Rocks route linking Denver, Glenwood Springs, Moab and Utah’s capital. The multi-day scenic train journey showcases world-class landscapes across Colorado and Utah while boosting regional tourism and travel opportunities.
The first Canyon Spirit train arrived in Salt Lake City during a ceremony April 9 at the Salt Lake Central Station. The train offers two-day and three-day rail adventures. (Tom Haraldsen/Salt Lake Business Journal)
Originally published June 1, 2026.
The service offers two-day and three-day rail trips from Colorado to Utah, with the three-day journey culminating in Salt Lake.
Tristan Armstrong, CEO of Armstrong Collective that is Canyon Spirit’s parent company, accompanied the first trainload of passengers that started in Denver, traveled through Glenwood Springs, Colorado, through Moab, Utah, and then arrived in Salt Lake.
“We’re welcoming a new year for our rail journeys,” he said. “Our trains will now provide a connection between this vibrant urban hub and the iconic landscapes and warm hospitality of Moab, Glenwood Springs and Denver.”
He said Canyon Spirit has served more than 35,000 guests onboard since its inception along what it calls the “Rockies to the Red Rocks” route. The train travels only in daylight and connects with overnight accommodations that are available in Denver (before the train departs), Moab and then Salt Lake City.
Canyon Spirit is part of the Armstrong Collective group of travel experiences, which has also operated the iconic Rocky Mountaineer train in western Canada for the past 36 years. The travel company represents a long legacy of providing rail journeys in some of the world’s most spectacular natural destinations. Since 1990, Armstrong Collective has welcomed almost 2.5 million guests onboard its trains, offering awe-inspiring scenery and meaningful connection to the lands and culture surrounding them.
Armstrong said the rail experience includes meals and storytelling for guests from travel experts. The rail cars are roomy and bright, with windows that offer wide views of the scenery as they travel through canyons and across the landscapes of Utah and Colorado.
The Canyon Spirit departs on Tuesdays for eastbound trips (from Salt Lake City toward Denver) and Fridays for westbound trips (from Denver toward Salt Lake City). Trip itineraries and pricing is available online at canyonspirit.com.
