Cañon City's 1913 Santa Fe Depot is now the start of a scenic train

The Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City is a piece of railroad history you can still walk into. Built in 1913 to replace a smaller station, it was designed by the Santa Fe Railroad in a Mediterranean Revival style and handled both freight and passengers when rail was the lifeline of the Arkansas River valley.

Today the depot has a second life as the starting point for the Royal Gorge Route, a tourist railroad that runs along the river toward the Royal Gorge. So a building put up for the working railroad of a century ago now sends visitors on a scenic ride through the same canyon that two railroads once fought to control.

For a newcomer, the depot is a good anchor for understanding the town. The fact that the oldest commercial blocks, the river, and the rail line all sit close together is not a coincidence. The railroad is much of the reason Cañon City grew where it did, and the depot is the most visible reminder of that.

The train is run by a private operator, so schedules and fares change with the season. For the depot’s confirmed history and architectural background, see History Colorado’s page for the Cañon City Santa Fe Depot, and check the railroad’s own current schedule before planning a ride.