Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

October 8-15, 2026

Well, we did it again! For the fourth year in a row, we booked seats on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad during peak fall foliage. This time we roped in a couple of friends from our Gila Hikers hiking group. We all had important birthdays or anniversaries coming up, and this seemed like the perfect way to celebrate.

Meeting up with Debra, who would travel the very slow and scenic route to Chama with us.

El Morro/El Malpais

We camped that first night at one of our favorite spots near El Malpais National Monument. Nearby is a remarkable petroglyph panel.

I always think this figure looks like a teletubby giving Jerry Falwell the finger!

Hiking the Headland Trail at El Morro National Monument.

We love following secondary roads across the endless empty plateaus north of Grants, but much of the land is either privately owned, or part of a reservation, so camping is a challenge. We finally found a muddy pullout near the highway just south of Cuba.

Espresso Lane just west of Cuba is one of our favorite coffee shops. They've upped their game considerably since our last visit, and now have indoor seating and a kitchen!

We were lucky to find the perfect spot for lunch at a wayside rest overlooking Abiquiu Lake.

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