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Fall Foliage Train Rides (2024): A Complete Guide

Last revised:  October 31, 2024

By: Adam Burns

Fall foliage train tours offer one of the best ways to see the vibrant colors of autumn.  These trips have become a very popular event in recent years although their origins can be traced back to the mid-20th century. 

Today, several tourist railroads host special fall trips and many sell out. Some organizations which do not offer such even enjoy an increase in ticket sales thanks to the fall colors.  

Many are located in the eastern United States where the Appalachian Mountains, carpeted in deciduous forests, provide breathtakingly scenic vistas. As a result, numerous organizations host such events each autumn.

Notables among these are:

• Strasburg Railroad (Pennsylvania)


• Cass Scenic Railroad (West Virginia)


• Tweetise Railroad (North Carolina)


• Adirondack Scenic Railroad (New York)


• Conway Scenic Railway (New Hampshire)


• Green Mountain Railroad (Vermont)


• Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (Tennessee)


• Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (Georgia)

Trips on these railroads regularly sell out.  Even if a railroad may not offer a dedicated fall foliage tour many host excursions through October and can still provide great views of the changing colors.  

A pair of Baltimore & Ohio F7A's act as helpers at the head end of a B&O NRHS special on 17-Mile Grade near Altamont, Maryland on October 4, 1969. Roger Puta photo.

States

If you are very interested in going by train, when planning your trip please take note of the peak season for that particular area. 

For instance, locations higher in the mountains such as at Cass, West Virginia (home of the Cass Scenic Railroad) tend to peak much earlier (mid-September) than other areas nearby that sit at a lower elevation like the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (early November). 

Below is a list of most tourist railroads (or museums) that typically host either dedicated fall foliage trains or operate where colors are quite brilliant.  If your railroad is not included here  please let us know and it will be added. 

Finally, unless otherwise noted more information about each excursion can be found by visiting the museum's or railroad's website.  

For more information regarding when peak season occurs for different parts of the country please click here.  Finally, please click here to learn more about Halloween-themed train rides.

Alabama

Arkansas

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Georgia

Indiana

Iowa

Kentucky

Maine

Maryland

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

New Hampshire

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Alaska

Alaska Railroad (Anchorage):  The Alaska Railroad does not offer any type of fall foliage excursion but they do offer the finest regular passenger service in the United States via trains like the Denali Star, Coastal Classic, Glacier Discovery.  The service is second-to-none and so is the scenery. 

The railroad is worth riding any time of year thanks to the spectacular views.  Tourists from around the world come to ride the Alaska Railroad for this very reason; it is one of the best ways to see the state's unparalleled beauty. 

The railroad begins in Seward along the Kenai Peninsula and snakes its way north to Portage before turning northwesterly into Anchorage. 

Along the way you can view stunning fjords and looming mountain peaks. The line then continues north to Wasilla before turning west again to follow the Susitna River within the Denali State Park. 

Rails reach Nenana where the Susitna meets the Tanana River; here, the line curves east and terminates at Fairbanks.  

California

No known events.

A pair of Maine Central GP7's have a fan trip on the fabled Mountain Division at Crawford Notch, New Hampshire during the fall of 1968. Roger Puta photo.

Florida

No events known.

Hawaii

No events known.

Idaho

No events known.

Illinois

No events known.

Kansas

Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (Abilene): The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad was founded in 1993 as a living history museum project dedicated to preserving the legacy of the railroad industry in Kansas by highlighting the interconnectedness of railroads, the people, and the land in the state. 

Today, the railroad operates the old Rock Island between Abilene and Enterprise (here most excursions stop for  half-hour layover in the town).  The highlight of the railroad is its scenic excursion trains. Passengers can step aboard vintage railcars and embark on a leisurely journey through the picturesque Smoky Valley.

The 10-mile round trip takes travelers through the Kansas prairies, offering breathtaking views of rolling hills, open fields, and the meandering Smoky Hill River. As the train glides along the tracks, the rhythmic chugging of the steam locomotive and the gentle sway of the cars create a nostalgic ambiance that transports passengers to a bygone era.

Throughout the year, the A&SV hosts a variety of special event trains, adding a touch of excitement and entertainment to the railroad experience. From holiday-themed rides to murder mystery dinners, these events offer a unique twist on the traditional train ride. Families, history enthusiasts, and railroad aficionados can delight in these immersive experiences, creating cherished memories.

The railroad does not host official fall foliage excursions. However, train rides continue through the autumn season allowing guests to view the region's colors. In addition, they host "The Great Pumpkin Express" where kids and the entire family can enjoy meeting Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang during the Halloween season.

Louisiana

No events known.

Massachusetts

Cape Cod Scenic Railroad (Hyannis):  The Cape Cod Scenic is an upscale heritage railroad which offers a wide range of dinner trains and specials throughout the year. 

While it does not host an official fall foliage excursion its schedule runs through October, allowing passenger to enjoy a train ride at the height of a New England autumn. 

Few other places in America offer such vibrant colors of reds, yellows, and burgundies.  The railroad operates just over 24 miles of an old New York, New Haven & Hartford branch between Hyannis and Buzzards Bay. 

Trains depart from the former town at the preserved, two-story wooden NYNH&H depot built in the early 1900's (located at 252 Main Street). 

Your trip takes you north out of town near the Barnstable Municipal Airport and past the Cummaquid Golf Club before turning west through a mixture of woodland and suburban homes. 

You will briefly pass the Great Marshes and continue northwest before reaching the Cape Cod Canal which connects Cape Cod Bay with Buzzards Bay. 

The trip concludes at another preserved New Haven depot, this one in Buzzards Bay, a one-story brick/stucco structure completed in 1912.

Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum (Adams): One of New England's most popular excursions is the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum based in Adams.  This all-volunteer organization has been in service since 1984 and until 2011 used the tracks of freight carrier Housatonic Railroad.

That changed after the company no longer wanted train rides hosted over its rails so the museum worked out an agreement to operate about 5 miles of the former New York Central between Adams and North Adams in 2016.

The museum's operating season lasts from May through October; during this time they host several special events, including during the fall.  The line follows the scenic Hoosic River as well as small farms along the way.  All trips depart from Adams where the former NYC line has been partially rebuilt to reach the town.

Mississippi

No events known.

Montana

No events known.

Nebraska

No events known.

Nevada

No events known.

New Hampshire

Conway Scenic Railway (North Conway):  One of New England's top heritage railroads also hosts one of the top fall foliage trips. 

Located in the heart of the White Mountains the scenes and vibrant colors along the Conway Scenic are unquestionably worth the ticket price!  Today, it operates sections of the old Boston & Maine's Conway Branch and Maine Central's Mountain Division. 

The former takes you south along the Saco River where guests can view distance mountains and nearby farms during the 7 miles to Conway.  The latter is much more impressive from a visual standpoint. 

The Mountain Division was well known for its spectacular scenery, long before a heritage railroad was born; during the Maine Central era the railroad regularly hosted fall foliage excursions through this region. 

Departing north from the North Conway depot the train stays long the Saco River until climbing out of the valley several miles out of town.  At this point you are fully immersed in mountains until you reach Crawford Notch State Park, the highlight of the trip.  Trains operate as far as Fabyan Station before turning back.

Hobo Railroad (Lincoln):  This tourist line is based in Lincoln and hosts trains along the Pemigewasset River.  During select dates in October you can ride their Fall Foliage Specials between Lincoln and Woodstock for beautiful scenes of autumn in this part of New England. 

They also operate dinner trains celebrating the fall season.  The Hobo Railroad began hosting excursions in 1986 over 7 miles of a former Boston & Maine branch (freight service was, and still is, provided by the Plymouth & Lincoln Railroad). 

Your trip departs south along the Pemigewasset River as you are surrounded by the beautiful White Mountains in every direction.  The entire journey offers a wonderful experience to see New England's stunning fall colors by train. 

Winnipesaukee Railroad (Meredith/Weir Beach):  Owned by the same group as the Hobo Railroad this operation is based in Meredith.  Like its counterpart, the Winnipesaukee Railroad also hosts Fall Foliage Specials during September and October. 

They have two stations; one in Meredith and another in Weirs Beach (both of which are situated along Lake Winnipesaukee).  The entire line runs from Meredith to Lakeport (8.3 miles) over the same ex-B&M branch operated by the Hobo Railroad. 

The scenery along this stretch is somewhat different as the tracks stay near the water almost the entire way.  However, there is still plenty plenty of foliage and fall colors to see during your journey, making this ride arguably as scenic as the Hobo Railroad.

New Jersey

No events known.

New Mexico

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (Chama): The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic (C&TS) operates the longest stretch of the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western's narrow-gauge (3-foot) network still in existence in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.

It totals 64 miles between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. The highlight of your trip is crossing 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass and passing through the Toltec Gorge, a line completed to Durango in 1881.

The Rio Grande's so-called "San Juan District" was built to serve Colorado's then-booming silver mining industry but survived as a branch until the 1960's. The nearby Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge (D&SNG) also maintains a segment of this same network, the Silverton Branch from Durango to Silverton.

For train enthusiasts visiting either the C&TS or D&SNG is a chance to step back in time, witnessing how railroads operated more than a century ago. Much of the original infrastructure, buildings, and even historic steam locomotives remain preserve. It is also a great way to view the changing colors of autumn as the railroad hosts excursions through October every year.

North Dakota

No events known.

Oklahoma

No events known.

South Carolina

No events known.

South Dakota

No events known.

Texas

Austin Steam Train Association

The Austin Steam Train Association does not operate dedicated fall foliage trains.  However, the organization does continue to run its excursions through the autumn season, allowing guests to see Austin's fall colors which peak in mid/late November each year.

The Austin Steam Train Association (ASTA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and operating vintage steam locomotives and other historic railway equipment. Based in Cedar Park, Texas, the organization offers a range of train rides and events that allow visitors to experience the thrill of classic steam-powered transportation.

ASTA's primary attraction is its vintage steam train, which features restored passenger cars and an authentic steam locomotive. The train runs on a variety of routes throughout the year, including special holiday-themed rides and evening excursions that offer a unique perspective on the surrounding countryside.

In addition to its regular train rides, ASTA also offers a variety of special events and activities throughout the year. These include themed train rides, such as the popular "Polar Express" and "North Pole Flyer" rides during the holiday season, as well as special events like the "Murder Mystery" dinner train and the "Steam Punk" festival.

One of the unique aspects of ASTA is its commitment to preserving and restoring historic railway equipment. The organization maintains an extensive collection of vintage locomotives, passenger cars, and other railway artifacts, many of which are on display at the Cedar Park Depot. ASTA's dedicated volunteers work tirelessly to restore and maintain these historic treasures, ensuring that future generations will be able to experience the magic of steam-powered transportation.

ASTA's commitment to education is also noteworthy. The organization offers a range of educational programs for school groups, including field trips and hands-on learning opportunities. These programs teach students about the history of steam locomotives and the role they played in shaping America's transportation infrastructure.

Overall, the Austin Steam Train Association is a unique and valuable organization that provides a fun and educational experience for visitors of all ages. Whether you're a train enthusiast, history buff, or just looking for a fun family outing, ASTA's vintage steam train and special events are sure to delight and inspire.

Texas State Railroad

Today, the Texas State Railroad is best known for its popular publicly-hosted train rides.  However, the company also carries a great deal of historical significance; it is state-owned by the state and was built with convict labor in the 1880's to link Palestine with Rusk (25 miles). 

While leased by private railroads over the years it has always remained a state-owned entity.  For tourists, it acts as a theme park featuring events for both the kids ("Thomas The Tank Engine" and "The Polar Express") and adults (dinner trains, club car service, private parities, camping, and more). 

For enthusiasts they currently operate two steam locomotives (2-8-0 #28 and 2-8-2 #30) and rare diesel models like a pair of former Canadian National FP9's and a U.S. Army MRS-1. 

Each fall you can take the Pumpkin Patch Express which features wonderfully scenic views of rural (and lush) East Texas.  This area of the state is far different from the arid climate found in the western regions.

Utah

Heber Valley Railroad (Heber City): Utah's only heritage railroad can be found in Heber City, about an hour's drive east from downtown Salt Lake City.  While the Heber Valley draws crowds year after year to take in the awesome scenery it also attracts enthusiasts and history aficionados. 

The railroad has become equally well-known for its use of steam locomotives.  The current Heber Valley Railroad began in the 1990's and utilizes about 13 miles of the Denver & Rio Grande Western's old Provo Canyon Branch between Heber City and Vivian Park.  

During the fall season their regular trains, which now consist of many different options, offer fine views of the autumn colors.  They also host events for Halloween. 

Your trip departs from the replica depot situated within the old Rio Grande yard on the east side of town.  The departure itself is a beautiful sight; Heber City lies within the flat Heber Valley with snow-capped mountain peaks in this distance. 

The train passes through farmlands and crosses the Provo River before entering the canyon and heading directly south.   

A little over halfway to the Provo area the line ends at a point in the canyon known as Vivian Park where trains then return to Heber City. 

While Utah is often regarded as rugged, arid, and mountainous the Provo Canyon is actually quite lush and comes alive with color each fall.

The "Agawa Canyon Train" heads north along the Agawa River (Ontario) during a fall day in the 1960's. Author's collection.

Wyoming

No events known.