Denver to Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks is a breathtaking trip full of amazing sights

We are in Denver, dubbed the Mile High City for its official elevation being one mile above sea level, which is the capital of the US state of Colorado and famous for its impressive mountainous panoramas. Situated midway between San Francisco, some 2,000km (1,240 miles) west, and Chicago, the same distance east, Denver was founded in 1858, and historically the first point of contact for many Denver arrivals was Union Station. “Not many trains run here any more, but it’s a great place to linger in the old station concourse,” says the city’s former tourism director Rich Grant. “It’s Denver’s living room.” The building is home to restaurants and a hotel but the Rocky Mountaineer train departs from a different station, in the River North Art District north of the Platte River. The Rocky Mountaineer runs along a spectacular route through the Wild West, travelling at “Kodak speed”, as train host Mike Hannifin says – slow enough for you to take photos of the Rocky Mountains. The elegant luxury train takes two days to cover the route to Moab, in the state of Utah, a distance of less than 600km. Our group stays overnight in Glenwood Springs, rather than on the train. It is a small town at about the halfway point, home to historic hotels with a Wild West atmosphere and a large thermal water spa. Before Hannifin shouts “all aboard” from the platform the next morning, travellers can talk to train driver Wayne Nicks, who spells out what is to come. The coming Moffat Tunnel is not only the highest point on the route, but also runs 10km through the mountain. “It was considered a masterpiece of engineering when it was completed 95 years ago,” Nicks says. The landscape changes. The route not only passes through the tunnel, but also the Ruby Canyon – a deep-red sandstone furrow around 40km long. The border between the two states can also be seen – painted on the rocks on either side, in large white letters. On the left, “Utah”, on the right, “Colorado”. The journey ends at Moab, the small Utah town that is the starting point for tours to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. For us it is time to pick up a rental car and head to these parks. Each park has an information centre where visitors can acquire maps and get tips from the rangers, who also accompany visitors on the trails or to individual sights at set times. In Arches, for example, they explain how the more than 2,000 sandstone arches were formed. “Wind, rain, sun, snow and a lot of time,” ranger Nicole Westcott says. The North Window Arch and South Window Arch are two of the largest in the park. Opposite, on the other side of the road, is the Double Arch, which is shaped like the supports of a tent. The hike to Delicate Arch, a striking high arch, is particularly popular. It is best to start this hike very early in the morning. The path leads from a car park over smooth rocks for a good 3km, always upwards. There are no trees or shrubs, and the sun beats down mercilessly. “Heat kills” is written on warning signs throughout the park. Everyone should carry enough water with them, at least 1 gallon (3.8 litres) per person. Both the Arches and Canyonlands national parks are among the five best-known national parks in Utah that are marketed as the “Mighty 5”. Canyonlands is further away from Moab than Arches and offers a completely different landscape. You might discover one or two places among the Mighty 5 that look familiar, even though you have never been there: the parks are popular sites for shooting many a Hollywood-made Western film. After a drive through the legendary Monument Valley, the next stop on the Mighty 5 route is Bryce Canyon National Park. The canyon is at an altitude of around 2,400 metres (7,880 feet) and is best visited at sunrise and explored on foot straight away. This is because the trails lead deep down to “amphitheatres” with their “hoodoos” – mysterious, intricate spires of sandstone that are especially attractive in the morning light. There are challenging and easier trails of various lengths in Bryce Canyon. Hikers are always trekking along red, unpaved sand. From Bryce, Highway 89 leads to the next in the select group of the Mighty 5, Zion National Park, the oldest of Utah’s parks, where the hiking trails are also extremely picturesque. To protect the environment, some trails require permits to keep the number of hikers in check. But one trail, “Narrows”, does not require a permit. There you hike through a gorge in the Virgin River, where the water in places can be waist deep. Waterproof hiking boots and hiking poles, which are available to hire, are a good investment for this tour. Capitol Reef National Park is the fifth park, which also has miles of hiking trails, great campsites and unique landscapes. Those interested in prehistoric settlement will enjoy the petroglyphs here. The murals bear witness to the history of the indigenous people in the area.

Denver to Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks is a breathtaking trip full of amazing sights

From the Rockies to mysterious rocks by rail, road and foot, America’s southwest – its canyons, lakes and mountains – is a wonder to behold