Riding the Rails: the Durango Blues Train Is a Rolling Dance Party

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Riding the Rails: the Durango Blues Train Is a Rolling Dance Party

The relationship between blues music and railways in the United States is one that goes way back, rooted in both the social and cultural dynamic of the early 20th century. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, trains were more than just a mode of transportation: they were a symbol of freedom, migration, and the opportunity to make your own way, especially for Black Americans making their way across the country. And in southwestern Colorado, one unique summer activity is putting a new spin on the connection between blues music and seeing the countryside by train.

The Durango Blues Train transforms what would be a historic rail journey into a kinetic blues festival, rolling through some of the state’s most dramatic scenery. Every May and August, the train draws music lovers and rail enthusiasts alike to board the coal-fired, steam-powered Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a 3.5-hour moving concert through the canyons of San Juan National Forest. Each of the six vintage cars hosts a different live blues act, and passengers are invited to roam between them as the train chugs through the mountains. Four cars have seating to watch the bands, while the other two have room to dance. The experience is as much about the journey as the music, as the train covers around 19 miles along the Animas River, passing craggy cliffs and pine forests. It also hosts non-music experiences, like the popular Polar Express winter tour.

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The history of the Durango Blues Train

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a living artifact of Colorado’s mining era. It was built in 1881 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway to haul silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains. The narrow gauge rails, spaced just three feet apart, allowed it to better navigate tight turns and narrow routes through rugged terrain. By July 1882, it connected to Silverton, Colorado, and carried both freight and passengers. Even when the mining industry waned, it kept running as a scenic activity. Today, it’s a National Historic Landmark and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Unfortunately, the 2025 concerts are already sold out. So if you want to attend, you’ll need to mark your calendar for February of 2026, when tickets for next year are likely to go on sale. Or, you could pick up tickets for a similar event. While the Blues Train is no doubt a unique experience, it’s not the only musical event rolling along historic rail lines.

In Australia, the Queenscliff Blues Train offers a similar blend of live music and rail travel along the Bellarine Rail Trail, with four acts and stops along the way. At each stop, you’ll switch which car you’re in, letting everyone on board experience all four shows. It’s just outside Melbourne and runs show sporadically throughout the year.

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Music fans who would prefer to stay in the US should head to central California, where the Yosemite Jazz Train beckons those who love both live music and the park’s natural beauty. Held on select Sundays throughout the summer, the event isn’t a concert on wheels, but instead, a two-part experience. Guests will ride the historic Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine to the Lewis Creek Amphitheater for a hidden concert surrounded by Sierra Nevada forest, followed by a meet and greet before the return trip. The train departs from Fish Camp, just four miles south of the Yosemite National Park southern entrance.

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In New Mexico, the “Sunset Serenade” tours depart from the Santa Fe Depot and travel along a historic rail line through open desert, passing mountain vistas and the Galisteo Basin Overlook. Along the way, there’s live entertainment and local musicians, creating a festive atmosphere in the vintage 1937 railcars. On select dates, you may even find flamenco performances or themed sing-along sessions. There’s seating both indoors and outdoors, plus bar service and open-air cars so you can catch both the sunset and early evening stargazing.