Colorado: Ride historic Rio Grande railway to mountaintop concerts

This summer you can take a ride on a historic railroad through the southern Rocky Mountains and attend a mountaintop outdoor concert featuring the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Juice Newton and other country and western performers.

The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad operates from Alamosa, Colo., the onetime narrow-gauge railroad hub for passenger and freight trains in the West.

Starting June 13, it will take passengers on a two-hour journey to the outdoor Fir Summit Amphitheater at 9,400 feet in La Veta Pass. The concert venue has a stage in the shape of a boxcar and runs on wind and solar power.

The concert series on select weekends begins with the vocal harmonies of the Haunted Wind Chimes (June 13 and 14) followed by country singer Mark Chesnutt (June 27 and 28), Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (July 11 and 12) and Juice Newton (Aug. 1 and 2).

Performances continue through Sept. 13.

The cheapest tickets start at $19 for adults and $9 for children for an economy seat. Other rail classes include an open air car, coach car, first class in a train car with a glass dome top, or diamond class in fancy club cars.

You also can combine the concert with a dinner train ride starting at $142 per person.

Info: Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, (877) 726-7245