Day 19 - The Train

Rocky Mountaineer’s New Glass-Domed Train Runs From Colorado to Utah

For a lot less money you can take the Amtrak California Zephyr from Salt Lake City to Denver, stay the night, and come back the next day. 22 Jun is generally the longest day of the year so you will get to see the sunrise just before going over Soldier Summit and down the other side of the Wasatch mountains. There is the boring part across the desert from Price to Green River but after that it is all scenery all the time.

Amtrak's Vista Dome cars may not be quite as fancy but they are just as good for looking around and seeing the sights. The food in the dining car is great and reasonably priced. They fill the tables up so you are certain to meet new people to share the experience with.

Past Grand Junction you are into the Rockies and running along the Colorado River. A quick stop at Glenwood Springs and then into Glenwood Canyon.

There are only two ways to go through the canyon; take the train, or raft down the river. Just before entering the canyon the conductor walks through the cars advising people with a “sensitive nature” to relocate to the left side of the car. The reason being that the rafters all know the train schedule and make sure to pull over so the can moon the train as it goes by. I think the engineer aids and abets this time honored tradition by sounding the horn along the way.

The rest of the trip down into Denver is scenic and relaxing. A perfect end to a great ride. A nice dinner in town and an AirBnB bed completes a memorable excursion.

The next morning it's up early to get back to the train station for the trip back to Salt Lake City. This is a perfect complement to the first ride. Heading west in the morning gives the scenery an entirely different perspective. Serene and composed. This time you will be going over Soldier Summit as the sun is setting and will be getting into Salt Lake late. I find the rush of the train through the urban scene to be an enjoyable counterpoint to day's natural wonders.

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