Best Winter Train Rides To Take In North America For Scenic Views
By BETH MCMURRAY
Journeying from Vancouver, B.C., to Calgary, A.B., this expedition starts nestled between Vancouver's majestic mountains and sparkling seas for two days.
Canadian Rockies
An overnight ride through the snow-covered Canadian Rockies will bring you to Jasper National Park, a winter paradise with waterfalls, lakes, forests, and awe-inspiring glaciers.
Visit the iconic Lake Louise before going to the enchanting town of Banff for an exhilarating gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain with panoramic views of the winter landscape below.
On Amtrak's California Zephyr route, Chicago's urban sprawl fades into prairies as you cross the Mississippi River into Iowa, then sweep through Nebraskan plains.
West From Chicago
Climb through the Rockies, winding alongside the Colorado River, marveling at the craggy canyons and snow-draped landscapes, then journey through the 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel.
Continuing westward into the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevadas, you'll glide past the shimmering Donner Lake and through Sacramento and arrive in the San Francisco Bay area.
Six days and roundtrip from Chicago, Vacations by Rail Winter Escape takes you through America's southwest to the Grand Canyon, where sunny views await you.
Grand Canyon
Upon reaching Flagstaff, Arizona, a shuttle whisks you away to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel for the night and back in the morning to board the vintage train.
The train's musicians and cowboys bring the Old West alive. There's time to take a narrated bus tour along the South Rim and pause at iconic spots like Hermits Rest and Pima Point.
Departing daily from Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, this 46-hour trip on the Empire Builder goes along the Lewis and Clark trail to Chicago.
Mississippi To The Pacific
Enjoy stunning views of the Mississippi, the charm of North Dakota's towns, the awe-inspiring Gassman Coulee Trestle steel rail bridge, and Montana's big sky country.
Some of the most scenic views heading east are along the southern border of Glacier National Park, home to 7,000-year-old glaciers.
Departing daily from Los Angeles to Seattle, Amtrak's Coast Starlight route embarks on a 35-hour odyssey through the Cascade Mountain Range and bustling cityscapes.
West Coast
Stretching 350 miles of California's coastline, you'll have ever-changing views of picturesque seasides to the snow-capped summits of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens.