8 of the best scenic train routes to ride in the U.S.

Seeing America's great natural scenery is a must, and rail travel can offer an even more immersive experience than road tripping.

Without your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, it's easier to take in the sights—many of which are untouched by roads. We look at some of the most scenic train routes in the U.S.

1. Coast Starlight, Amtrak

Los Angeles, CA — Seattle, WA

This overnight route winds north from Los Angeles Union Station along the coast in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and San Francisco Bay before turning inland. From there, the scenery switches to the beauty of the Cascade Range, heralded by the appearance of Mount Shasta early on the second morning of the trip. The rest of the second day sees the beauty of the Cascades on full display, with snow-capped peaks and pristine pine forests, before arriving in Seattle that night.

2. White Pass & Yukon Route

Skagway, AK – Whitehorse, YT, Canada

The Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s brought thousands of prospectors to Alaska, many of whom disembarked in Skagway and hiked through the White Pass on their way to the gold fields in the Canadian Yukon. The hiking trail was replaced by the White Pass & Yukon Route railway when it was completed in 1900, and while the gold and the prospectors are gone, the railway remains. 

White Pass is on the U.S. side of the border and is arguably the most scenic portion of the route. The White Pass Summit Excursion is about 2.5 hours round-trip and features vintage passenger coaches, as well as a chance to see the original Klondike Trail of 1898 cut into the rocks. The railway is planning to resume excursions to the Canadian portion of its route in summer 2022.

3. Grand Canyon Railway

Williams, AZ – Grand Canyon National Park
Williams, AZ – The North Pole (seasonal)

All year round, the 64-mile trip from the Williams train station to the Grand Canyon passes through multiple ecosystems, and the train gives you a front-row seat to all of them. Start off among the ponderosa pines and junipers near Route 66 before transitioning to sweeping vistas of scrub prairie. As you approach the canyon, the scene transitions again to lush pinyon pine forests.

During the holiday season, the railway also adds trips to a different destination: Santa's Village. The 90-minute round trip visits the "North Pole" on select nights in November, December, and January, with hot chocolate, cookies, and storytelling from Santa Claus himself.

RELATED: 10 reasons why you should ride the Grand Canyon Railway

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4. The Pennsylvanian, Amtrak

Pittsburgh, PA – New York, NY

This aptly named train connecting Pittsburgh and Philadelphia gives riders a cross-section of the state in just a day's ride. It departs from the junction of 3 rivers in downtown Pittsburgh and climbs into the Allegheny Mountains. Reaching the eastern edge of the Alleghenies, it makes a dramatic descent down the famous Horseshoe Curve, completed in 1854. (Sit on the right side of the train when heading east, or the left side if heading west for the best view here.)

After winding through more beautiful Appalachian scenery, the train descends into the rolling fields of Pennsylvania Dutch Country before arriving in Philadelphia.

^{Kabelleger / David Gubler, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

5. California Zephyr, Amtrak

Chicago, IL – San Francisco, CA

If you're a fan of mountain sightseeing, the California Zephyr offers a feast for the eyes. The main event is the crossing of Rockies, which sees the train climb above 9,200 feet to pass through the historic Moffat Tunnel. Along the way, passengers are treated to views of the Colorado River and snow-capped mountains, some of which are only visible on this route. 

The Zephyr passes through the beautiful rock formations of the Utah and Nevada badlands before climbing once more into the Sierras in California. It traverses the infamous Donner Pass and passes several scenic lakes before descending into the Central Valley and, eventually, San Francisco Bay.

6. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Durango, CO – Silverton, CO

On the Durango & Silverton, the man-made sights are just as compelling as the natural ones. It's one of the few lines in the U.S. that still operates steam locomotives, and many of the route's passenger coaches are more than a century old. Trips depart from Durango Depot, built in 1882 and preserved in its historical form. (If you can't get enough of historic steam trains, plan to visit the nearby Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway, too.)

The scenery is no slouch, either. The route closely follows the Animas River through the Rockies, with beautiful views of foliage, peaks, and canyons. A highlight is the Highline, a stretch of track where the train slowly edges along a narrow cliff. The route continues running in winter with a slightly shorter itinerary and a lot more snow.

7. Sunset Limited, Amtrak

New Orleans, LA – Los Angeles, CA

There are few routes that traverse a more diverse landscape than Sunset Limited. Departing from New Orleans, it begins by crossing the mighty Mississippi River on the Huey P. Long Bridge. (Before it was built, trains crossed the river on boats.) It weaves through the flooded fields and Spanish moss of Bayou Country before night falls near Houston.

The next day, the train runs right up to the Mexican border, where orchards grow along the Rio Grande. From there, the scenery steadily becomes more barren as Texas gives way to New Mexico and Arizona, culminating in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson with its massive saguaro cacti. The route crosses the Colorado River at Yuma and enters California, passing the Salton Sea before reaching Palm Springs and, eventually, Los Angeles.

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