5 Scenic Train Routes That Showcase America’s Wild Side

There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing the country from a train window. Perhaps it’s because you’re not white-knuckling it on a mountain pass or pretending road-trip silence is “peaceful” when it’s actually just everyone getting carsick.

Not to mention, there are folks out there who don’t even realize that the United States has a (fairly) robust train system! It’s time to spread that knowledge out far and wide, with five amazing scenic train routes any traveler is bound to be wowed by.

1. Amtrak California Zephyr 
2. Amtrak Empire Builder
3. Amtrak Coast Starlight
4. Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic
5. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Amtrak California Zephyr 

If you want the “wait, this is the U.S.?” effect, the California Zephyr is your golden ticket. This route slices across the country, but the real drama happens out West: climbing into the Rockies, gliding past high desert landscapes, then rolling toward the Sierra Nevada.

Expect major terrain changes on this trip: the Front Range and Rocky Mountains near Denver, canyon landscapes in the interior West, and then the Sierra Nevada before the train reaches the Bay Area. If you’re choosing a long-distance Amtrak trip primarily for views, this is often the top recommendation!

Amtrak Empire Builder

The Empire Builder is known for showcasing the northern U.S., including large river corridors, open plains, and mountain scenery in Montana. It travels from Chicago through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana, then continues to either Seattle or Portland after Spokane.

The route is frequently highlighted for views near Glacier National Park and for the contrast between the plains and the mountain sections farther west. It’s also a practical option if you want to pair a scenic train ride with time in the Pacific Northwest.

Amtrak Coast Starlight

If you love a cinematic vibe, this is for you. It runs daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, stopping in heavy-hitter cities like Santa Barbara, the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Portland, but the scenery is the true headliner.

You get long stretches of rugged Pacific coastline before the landscape pivots inland toward valleys and, eventually, the Cascade mountains. One route, multiple wonderful experiences!

Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic

If you want the highest “remote landscape” concentration in a relatively short trip, the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic is made just for you! This route runs between Anchorage and Seward and is known for views along Turnagain Arm and through parts of the Kenai Peninsula.

It’s also one of those trips where you’ll keep thinking, “There’s no way this gets better,” and then it does! Depending on conditions and season, riders often report seeing features like waterways, mountain slopes, and, at times, wildlife along the corridor. It ends on Resurrection Bay, with easy access to adventures around Seward.

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

For a shorter scenic ride focused on a single landscape type (mountain terrain), Durango to Silverton is the move. The railroad has been operating between these towns since the 1880s, and the route follows the Animas River through the San Juan Mountains.

This route is frequently recommended because much of the ride runs through areas without road access, so the views are not the same ones you’d get from a run-of-the-mill highway drive!