There’s something undeniably romantic about train travel—the rhythmic clickety-clack of wheels on rails, panoramic windows framing ever-changing landscapes, and the leisure of truly absorbing the scenery rather than focusing on the road ahead. While modern transportation often prioritizes speed, scenic railways celebrate the journey itself.
Across America, historic trains and specialized scenic routes offer travelers the chance to experience landscapes from unique perspectives unavailable to road travelers. Here is a list of 15 remarkable American train journeys where getting there truly is half—or perhaps all—of the fun.
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Colorado
This historic steam-powered train has been operating continuously since 1882, carrying passengers through the breathtaking San Juan Mountains. The 45-mile journey between Durango and Silverton follows the Animas River through canyons so remote that the train tracks represent the only human access.
Open-air gondola cars allow passengers to feel the mountain air and hear the echo of the steam whistle bouncing off canyon walls. The train climbs nearly 3,000 feet in elevation, crossing narrow ledges with heart-stopping drops visible just inches from the tracks.
During autumn, aspen groves create a golden tunnel effect that photographers travel from around the world to capture. The historic coal-fired locomotives themselves serve as moving museums of 19th-century engineering.
Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic, Alaska
The journey between Anchorage and Seward delivers spectacular wilderness views that remain inaccessible by road. Passengers regularly spot moose, bears, and bald eagles from comfortable dome cars offering panoramic views.
The train skirts along Turnagain Arm, where dramatic tidal fluctuations and beluga whale sightings delight observers. Massive glaciers become visible as the train approaches Seward, with the railroad offering spectacular views of Spencer Glacier that can’t be seen from highways.
The dramatic passage through Grandview Pass features a horseshoe curve where passengers can photograph their train snaking through the mountain landscape. Onboard guides provide cultural and natural history narration throughout the journey.
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Grand Canyon Railway, Arizona
This historic line delivers passengers to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in old-west style. The 65-mile journey begins in Williams, Arizona, and travels through high desert, prairie, and pine forest landscapes.
Western entertainers perform aboard the train, creating an immersive experience rather than mere transportation. The final approach reveals nothing of the canyon until passengers disembark—making the grand reveal of the canyon all the more dramatic after the two-hour journey.
Historic steam locomotives power special trips throughout the year, complete with authentic details like conductors in period uniforms. The railway operates with environmental consciousness, having converted one locomotive to run on waste vegetable oil from the railway’s restaurant.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, North Carolina
Departing from Bryson City, this heritage railroad offers two distinct routes through terrain that would otherwise remain hidden from travelers. The Nantahala Gorge route crosses 25 bridges and passes through a dramatic tunnel carved through Cowee Mountain.
The Tuckasegee River route winds through tranquil countryside, passing the film site from “The Fugitive,” where a train plunged into the gorge. Open-air gondola cars provide immersive seasonal experiences—from spring wildflowers to summer mountain greenery to spectacular fall foliage.
Special events include Polar Express-themed rides and gourmet dinner trains featuring regional cuisine. The railroad maintains a collection of vintage diesel locomotives that represent different eras of American railroading.
White Pass & Yukon Route, Alaska
Built during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow-gauge railway climbs nearly 3,000 feet in just 20 miles, delivering some of the steepest gradient views in North American railroading. The train departs from Skagway and ascends through the coastal rainforest before climbing above the treeline to alpine terrain.
Wooden trestles span dizzying gorges while the vintage passenger cars navigate hairpin turns along mountainsides. International travelers appreciate that the route crosses into Canada’s Yukon Territory, though some excursions turn around at the summit.
The railway operates with vintage parlor cars dating from the early 1900s, maintaining period details that transport passengers through both space and time. The engineering feat becomes more impressive when passengers learn the entire route was completed in just 26 months under harsh Arctic conditions.
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Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Colorado/New Mexico
America’s highest and longest coal-fired, steam-operated narrow gauge railroad crosses back and forth between Colorado and New Mexico as it traverses the San Juan Mountains. The 64-mile route between Antonito and Chama climbs to Cumbres Pass at 10,015 feet—the highest mountain pass reached by rail in the United States.
The train chugs through Toltec Gorge, where passengers look down hundreds of feet to the river below from tracks clinging to steep rock walls. Preserved as a National Historic Landmark, the railroad operates much as it did in the 1880s, including historic water stops where locomotives take on water.
Lunch stops at Osier Station allow passengers to stretch their legs at a remote mountain hamlet accessible only by train. The entire experience feels like time travel rather than mere transportation.
Cape Cod Central Railroad, Massachusetts
This coastal New England route offers dinner trains and sightseeing excursions that showcase Cape Cod’s unique landscapes. The train passes through salt marshes, cranberry bogs, and coastal areas inaccessible by other transportation modes.
Narrated tours highlight the Cape’s natural features and historical significance, including insights into the canal system and early settlements. Fall foliage trips reveal a different side of Cape Cod than the typical summer beach experience, with autumn colors reflecting in countless small ponds along the route.
The dinner trains feature multi-course meals prepared in onboard kitchens as the scenery glides by picture windows. While relatively short compared to western routes, the journey delivers a comprehensive Cape Cod experience in just a few hours.
Mt. Washington Cog Railway, New Hampshire
The world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway continues to carry passengers to the summit of Mount Washington using a technology pioneered in 1869. The train ascends the steepest railroad tracks in North America—at one point climbing a 37.41% grade where passengers in the front of the car look down on the rear section like a tilted elevator.
The journey rises more than 3,500 feet in just three miles, creating dramatic changes in vegetation and climate zones. The summit often experiences extreme weather—passengers might depart in summer conditions below and find winter-like environments at the top.
Custom-built biodiesel locomotives now handle most trips, though a historic coal-fired steam engine operates special journeys. The experience combines technical fascination with spectacular White Mountain panoramas visible for up to 130 miles on clear days.
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Verde Canyon Railroad, Arizona
This four-hour wilderness excursion bills itself as “wilderness access for everyone” as it traverses a stunning canyon between Clarkdale and Perkinsville. The train follows the Verde River through an area rich with wildlife, including bald eagles, javelina, and deer.
Open-air viewing cars allow passengers to experience the desert environment with all senses—feeling temperature changes when entering canyons and smelling pinyon pine as the train passes through forests. The route passes ancient cliff dwellings visible from the tracks but otherwise inaccessible to visitors.
Tunnels carved through solid rock and bridges over the river demonstrate the engineering determination required to build this remote line. Specialty rides include starlight tours during summer months, and eagle-watching experiences in winter when migrating bald eagles congregate in the canyon.
Strasburg Rail Road, Pennsylvania
America’s oldest continuously operating railroad continues to steam through Pennsylvania Dutch country, surrounded by Amish farms that still operate much as they did when the railroad began service in 1832. The meticulously maintained steam locomotives pull vintage coaches through some of America’s most productive farmland.
The 45-minute round trip might seem short, but the immersive historical experience includes the nation’s only operational wooden dining car and authentic Victorian-era accommodations. Train enthusiasts appreciate access to the mechanical shop where steam locomotives undergo restoration.
The railroad connects with the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania across the street, creating a comprehensive rail heritage experience. Special events include wine-tasting trips and themed rides based on children’s stories, making this an accessible introduction to rail travel for families.
Napa Valley Wine Train, California
This upscale excursion combines fine dining with vineyard views as it travels through California’s premier wine region. Operating with restored 1915-1950 Pullman cars featuring mahogany paneling and etched glass, the train maintains the golden age of rail travel’s elegance.
Multi-course gourmet meals are prepared in limited-space galleys as the train rolls past world-famous vineyards. Special packages include stops at wineries for tours and tastings, combining transportation with wine-country experiences. The 36-mile round trip between Napa and St. Helena passes through distinct microclimates responsible for different wine varietals, offering educational insights alongside sensory pleasures.
Evening dinner journeys capture spectacular sunset light on the vineyards, while the interior lighting creates a romantic atmosphere unlike any standard restaurant experience.
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Cass Scenic Railroad, West Virginia
This former logging railroad now carries passengers up Bald Knob, the third-highest point in West Virginia, using the same type of geared Shay locomotives that once hauled timber down the mountain. The trains conquer an exceptionally steep 11% grade—among the steepest adhesion railways anywhere.
The journey recreates the experience of early 20th-century logging operations, complete with the distinctive sound of Shay locomotives—a sideways chugging unlike standard steam engines. The full four-hour round trip climbs more than 2,300 feet in elevation through multiple climate zones and forest types.
A restored logging camp at Whittaker Station provides historical context for the railroad’s original purpose. The view from Bald Knob extends across two states on clear days, offering a remarkable perspective on Appalachia’s vast wilderness areas.
Royal Gorge Route, Colorado
Following the Arkansas River through the spectacular Royal Gorge, this route features canyon walls towering 1,000 feet above the tracks. The train passes under the famous Royal Gorge suspension bridge, providing a unique perspective on this engineering marvel that spans 955 feet above the river.
Dining options range from gourmet lunch and dinner service to murder mystery experiences, all while the dramatic landscape slides past picture windows. Open-air cars allow photographers to capture the sheer canyon walls without window reflections interfering.
The railroad operates year-round, with each season offering different perspectives on the gorge—from spring runoff churning the river to winter snow highlighting the rock formations. The route’s historical significance includes the 1877-1880 “Royal Gorge War,” when two competing railroads fought for access to this narrow canyon passage.
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, Maryland
Operating between Cumberland and Frostburg, this heritage railroad features Mountain Thunder—a restored 1916 Baldwin steam locomotive that ranks among the largest operating steam engines in the eastern United States. The route climbs the Allegheny Mountains through an area known as “Mountain Maryland,” presenting pastoral landscapes interspersed with industrial heritage sites.
Helmstetters Curve provides a dramatic horseshoe bend where photographers can capture the entire train navigating the tight turn. The former Western Maryland Railway mainline includes a passage through the 914-foot Brush Tunnel, creating dramatic lighting effects inside the vintage passenger cars.
The destination town of Frostburg offers historical attractions during the layover, including the opportunity to watch the locomotive being turned on a turntable for the return journey.
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Great Redwood Route (Skunk Train), California
This historic logging railroad operates through towering redwood forests that remain inaccessible by road. The nickname “Skunk Train” derives from the original gas-powered motorcars whose exhaust prompted locals to joke they could smell the trains before seeing them.
The Northspur journey from Fort Bragg follows the Noyo River, crossing multiple trestles and passing through two tunnels carved through the mountain. Ancient redwoods grow alongside the tracks—sometimes just inches away—creating a uniquely immersive forest experience.
The railroad has operated continuously since 1885, transporting lumber until transitioning exclusively to passenger service in recent decades. Special offerings include railbike experiences where pedal-powered vehicles travel the same historic tracks, allowing visitors to set their own pace through the majestic forest.
Railroads Reinvented
These fifteen railways demonstrate how historic transportation infrastructure can find new purpose in modern times. What once served primarily utilitarian functions—moving lumber, minerals, or passengers between fixed points—now offers experiences that celebrate both magnificent American landscapes and our national railroad heritage.
The renaissance of scenic railway travel speaks to our collective desire to occasionally slow down, and experience journeys more thoroughly. These trains remind us that sometimes the most memorable experiences come not from rushing toward a destination but from savoring the passages between places—viewing the world from steel rails that connect our present moment with our national past.
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