A Scenic Journey Through the Rocky Mountains on Amtrak's California Zephyr

Through the Rocky Mountains on the
California Zephyr

Denver - Winter Park - Granby - Glenwood Springs - Grand Junction, Colo. - Eastern Utah

Byers Canyon, shortly after the Colorado River that has joined the rails;

Gore Canyon, perhaps the most scenic area of the transcontinental train's 2,400 mile journey;

Glenwood Canyon, nearly ruined by construction of a double-decker Interstate 70 highway;

Ruby Canyon, a scenic river canyon area where the railroad tracks leave the Colorado and head toward the desert of Utah.

PRAIRIE STATES
Amtrak at Omaha, Neb.	Nebraska Amtrak stations (ProRail Nebraska link)..

DENVER/ CLIMBING FRONT RANGE

Amtrak at Denver

Climbing the Front Range above Denver


TUNNEL DISTRICT

Entering tunnel upon ascending Rocky Mountains.	In the Tunnel District, the train enters 30 tunnels.


Paralleling Fraser River Eastbound.
BYERS CANYON: START OF SCENIC COLORADO RIVER

		On the river valley region between Byers Canyon and Kremmling.

Byers Canyon scenes

GORE CANYON
East entrance to Gore Canyon.	Through Gore Canyon...

In Gore Canyon, perhaps the most scenic part of the trip..



KREMMLING AREA: GORE CANYON OVERLOOK FROM TROUGH ROAD







MORE BEAUTIFUL GORE CANYON AREA





			Entering Gore Canyon from the west side.
Entering and exiting Gore Canyon's scenic tunnels..

GORE CANYON: RADIUM & YARMONY AREA

Just out of Gore Canyon, westbound, close to State Bridge.

MCCOY & BOND AREA

Near Bond, Colo.



DELL OVERLOOK EAST OF BURNS, COLO.
Dell curve just east of Burns, Colo.	Inside Dell curve .

SCENIC OVERLOOK NEAR BURNS ALONG COLORADO RIVER




COLORADO RIVER RED CANYON

Through colorful Red Canyon


GLENWOOD CANYON



Unfortunately, a freeway, I-70, runs through it.		Highway shots are not included.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS

		Just west of Glenwood Springs, Colo. River crossing


GRAND JUNCTION	Grand Junction, Colo., station stop


PICTURESQUE RUBY CANYON





UTAH	Leaving Ruby Canyon...	...entering Eastern Utah's desert & mesas.


CASTLE GATE	Entering/ leaving stunning Castle Gate, west of Helper, Utah.	Eastbound passengers are greeted by these beautiful rock walls at first light.

	Traveling westbound, this region can only be seen in moonlight.

THISTLE TUNNELS



NEVADA
Truckee River canyon, California

All pictures taken by Doug Ohlemeier, Nov. 2002, Sept. 2003 & Sept. 2004.