Mike and Pat Kaas decided to cross off a Bucket List item by taking the AMTRAK California Zephyr train from Denver to Salt Lake City.  It is one of AMTRAK’s most scenic routes of travel on transcontinental trains.  The Zephyr passed through Front Range of the Rockies, passed under the Continental Divide through the Moffitt Tunnel, and snaked its way through spectacular Glenwood Canyon. Eventually it passed Rifle, Colorado, the location of the Bureau of Mines Experimental Oil Shale Mine, oil recovery plant, and a townsite during the 1950s.  In the evening, the train also passed through Helper, Utah, the location of the Utah Coal Country Tour conducted during the MHA 2024 Park City Conference.  Join them as they take this unforgettable journey.

(Above) It takes the Zephyr quite a while to make the slow climb from the flatlands of Denver to the Continental Divide.

(Right) You know you are getting into the Rocky Mountains as you pass through the famous Flatirons in the foothills.

From the “dome” of the Café Car, these students are getting a short course on Rocky Mountain Geology.

The canyon gets narrow and the South Boulder Creek runs fast as we pass through the old town of Rollinsville (north of Central City and Blackhawk) and head under the Divide via the Moffatt Tunnel.

Glenwood Springs is the destination for many AMTRAK passengers.  It is a good jumping off point for Aspen and several other historic mining areas.

The California Zephyr starts its journey in the afternoon in Chicago.  It stops in Denver in the morning. It is scheduled to arrive in Salt Lake City after 11pm.  That is if there are no delays.  Our arrival was closer to midnight.

After Glenwood Springs and before Grand Junction, the train rumbles past Rifle, Colorado.  High on the cliffs in the Piceance Basin is the Parachute Creek Formation which contains a large reserve of oil shale.  The Bureau of Mines developed the technology for the mine and an oil recovery plant, and built a townsite in the 1950s.  Oil shale mining and processing was again attempted during the 1970s Energy Crisis.

The setting sun illuminated the cliffs as the train entered Utah’s Coal Country near Price and Helper.  Helper was the starting point for the MHA Utah Coal Country Tour on June 10, 2024.  Check out the Photo Galleries.