Amtrak and the National Parks

[tomfuller]

I went to Yellowstone last year and was disappointed that the park was not served by a rail line. The park almost dictates that you have an automobile to tour the park. I would think a rail/tour bus package would do good business, especially for older folks.
When did the train stop going to Yellowstone?
And with the renewed emphasis on rail by the current administration, is there any provisions for restoring rail service to Yellowstone and and other National Parks or improving current service?

In 1909 UP opened a passenger station in West Yellowstone, MT. Service ended there in 1960. In 1963 snowmobiles were first allowed in Yellowstone. It was 1915 when autos were allowed in Yellowstone. In 1925 UP built a large dinning hall in the "Park Style" in West Yellowstone.
To see Yellowstone or Glacier National Parks on your own schedule, ride Amtrak to Whitefish, MT and rent a car there.
I hate being rushed on a bus tour anywhere.
I rented a car in Fresno, CA last year to go see Yosemite.
I'm planning on visiting several National Parks in Southern Utah someday. I'll probably get off the train in Grand Junction, CO.and rent a car.
Anyone planning on visiting Crater Lake NP before next May, should plan on getting off in Klamath Falls, OR because the north entrance is closed by snow.

[madcrow]

Actually, as I may have mentioned earlier (or not) renting a car is not an option for me, as I don't even have a license. Given than Glacier not only has direct rail access but also a reliable (and free) shuttle bus system that runs every 30 minutes in season, I'm thinking that's the park that would be "most fun" when arriving by rail.

[wigwagfan]

Keep in mind the Park Shuttles DO NOT serve any of the train stations - you will have about a 2.6 mile walk from the train station to the Apgar Village transit center. (http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/u ... p_2009.pdf)

If you are staying at the Lake McDonald Lodge or the Village Inn at Apgar Village, Glacier Park Inc. will run a shuttle to pick you up for either $6 or $10 one-way (http://www.glacierparkinc.com/Transportation/Shuttles/) however you must have a hotel reservation to use those shuttles. There are three Jammer tours that will stop at the West Glacier train station, but they are tours and will return you right back to the hotel (useful if you're staying at the Belton Chalet).

There is one tour that will serve the Izaak Walton Inn (for $90). (http://www.glacierparkinc.com/Transport ... p?tourid=7)

If you are planning on using the free shuttles, you'll probably want to stay in/around Lake McDonald or Apgar on the westside. If you don't mind sticking to the Jammer tours, I'd probably recommend either Belton Chalet, either of the Apgar/Lake McDonald options, or Glacier Park Inn. If you have a little extra money and want to stay at the Izaak Walton Inn go for it, but you probably won't spend as much time in the park as you would like.

[25Hz]

On "destination America" right now 2-3 am edt is a really great program on national parks & trains.

[Gilbert B Norman]

National Parks: Great Train Rides will next be aired on Destination America Channel at 7AM ET June 23.

Here's more on this Discovery Communications cable channel, including a national channel guide:

http://america.discovery.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jeff Smith]

https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-i ... trak-train

The irony on the "Diner Experience" is "delicious", pun intended. Although cross country LD's haven't been struck yet...

America’s national parks are a treasure, and a visit to one of them is one of the best — and most breathtaking — ways to celebrate the country.

Some of the most inspiring sites can even be accessed on Amtrak’s train routes, making a jaunt around the country’s natural treasures an easy vacation option. From the snow-capped peaks in Glacier National Park to the expansive craters and precipitous cliffs of the Grand Canyon, you can experience some of the most awe-inspiring (and Instagramable) views without having to actually drive there yourself.

Amtrak’s sleeper cabins and full-service dining (think cheese quesadillas with eggs and tomatillo sauce for breakfast or thyme roasted chicken for dinner) make the journey an adventure in itself, one which hearkens back to an old ideal of America.

And some parks are even glimpsed right from the train itself: you can take in views like Mount Rainier in Washington, an active volcano and the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S., from the comfort of Amtrak’s observation cars with large picture windows on double-decker trains. Picture the iconic trees in Joshua Tree National Park or the historic Gateway Arch in St. Louis from a large armchair with a drink in hand as the train hurtles by.
...