Mountain West
by Sue Arko
Imagine a region where mountains seem to touch the sky, where sweeping plains seem to reach to the horizon, where clear rivers flow over polished rocks, and where an abundance of wildlife frolic and play. This region is the Mountain West, USA. And
Imagine ... a train running through it.
A restored streamliner train, complete with refurbished cars from the 1880's, travels on the original Northern Pacific route. This route, completed in 1883, was America's second transcontinental rail line and is the most scenic route through the American West. Operated by Montana Rockies Rail Tours from June to September, the Montana Daylight Train travels through the Rocky Mountains along a 478-mile route between Sandpoint, Idaho and Livingston, Montana.
This signature rail tour lasts three days and two nights. Add to this, scenic, mildly adventurous, and historical extensions by deluxe motorcoach for tour itineraries that explore the entire region. Spokane, Wash. is the gateway for most of the eastbound departures. All guests arrive in Spokane and spend the night in a comfortable hotel. Early the next morning, the journey begins by boarding a motorcoach and traveling 90 miles to Sandpoint Idaho.
Surrounded by the Selkirk and Cabinet mountain ranges, Sandpoint is a world-class ski and summer resort area. Idaho's largest lake, Lake Pend Oreille, lies on one side of the town and the lazy Pend Oreille River on the other. Talented artists, actors, and musicians live in town and offer year-round shows and festivals, making Sandpoint Idaho's largest arts community. Soon the call is heard, "All Aboard" and the Montana Daylight Train departs Sandpoint. All travel is during daylight hours, so nothing is missed along the way, beginning with the bald eagles, which can be seen along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille.
Comfortable hotels are utilized each evening. The first stop is Missoula, Mont., located at the mouth of Hellgate Canyon and on the banks of the Clark River. While in Missoula, visit the hand-carved Carousel for Missoula. Crafted by volunteers, it is one of the first fully hand-carved carousels to be built in the United States since the Great Depression. The carousel revolves to the sound of the largest band organ in continuous use in the United States.
The rail portion of the journey concludes the following afternoon in Livingston, Mont., located just 50 miles north of Yellowstone National Park. In the 1880's, soon after the railroad arrived, Livingston was the original entrance to Yellowstone. The historic Northern Pacific traindepot has been restored to its original grandeur and houses exhibitions of Western history, railroad history and art of the region.
In Livingston, guests board a comfortable motorcoach and travel to Gardiner, the new northern entrance to Yellowstone, for the evening. President Theodore Roosevelt visited Gardiner in 1903 to dedicate the arch made of basaltic rock, which marks the entrance to the "Yellowstone Wonderland." This arch is inscribed with the words "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of All People." The next three days are spent discovering Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons National Park.
Powerful natural forces, including furious volcanic explosions, crashing waves, grinding glaciers, shuddering earthquakes, and strong winds, created the diverse landscape that became Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Many uncommon sites are contained in the 3,472 square miles of Yellowstone. Old Faithful Geyser is the most famous and the most consistent of Yellowstone's 10,000 hydrothermal features. It erupts 18- 21 times each day, normally reaching maximum heights averaging 130 feet for about 20 seconds. The eruption then ends with a few puffs of steam. Other highlights in Yellowstone include the Norris Geyser Basin and the Mammoth Hot Springs area.
To know more about Mountain West Travel Visit LeisureGroupTravel.com.
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