The most scenic part of the Empire Builder route (and how to ride it)

The most scenic part of the Empire Builder route is between the Pacific Northwest and Glacier National Park. This overnight trip includes amazing views of the Montana Rocky Mountains and the Middle Fork Flathead River (designated as “Wild and Scenic“). You’ll also have the choice to travel through the Columbia River Gorge via Portland or the Cascade Mountains via Seattle.

In this guide, learn how to plan a trip to see this amazing scenery from the windows of the Empire Builder.

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Where the scenic segment starts and ends

Start station: Portland (PDX) or Seattle (SEA)
End station: East Glacier Park (GPK)
Travel time: 15.5 hours (one night on the train)

The East Glacier Park station is only open in the summer (approximately May-September), so plan your trip during these months to maximize your views of the scenery and use this station.

Why this segment is the most scenic

The western end of the Empire Builder has a mix of stunning mountain and water scenery, including the rugged peaks and rivers in and near Glacier National Park. Additionally, there are views of Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains via Seattle, or choose to travel through the Columbia River Gorge via a departure from Portland, Oregon.

If you don’t like tunnels, choose Portland as your departure station. The Seattle segment involves going through the longest railroad tunnel in the United States.

What you won’t see: the Great Plains, Mississippi River, and the Midwest prairies. Trains are in the Great Plains for almost an entire day, which can be monotonous. However, the Mississippi River scenery is beautiful on eastbound trains if you decide to travel the entire route.

Getting to Portland and Seattle

To start your trip, you can choose from a variety of transportation options to reach Portland and Seattle, including Amtrak and flights. If you live locally, we recommend using public transportation or rideshare to reach the train stations.

Amtrak Travel

Portland and Seattle are stops on both the Coast Starlight and Amtrak Cascades routes. You can board these trains in Washington State and Oregon. Additionally, the Cascades has a stop in Vancouver B.C. and the Coast Starlight has many stops in California. You can use the “Book” or “Find Trains” option on Amtrak.com to view your route options from your starting location. In some cases, Amtrak bus service may be an option.

Flights

If you don’t live on the West Coast, booking a flight to Portland or Seattle is the best option. You can use Lyft, Uber, or taxi to reach Amtrak. Additionally, you can connect with light rail trains at both airports to reach the nearby train station. However, if you have a lot of luggage and don’t want to walk far with it, use Uber or Lyft.

Where to stay

The Empire Builder departs Portland and Seattle in the early evening, so you may not need overnight accommodations. However, arriving a day or two early gives you time to sightsee. Both cities have day tours to scenic natural areas, including Seattle to Mount Rainier National Park and Portland to the Columbia River Gorge.

Portland Hotels

Residence Inn, Harlow Hotel, Canopy by Hilton, and Hampton Inn and Suites are the hotels closest to Portland Union Station (walking time less than 10 minutes). Slightly further away is downtown Portland, which has more hotel options.

Seattle Hotels

Embassy Suites is across the street from Seattle’s King Street Station.  Populus Seattle is another nearby option (4-minute walk to the Amtrak station). For a stay near major attractions, check out hotels in the Belltown neighborhood.

East Glacier Park Lodging

The historic Glacier Park Lodge is a short walk away from the East Glacier Park Amtrak station (the lodge also has pickup service). There are Red Bus Tours and shuttles that depart from the lodge, making sightseeing and hiking in the national park easy. However, there aren’t any elevators, so request a first-floor room if you have difficulty going up and down stairs.

For a more modern and spacious stay, check out cabins and home rentals in walking distance from the station.

Return trip options

If you book your trip to East Glacier Park, you’ll arrive in the morning. At your own risk, you can book a return trip on the same day (evening departure). However, if the Empire Builder is extremely delayed, this connection will not work.

Otherwise, plan to stay a night or more in the area. If you don’t want to travel back to the West Coast, you can travel by train to Whitefish, stay a night or more, then fly out of Glacier International Airport.

Best time of year for scenery

Travel on the Empire Builder in the summer, ideally in June, for the most daylight. With early evening departures in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll need late sunset times to enjoy the most scenery.

Seating tips for the best views

The sightseer lounge (available to all passengers), family bedrooms, and dining car have the best views due to windows on both sides of the train. In terms of the best side of eastbound trains for scenery:

• The left side of the train has views of Glacier National Park and Middle Fork Flathead River. There are also some mountain views on the right side as the train approaches East Glacier Park.
• If you’re departing Seattle, sit on the left side for views of Puget Sound.
• If you’re departing from Portland, the right side of the train has views of the Columbia River (but the best Montana views will be on the left side on the following day).

Turning this segment into a longer trip

You can extend your rail vacation by staying a night or more at stops along the way. Top options include:

• Leavenworth: Bavarian-themed town
• Whitefish: Walkable town with lake and nearby skiing
• West Glacier: Mountain village next to Glacier National Park

For a full Empire Builder station list and onboard information, see the Empire Builder route guide.

More Information

• 10 most scenic Amtrak routes
• 10 best stops on the Empire Builder
• Best things to do in Portland
• Best things to do in Seattle
• Best things to in Glacier National Park

Top photo by Locosteve/Flickr.com, Empire Builder on Two Medicine Trestle in Montana