Any advice for a camping + Amtrak (and maybe Via) vacation?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Here’s what my wife and I would like to do…

  • Spend a couple of weeks, starting sometime between May 12 and May 31, traveling by rail, making an occasional stop to go camping (we’ll be travelling coach, on average it’d be nice to camp every other night or so)
  • Stick to camping in areas that are within a mile or two of stations (we have to walk w/ our backpacks wherever we go)
  • A stop in Minneapolis would be nice (we’ve got family there), but not required.
  • We’re departing from Oklahoma City, which means we have to go south to Dallas or San Antonio to access any other parts of the Amtrak System
  • We’re both college students, so we can enroll in the student travler program if that saves us some money
  • The more mountains the better

To me, that suggests going south to San Antonio, Looping around to Portland via L.A. and taking the Empire Builder to Chicago, making stops in Glacier National Park and Minneapolis, and then heading back to OKC via either St. Louis or New Orleans.

Going by the rules of the Explore America Pass, we can only make 3 stop overs… which seems like it would probably be too few. If we need to make more stops, we’d have to (I think) get a North America pass, which is slightly more expenisve and requires making a juant into Canada.

If we had to go to Canda, perhaps we could go to Jasper National Park and then double back through Seattle and take the Empire Builder to Chicago.

So… what do you all think? Where are suitable places to camp along such a route? Is this even a good idea? Do you have a better suggestion for a route? If we go to Canada where should we go?

Thanks in advance.

2

Sounds like you’ve already planned the rail part of the trip. Now, if there was a forum board like this for campers and backpackers, that would be the place to ask this question.

3

Thanks for the input. I’ll see if I can find a good camping forum.

4

When I saw the topic, Rightaway I thought of the Empire Builder and
Glacier Mountain Park, but you are already aware of this.

In Canada, look into stopping at Jasper on Via Rail and taking
a bus from Jasper to Banff. Believe there are lots of camps
between the two points. Take in the Athabaska Glacier along the way.

Don’t rely on me tho for camping spots. I’m not a camper,
never was & never will be

5

Your trip sounds like a dream come true. [:)]

I have always wanted to go to Glacier Mountain Park via Amtrak. A side trip into Canada would really make it an experience. [:)]

My only regret is that I am not going with you. [:(]

I hope you have a super time. Remember, we all love train and trip photos so take plenty for us. [;)] [:p]