Amtrak is one of the most unique forms of travel in the U.S. Specifically designed to prioritize views over efficiency, Amtrak’s most iconic train is the cross-country California Zephyr, which runs from the California coast to Chicago.

I decided to take the California Zephyr for a short weekend trip to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado , hopping on in Salt Lake City, Utah , and getting off in the small town of Granby, Colorado, the gateway to Rocky Mountain’s “secret” entrance .

For the trip out, I splurged for the roomette, since my train left Salt Lake at 3 am and I wanted to be well-rested for the next day’s hiking excursions. On the way back, however, I was hopping on the train around 10 am and getting off in Salt Lake by 10:30 pm, so a bed felt excessive.

I decided t

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