Transcontinental Railroad is 30 miles west of Brigham City in northwest Utah. It begins south of Promontory near Golden Spike National Historic Site and travels west to Lucin. The byway is 90 miles long and follows Transcontinental Railroad Road, which is a narrow gravel and dirt road. It requires a two-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle to complete. Vehicles longer than 30 feet are discouraged from traveling the byway. Inquire locally about current road conditions. Portions of the byway may become impassable after heavy rain, otherwise it remains open all year.
This back country byway takes travelers across the abandoned Central Pacific Railroad grade through the old town sites of Kelton, Terrace, and Watercress. The landscape today looks much the same as it did in 1869 when Central Pacific’s tracks met Union Pacific’s rails. The Golden Spike National Historic Site preserves the site where these two railroads joined their rails with a gold spike on May 10, 1869. A visitor center offers movies and exhibits of this historic event. Take your time to stop and read the more than 30 interpretive sites along the byway. Byway travelers will come across original trestles and culverts as well as remains of two railroad communities and several workers’ camps.
The byway crosses the northern reaches of the Great Salt Lake Desert. The eastern portion provides broad vistas of the northern end of Great Salt Lake. As you travel the western segment of the byway, you are rewarded with views of the Pilot, Newfoundland, Grouse Creek, and Raft River mountain ranges. Please be cautious as you travel this byway as portions of it may be used by bicyclists. Also, there are no services along the byway. Gasoline is available in Snowville, Brigham City, and Wendover.