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All the United States Utah Corinne Transcontinental Railroad Back Country Byway
AO Edited

Transcontinental Railroad Back Country Byway

This now-abandoned part of the original transcontinental railroad route provides a surreal driving and historical experience.

Corinne, Utah

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Right of way looking northerly.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Biking on the right-of-way.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
An old foundation from Terrace, with Terrace Butte in the distance.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
A better preserved trestle, but still impassible.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Only the center post remains of this trestle.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
View northwesterly off the right-of-way.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Terrace Butte. The Lake Bonneville shoreline benches look like terraces and gave the townsite its name.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
A better preserved but still impassible trestle.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Prominent Lake Bonneville shoreline benches.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Old trestle.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Lake Bonneville shoreline benches above the right-of-way with a wave-cut arch.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Right-of-way.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Lake Bonneville shoreline benches on a hill north of the right-of-way.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The right-of-way.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Interpretive sign for Ombey, unfortunately vandalized.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Site of Terrace cemetery.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Information about Terrace.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Right-of-way westward toward Lucin.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Modern playa off the right-of-way near the eastern start point.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Partly preserved trestle.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Promontory Point, Utah, is justly famous as the site where the eastward-building and westward-building parts of the Transcontinental Railroad were connected in 1869. And the historic park at the site, with its visitor center, replica locomotives, and interpretive exhibits, is certainly worth a visit. But what is less known is that this part of the original transcontinental route is completely abandoned.

The route was bypassed by the Lucin Cutoff directly across the Great Salt Lake in the early 20th century, and then the tracks were ripped up in 1942 as scrap for the war effort. A short section of track was rebuilt for the historical park in the late 1960s, but the old right-of-way otherwise remained unused. However, it's since been designated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a "back-country byway," and pretty much the entire route—some 90 miles, from west of the Promontory Point historical site to Lucin—is open to automotive traffic.  

The right-of-way traverses desert that is now as remote as anywhere in the conterminous 48 states, making a surreal contrast with the bustling activity that took place over a century ago. Some fragmentary ruins are visible here and there, and the occasional interpretive sign tells about the history at particular points of interest. One of the most interesting is the site of Terrace, about 20 miles east of Lucin, which was once the largest town in this part of Utah and the largest built by the railroad. It was the maintenance and repair center and may have had a total population greater than a thousand. Little is left today.  The route also lies within the basin of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville, which covered much of this part of Utah, and many lakeshore features are also visible.

As it's an old railroad grade, the route is also of interest for mountain bike touring. Cyclists should be experienced, though, and prepared for a remote desert environment, with adequate water and repair skills. Having an accompanying automobile as a "mother ship" is an attractive option.

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Transportation Railroads Trains Roads

Know Before You Go

According to the BLM website, the stretch between the beginning of the route on the east and the site of Kelton should be passable to passenger cars in dry conditions.   There are a number of intermediate access points; consult the BLM map (link given below). Between Kelton and Lucin high clearance is required and 4wd desirable, because most of the old trestles must be bypassed by driving down off the old railroad grade and directly across the drainage.

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slgwv

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March 7, 2022

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  • https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/uploads/BLMUtahTranscontinentalRailroadMap.pdf
Transcontinental Railroad Back Country Byway
Golden Spike Loop Rd
Corinne, Utah, 84307
United States
41.584506, -112.641106
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Nearby Places

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Photo of Corinne

Corinne

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Places 3

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The Spiral Jetty

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miles away

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