California & Nevada via the Zephyr!

The California Zephyr crosses both the Sierra Nevadas and the Rocky Mountains and is generally considered one of the most beautiful train rides in the country.  So far, I would have to agree!  We picked it up in San Francisco, traveled northeast and ended up in Truckee, located a few miles from Lake Tahoe.  After several days, we re-boarded the train and headed east, ending in Winnemucca, Nevada.  We have now crossed the Sierra Nevadas as well as the Santa Rosa Range.   While the Sierra Nevadas are located primarily in California, there is a small section in Nevada, which borders Reno on its western side.  This section of our ride was beautiful, green with an abundance of firs. Yep, we took numerous pictures through the train windows!  The  next section-which continued east from Reno to Winnemucca- had a very different look.

East of Reno is the high desert and the green slowly disappears, replaced by sage brush and a mixture of hills and valleys.  The trees vanish as the train rolls through the Santa Rosa Range.  I was surprised to find that this range was known for a wetter climate as I did not notice the scenery return to the  green of the Sierra Nevadas.  When we arrived in Winnemucca that evening, it was grey and cloudy.  This morning, sure enough, it started raining as we walked back to our hotel from our diner breakfast!

Tomorrow, we will reboard the Zephyr for an overnight trip to Grand Junction, Colorado for a three day stay before the final leg to Denver.  These two trips will take us through the Rocky Mountains!  I am looking forward to it!