I'm starting a series on hiking trips reached by train rather than car. I've been a longtime hiker and backpacker, but as the world gets more crowded and polluted, I'm less inclined to want to drive to the trailhead. Still, getting outdoors, out of the city and away from the crowds are important to my sanity. I also enjoy traveling by train and rarely get to do it much. So, we have a convergence.
For me, enjoying the outdoors is about getting away from civilization, and when I begin such a trip by car, I feel a disconnect. The traffic is dispiriting and stressful. Parking at the trailhead is often fraught with anxiety and tension. There is also an inherent conflict in relying on an automobile to get outdoors, which should be about being more independent and self-sufficient, not less.
There are also the climate change implications, of course. Train travel is one of the lowest-impact means of travel where greenhouse gases are concerned. Seems to me if you enjoy the outdoors and want to continue doing so, reducing your carbon footprint on the way there is something important to consider.
One big limitation, obviously, is that are fewer trailheads reachable by train. But it may be a restriction worth accepting. And maybe, in the long run, it will be remedied with more train routes and better schedules as more people try this mode of travel.
I plan to document these trips on the blog. My goal is to eventually offer a "train-to-trail" guidebook. I think there will be value in this, as I am find out that getting to good hikes by train isn't always easy.
As a teaser, here's a photo from my first trip, which ended up being a fascinating kickoff and a great introduction to the issues and contradictions embodied in the concept.
The Shell Oil refinery in Martinez, Calif., shot from the window of the Amtrak Capitol Corridor train just before touching down for the first hike:
It's probably not the sort of photo you were expecting. But it does offer food for thought.
For me, enjoying the outdoors is about getting away from civilization, and when I begin such a trip by car, I feel a disconnect. The traffic is dispiriting and stressful. Parking at the trailhead is often fraught with anxiety and tension. There is also an inherent conflict in relying on an automobile to get outdoors, which should be about being more independent and self-sufficient, not less.
There are also the climate change implications, of course. Train travel is one of the lowest-impact means of travel where greenhouse gases are concerned. Seems to me if you enjoy the outdoors and want to continue doing so, reducing your carbon footprint on the way there is something important to consider.
One big limitation, obviously, is that are fewer trailheads reachable by train. But it may be a restriction worth accepting. And maybe, in the long run, it will be remedied with more train routes and better schedules as more people try this mode of travel.
I plan to document these trips on the blog. My goal is to eventually offer a "train-to-trail" guidebook. I think there will be value in this, as I am find out that getting to good hikes by train isn't always easy.
As a teaser, here's a photo from my first trip, which ended up being a fascinating kickoff and a great introduction to the issues and contradictions embodied in the concept.
The Shell Oil refinery in Martinez, Calif., shot from the window of the Amtrak Capitol Corridor train just before touching down for the first hike:
It's probably not the sort of photo you were expecting. But it does offer food for thought.
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