Big Fill Trail
Look down this path toward the sharp V-shaped
notch in the shoulder of the mountainside ahead.
Walking the Big Fill Trail, you can still see some
of the violent fury of the final days of the race to
Promontory, carved into unyielding limestone.
Although the Promontory Mountains don't look as
formidable as the Wasatch Front of the Sierra Nevada
to modern eyes, your hike here will show you
the toughest grade for a train to pull along the entire
transcontinental route from Donner Pass to the
Missouri River.
This 1.5-mile round-trip route leads to the Big Fill and
Big Trestle site. The grade is easy to walk - just 1.6
percent - thanks to the limits set in the Pacific Railroad
Act in 1862.
Before You Hike
* Hiking time - about 1 hour
* Take drinking water
* Metal detectors, firearms, and
artifact collecting are prohibited
* Wear a hat, there is no shade
* Watch your step. Slopes off the
grades are loose and rocky.
* Prepare for mosquitoes and ticks.
* Rattlesnakes have the right-of-way.
Don't miss the rest of our virtual tour of Golden Spike National Historical Site in 660 images.