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Heber Valley Railroad
For a touch of the Old West, a trip down Provo Canyon on a vintage train pulled by a 1907 steam engine just might do the trick.
The Heber Valley Historic Railroad is one of Central Utah's top attractions.
Stuart W. Johnson, Deseret News |
The Heber Valley Railroad runs daily 3-hour round-trips from a station in Heber City to Vivian Park in Provo Canyon. The train travels along the shores of Deer Creek Reservoir before descending down the scenic canyon. After a half-hour stop at Vivian Park, the train returns to the Heber Valley.
Since the tourist railroad began operations in 1993, the popularity of the excursion train has grown. Visitors worldwide have boarded antique coaches for a nostalgic ride through the valley. The train is pulled by historic steam engine, No. 618, a coal-fired locomotive built in 1907.
The original tourist train, called the Heber Creeper, stopped operating in 1990. Local citizens began a campaign to save the historic line and 10 months after receiving an appropriation from the 1992 Utah Legislature, trains began running again.
The railroad also operates a shorter route called Soldier Hollow Express. The 90 minute excursion in a train pulled by engine No. 75, an old locomotive used in several western movies, travels from Heber City to Decker Bay along the shore of Deer Creek Reservoir. On the route the train passes Soldier Hollow, the site for biathlon and cross country events for the 2002 Winter Games.
The Heber Valley Railroad also plans to operate a shuttle service during the 2002 Winter Olympics, running four daily trips from Heber City to the Soldier Hollow carrying more than 800 spectators to the Olympic venue site.
Round-trip tickets for Provo Canyon ride are $21 for adults, $18 for seniors and $12 for children. Infants board free. Fare for the Soldier Hollow Express are $14 for adults, $11 for seniors and $8 for children.
For updated information about departure times and fares call 435- 654-5601 or, in Salt Lake City, 801-581-9980. You can also check the railroad's Web site at www.hebervalleyrr.org/.
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