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Spike 150 is an initiative of Utah’s Transcontinental Railroad 150th Celebration Commission. The Utah State Legislature and Governor Gary Herbert established the Commission in 2017. Utah’s Transcontinental Railroad 150th Celebration Commission celebrated the historic 1869 “wedding of the rails” with events throughout the state including the Sesquicentennial Festival at the Golden Spike National Historical Park on the weekend of May 10-12, 2019. The Commission is also engaged in promoting other commemorative events and activities that inspire, unify, educate and advance the legacy of this historic moment.
Promontory Summit is located in Box Elder County in northern Utah. The site is approximately a two-hour drive from Salt Lake City.
Additional directions can be found on the Golden Spike National Historical Park website.
Yes! Visit Box Elder, Visit Ogden, and Visit Salt Lake are great resources for information about availability and details.
No. Camping is available at campgrounds in the surrounding area. We recommend looking into free/paid camping in Box Elder County. Visit Box Elder has lodging and accommodations recommendations and contact information.
Train reenactments and steam demonstrations run on a daily schedule from May – September at the Golden Spike National Historical Park.
The iconic Big Boy #4014 and the #844 trains were be at Ogden Union Station in May, 2019. Union Pacific’s historic Big Boy steam locomotive No. 4014 is touring the Union Pacific system throughout 2019 to commemorate the transcontinental railroad’s 150th anniversary. Check out the steam schedule to see this historic engine.
No. In 1904, the Southern Pacific Company constructed the Lucin Cutoff, a 102-mile railroad line that runs from Ogden to Lucin, Utah. This cutoff bypassed the original Central Pacific Railroad route. However, the original railroad grade is preserved at the Golden Spike National Historical Park. In 1942 the rails leading to Promontory Summit were removed and re-laid in military depots in support of the war effort during WWII.
Golden Spike National Historical Park is open year round – seven days a week from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Visit their website for information on planning your visit. We encourage you to plan your next trip to one of Utah’s national parks or find out how you can save on your next National Parks vacation here. The America the Beautiful National Park Pass is your ticket to Golden Spike National Historical Park and more than 2,000 parks across the country.
Golden Spike National Historical Park and all of our national parks are supported through tax dollars and by your individual donations.
Volunteers contribute thousands of hours to Golden Spike National Historical Park each year. Fill out a volunteer application and get involved!
The Golden Spike Sesquicentennial Ceremony, including the premiere of the musical performance As One, was broadcast live throughout the state and streamed live on our partner station KSL Channel 5. Clips of the ceremony are available below:
We are partnering with communities around the state to organize more than 150 events this year. To find an event in your community visit the Statewide Events page on our website.
The Utah Department of Heritage and Arts, the State Board of Education and Spike 150 have partnered with the Utah Education Network to develop lesson plans and general educational resources for Utah students in K-8th grade.
The Utah Department of Heritage and Arts has created a history of the Transcontinental Railroad. A toolkit with reading recommendations and reference materials, books and historical resources to bolster your Transcontinental Railroad learning can be found at local County libraries.
