Today, the glory days of the American railroad are remembered and celebrated at this National Historic Site where,throughout the summer, the event is re-created, complete with replicas of the two original engines, the Jupiter and the 119, meeting cowcatcher to cowcatcher. Onlookers are encouraged to cheer and wave their hats.

What to see and do. You'll feel the excitement of railroading when you visit Golden Spike NHS. The visitor center offers films about the history of the railroad, as well as a museum featuring several exhibits on the history of the Transcontinental Railroad, and the impact its completion had on our expanding nation. The Jupiter and the 119, both faithful replicas of the originals (which were scrapped around the turn of the century), are on display May through early October, and can be seen in the engine house during the winter months.

The self-guided Promontory Auto Tour allows visitors to drive along the original grade and offers sights of both historic and scenic significance. The entire drive takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. If you are pressed for time, the west section of the tour takes 45 minutes, and the east section, a half-hour. A hiking trail provides a one-and-a-half-mile walk to the Big Fill and Big Trestle areas, where each railroad used a different method to negotiate the steep grade. There is a picnic area at the visitor center, as well as a sales counter where books on the Transcontinental Railroad, Utah history and railroading, postcards, and souvenirs may be purchased.

The visitor center is located 32 miles west of Brigham City, and is open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM in the summer, and to 4:30 PM the rest of the year. In addition to the May 10 Golden Spike Anniversary Celebration and the Railroader's Festival held on the second Saturday in August, the site hosts a Winter Steam Demonstration and Film Festival on the last weekend in December. The site is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.