Big Fill Loop Trail

 The Trail

This easy trail is a 1.6 mile loop with only about a 95 ft elevation change. The trail basically follows the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroad grades to the Big Fill, with lots of informative points along the way.

Topographical Map

 

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

Heading clockwise around the trail will follow the informative points in order. A explanation pamphlet can be bought from the visitor's center, but you call also call into each point on your cell phone to hear the point narrated.

Trailhead

Going clockwise, the trail starts out following the Central Pacific grade. Since the two railroad companies couldn't agree on where to meet, and both were being paid based on how much rail they laid, they built two different tracks right past each other. The Central Pacific line created the more stable Big Fill to lay their track on, which was created from piled earth to fill in the area between hills for the tracks to run across. The trail arrives at the Big Fill about half way through the hike.

The Big Fill

Meanwhile, the Union Pacific company created the nearby less stable Big Trestle for their tracks to run on. It no longer is standing, but the dirt platforms from which it was built are still there.

Looking across the dirt platforms for The Big Trestle

Near the Big Trestle is a "false cut" where Union Pacific workers started making a cut into the rocks a little north of where they needed to. A few hundred yards south they made the cut in the correct spot.

On the other side of the loop on the way back toward the trailhead there is small cave (marked by green dot on the topographical map) that was probably used as a temporary shelter by workers during blasts.

Cave along the trail

Trail heading to the cave

This trail is open to dogs. It is fully exposed and thus quite hot during the summer; make sure you bring plenty of water. There are no bathrooms at the trailhead, but there are at the visitor's center. There is a fee to visit this trail since it is part of Golden Spike National Monument.

Directions

This trail is located in Box Elder County, Utah. To get there from I-15, take Exit 365 and head west on Promontory Rd. This road will become UT-83, and you will stay on this road for about 20 miles before turning left onto 7200 North. From this turn it is about 3.7 mile to the trailhead on the right. The parking is a little ways up a dirt road here. GPS Coordinates: N41° 38.238' W112° 29.490'