I had low expectations for my cross-country train ride from Montana to New York, but I was blown away by the stunning views I saw along the way

The views from my recent Amtrak trip were better than expected.Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

• I recently took a 2,000-mile, cross-country train ride from Montana to New York City.
• I imagined the 57-hour trip would be filled with humdrum views, which was sometimes true.

Last month, I boarded my first cross-country Amtrak train for a 57-hour ride from Whitefish, Montana, to New York City.

The author boarding an Amtrak train at the Whitefish Depot in Montana.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

As a Westerner, I've driven through eastern Montana and the Midwest a few times, so I had low expectations for the views on my journey through America's heartland.

The author sits in her Amtrak roomette (L). The author's train at the Whitefish Depot (R).      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

On previous long journeys through the Midwest, I've found the landscape mind-numbingly boring and better suited to napping than watching the views fly by in the window.

The author during a road trip through Chicago in November 2020.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

So during my recent Amtrak ride, I expected more of the same: rolling plains, open fields, and nothing of note for hours on end.

The author on the train as it passes through eastern Montana.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

And I think I was partly right: After the train stopped in a Montana town near Glacier National Park, the horizon unfolded into miles of rolling plains and blue sky.

The view from the train after passing through East Glacier, Montana, the last stop near any large mountains.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

But even in the mundane moments, I found pockets of truly stunning beauty.

The sunset over the horizon near the border between Montana and North Dakota.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

And throughout the trip, I saw some jaw-dropping views.

A map of scenic views on the train journey between Montana and New York.      Rachel Gillett/Insider

Many of the most remarkable scenes came right after leaving Whitefish, Montana.

A river outside of Essex, Montana, a town near Glacier National Park.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

Though the train didn't pass through the heart of Glacier National Park, it skimmed its borders, providing an unmatched glimpse of Montana's scenery.

From her seat on the train, the author's view of a crystal-clear river outside Glacier National Park.      Jordan Parker Erb

I was in awe as I watched towering mountains zip past, a commanding reminder of my home state's natural beauty.

Mountains near Glacier National Park.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

As we pressed on into the Midwest, mountains gave way to sprawling plains, with just a few silos separating the earth from the sky, which I found hauntingly beautiful.

Silos along the horizon in Montana.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

Before the train arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Midwestern landscape offered enchanting views of frost-coated trees and partially frozen rivers.

Frosty trees and a frozen river outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

During my five-hour layover, I got to explore Chicago's Union Station. And, though it's not a landscape, I thought its stunning architecture was one of the most beautiful things I saw along my train journey.

An Amtrak passenger lounge in Chicago's Union Station.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

In the final few hours of my journey, before pulling into Penn Station, I watched the sun set over the Hudson River, which was one of my favorite views from the trip.

A small strip of land juts out into the Hudson River in New York.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

The sunset exploded into a burst of colors, splashing yellows, blues, and purples across the water's surface, welcoming me back to New York in spectacular fashion.

The author's view of the Hudson River from her roomette.      Jordan Parker Erb/Insider