Home›Routes›Barstow ↔ Needles Amtrak

Amtrak Southwest Chief

Needles Amtrak → Barstow

↔ 265.5 km 🚆 Southwest Chief ▰ Scenic segment analysis

Barstow → Needles Amtrak Needles Amtrak → Barstow

Which side has the best views?

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RIGHT SIDE

Confidence: 70.4%

L 93.8R 160.5Both 235.1

The RIGHT side has the stronger scenery on this segment. The LEFT side can still include worthwhile views.

Segment facts

Distance: 265.5 km
Service: Southwest Chief
Operator: Amtrak
Direction: Needles Amtrak → Barstow
Named scenic places: 16
Last analyzed: Sep 19, 2026

Sun exposure☀ Live

Date Local time Time zone

☀

At the selected timeCalculating…

—Sun elevation —Sun azimuth

This is an instant sun snapshot for the selected local time. The time zone is estimated from the route and can be changed.

Route mapNeedles Amtrak → Barstow

OpenStreetMap

How to read this recommendation

RIGHT SIDEBest current scenery signal

70.4%Algorithm confidence

16Named scenic places

LEFT and RIGHT are always relative to the direction of travel shown above. Switching the journey direction automatically flips side-specific evidence.

Named scenic places16

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Sand HillMountains / Peaks · 0.1 km from track

BOTH

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B HillMountains / Peaks · 0.6 km from track

LEFT

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Dish HillMountains / Peaks · 1.1 km from track

RIGHT

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Ash HillMountains / Peaks · 1.3 km from track

LEFT

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Black ButteMountains / Peaks · 2.3 km from track

RIGHT

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Amboy CraterMountains / Peaks · 2.3 km from track

LEFT

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Elephant MountainMountains / Peaks · 2.4 km from track

RIGHT

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Newberry PeakMountains / Peaks · 2.6 km from track

LEFT

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Goffs ButteMountains / Peaks · 2.8 km from track

LEFT

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Newberry CairnMountains / Peaks · 2.8 km from track

LEFT

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Piute ValleyValley · 0.0 km from track

BOTH

•

Fenner ValleyValley · 0.0 km from track

BOTH

•

Mohave ValleyValley · 0.6 km from track

RIGHT

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Lead MountainMountains / Peaks · 5.0 km from track

RIGHT

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Sleeping BeautyMountains / Peaks · 5.9 km from track

RIGHT

≈

Mojave RiverRivers / Canals · 0.2 km from track

BOTH

Scenery types

Lake71%

Mountains / Peaks23%

Valley4%

Viewpoints1%

Rivers / Canals1%

Traveler notes

Choose the RIGHT side for the current best scenery signal.
Both sides can still have worthwhile views; the recommendation highlights where the stronger scenery is concentrated.
Seat orientation can vary by train consist. LEFT/RIGHT refers to the direction of travel, not the carriage layout.
Season, weather, vegetation and daylight can change what is actually visible.

WhichTrainSide methodology

Why this side?

LEFT and RIGHT are relative to the travel direction selected above. Use the direction switcher to view the same rail corridor in reverse; scenery sides flip automatically, while sun exposure is recalculated for the selected date and time.