Verde Canyon Railroad
4.7(5.5K)google
4.5(54)yelp
Train
Overview
The Verde Canyon Railroad is a heritage railroad running between Clarkdale and Perkinsville in Arizona, United States. The passenger excursion line operates on 20 miles (32 km) of tracks of the Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad (AZCR), a shortline. The Verde Canyon Railroad has its depot, headquarters, and a railway museum in Clarkdale, about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Sedona.
Practical Info
Mon8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tue8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wed8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thu8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration3.5-4 hours
Best TimeIn spring (March–May) the riverside is lush and dotted with wildflowers, while in autumn (October–November) you can see golden cottonwoods. In October there's also the popular limited-edition "Ale Fest" themed train
Getting ThereThe station is in Clarkdale (right next to the hill town of Jerome), about a 30-minute drive from Sedona. The station has a huge free parking lot, so driving there is most convenient
Travel Tips
- This is a century-old vintage sightseeing railway line; the train takes you smoothly through the depths of Verde Canyon, unreachable by car, with magnificent red-rock cliffs, an ancient rare plains river valley, and Native American ruins along the way
- The train offers an extremely comfortable first class (with sofas and free snacks) and standard class; best of all, every passenger can walk out to the open-air observation car at any time to photograph the canyon scenery and soaring bald eagles unobstructed
- This is a very popular seasonal scenic train; weekend tickets in the autumn foliage season and spring wildflower season especially often sell out weeks in advance, so it's highly recommended to book early on the official site
Reviews
Positive
- A very luxurious and relaxing rail journey! The cars are well air-conditioned with attentive service, and the open-air car offers a superb photography experience. We saw several bald eagles, America's national bird, along the way—the whole family was very satisfied
- A very comfortable pace, with no need to drive or walk yourself; sitting in the vintage train sipping champagne while watching the red-rock canyon outside is a top-tier enjoyment quite different from hardcore hiking
Heads up
- The one-way train trip takes nearly 4 hours, and because it returns the same way, the scenery on the way back is exactly the same as on the way out, which may feel a bit visually tiring after a while