Verde Canyon Railroad Train Ride
Train Ride in the Verde Valley
The Verde Canyon Railroad Train takes a scenic journey along the Verde River and the beautiful desert area outside of Sedona, Arizona. This is a luxurious, 20-mile ride that takes about 4 hours to complete. It is a must do for the train enthusiast, but also for everyone who enjoys a great travel experience. Along the ride, you’ll see cliff dwellings and old mining sites with a view of bald eagles. There is even a 734-foot tunnel through the mountain side.
The Verde Canyon Railroad train cars are all roomy and have big panoramic windows. Each train car includes an open air car with a platform for the best views. We found ourselves outside most of the time. But you can go back inside for comfortable seating, restrooms and food purchases.
The train reaches the end of the line in Perkinsville, Arizona. There is a brief break while the crew moves the engine on a side rail to the opposite end of the train. During the break, they were selling ice cream sandwiches which were very refreshing, considering we went on a hot summer day. The brownie bites were also very good and we were told they were a specialty.
Train Excursions
The Verde Canyon Railroad also has specialty rides that are fun. They have Ales on Rails for beer tasting and the Grape Train Ride for wine tasting. During the summer months, they offer the Saturday Night Starlight Train which leaves late in the afternoon and returns after the sun has set. During Christmas, the Magical Christmas Journey takes families to visit Santa and his village at the North Pole. During October, you can visit the Fright Night, a static haunted train car.
Leaves are vibrant along the river during the fall. Best time to visit Sedona to see fall colors.
We have gone on the train ride several times over the years. We always enjoy the ride and see something new each time. The staff is very friendly and informative, showing us different things that you probably wouldn’t notice otherwise. We love the views. In summary, we highly recommend the Verde Canyon Railroad train ride! If you are heading to the Grand Canyon, you may like the Grand Canyon Railway too.
The Verde Canyon Railroad train station and depot is located in Clarkdale, Arizona.
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