USA Weekend Travel Report named the Sedona Verde Valley region of north-central Arizona the most beautiful place in the United States. Sedona itself is famous for its unique natural beauty with backcountry hiking, jeep tours, and hot air balloon tours. It has easy access to ancient sites like cliff dwellings and petroglyph sites, as well as modern Native American cultural life sharing arts and crafts. Sedona is renowned for spiritual healing sites like Chapel of the Holy Cross and others like the Amitabha stupa and the Vortex. Resort spas and other businesses offer a variety of services.
Verde Canyon Railroad
Yet there is another, lesser known, beautiful tour experience near the town of Sedona in the Verde Valley town of Clarkdale. Officially it is the Verde Canyon Railroad Tour. Arizonan’s know it as one of the state's best kept secrets. A site along the tour is the Verde Canyon itself, often called Arizona’s Other Grand Canyon, because it is the second largest canyon in Arizona. The Grand Canyon of course is the largest.
The Verde Canyon Railroad runs all year round, to the delight of locals and tourists alike. However, winter is the perpetual favorite season for return railroad ticket holders, when the ultimate snowbirds arrive for their winter stay, the American bald and golden eagles! These birds make their winter homes along the perfect riparian areas of the Verde River in the sycamore tree tops, making a majestic show for train passengers on the four hour ride from Clarkdale to Perkinsville and back.
Alert passengers with binoculars or keen observation skills may spot wintering bull elk carrying massive antler racks moseying along the river bank. Some lucky passengers see a trotting herd of foraging javalina, or other high desert creatures common to this remote region of north-central Arizona.
The isolated area which the train ride travels through is a boon for tourist, historian, train enthusiast, and naturalist. The train itself is authentic to the era in which the track was last used for local Verde Valley mining and passenger industries. Travelers may even reserve the caboose for up to six people and a unique private, all-access experience.
Natural history, Native American history including cliff dwellings, railroad, mining, white conflict history, and even Hollywood’s western movie era is evident along the train tour route, left untouched in all authenticity, and explained by educated Verde Valley Railroad Guides.
The secluded beauty of the unique vistas and wildlife of this portion of the Verde Valley, different from the Sedona area of the valley, and the constant rocking of the train, along with the intermittent stories told by the train guides, are breathtaking beyond words. Sedona has one type of passion and spirit. The Verde Canyon Railroad out of Clarkdale has quite another. It is not to be missed or underestimated.
Verde Canyon Railroad Details
All Reservations Made Online at Verde Canyon Railroad, or by Calling Phone #1-(800)-582-7245; First Class $79.95; Adult Coach $54.95; Senior Coach $49.95 (age 65+); Child Coach $34.95 (age 2 - 12); Caboose $600 (private up to 6 people).
The Verde Canyon Railroad reservationists are the best source for information and pricing on the special seasonal and holiday excursions: Chocolate Lovers Festival on Valentine’s Weekend, Lucky Leprechaun Express, Easter Bunny Express, Cinco de Mayo Festival, 4th of July Firecracker Express, Haunted Halloween, and Santa Claus Express; Summer Tequila Sunset Limited, Grape Train Escape Wine-tasting, and autumn’s Ales on Rails train trips are adult-only, with age 21 minimum requirement.
For further reading on Arizona travel see Lynn Pritchett's articles: Spring Attractions in Phoenix on a Budget, Affordable Spring Attractions in Tucson, and Dot's Diner in Bisbee, Arizona, with other travel and cuisine articles here at Suite 101, and also at the online magazine Associated Content linked on Lynn's profile page.
Disclaimer
The author was not compensated by or is affiliated in any way with the Verde Canyon Railroad for the writing of this feature. As an Arizona resident and a paying anonymous traveler on this train on more than one occasion in late fall and winter season, the opinions expressed herein represent only the author’s personal viewpoints and experiences regarding this Sedona Verde Valley Region tour opportunity.
Lynn Pritchett - Lynn lives in Arizona with her husband and is caretaker for a few pets left behind by their two grown daughters.
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