There is nothing quite like experiencing beautiful scenery from the comfort of a passenger train. Arizona residents and visitors alike call the Verde Canyon Railroad a must-see adventure when visiting the Copper State.
Hop aboard for a look at some of the sights and sounds of this ride. Enjoy the video tour from the folks at VCR above, or check out the transcript below to get the details in writing, lightly edited for clarity. (This video was filmed in March of 2021.)
Teresa Propeck, VP of Marketing and Passenger Services 00:03 –Â Verde Canyon Railroad is here so that people can go back in time, and have a first class experience in a historic canyon with great food, great music, and maybe get a little educated about the Verde Valley. The Verde Canyon Railroad is located in Clarkdale, Arizona; that’s 25 minutes southwest of Sedona, and just an hour and a half north of Phoenix. So we’re really easy to get to.
TP 00:28 –Â There are so many aspects of this train that make it unique. How many places can you go where you’re riding on a historic rail line, in historic cars that have been converted into first class offering you appetizers, champagne, and you don’t only have your one seat inside that’s very comfortable, and you look out panoramic windows, but you have a second seat in an open air viewing car that no other train in the nation gives you.
Jason Wyatt, Engineer Verde Canyon Railroad 00:55 – Right now, you get a wonderful view of the canyon because the leaves are down from the trees. So you really get to see all the rock formations and the colors in the natural environment. During the spring, the wild flowers amaze people. During the summer, the lush foliage and the variety of wildlife that you see is what has people amazed and then in the fall, you start to get those wonderful colors on those trees.
TP 01:21 – We are very much into service. So every car has a car attendant who’s there to help you with pointing things out during the journey, picking up your trash, bringing you another cocktail and making sure that your ride is wonderful.
Daniel Adair, General Manager Verde Canyon Railroad 01:35 – We’re constantly trying to upgrade and meet the highest levels of service that we can for all of our guests who come ride and want us to see the beautiful Canyon that we have that only you can access through the Verde Canyon Railroad.
TP 01:49 – Since COVID has happened, we’ve made a lot of changes at Verde Canyon Railroad. Some we didn’t realize would be so good for us. We of course, are wearing our masks. We’re taking all the proper precautions inside the depot, boarding the train, and we ask our passengers to wear their masks as well. It’s allowed people to get out and see this canyon and enjoy it even during the pandemic.
TP 02:13 – As we come into spring break, this is a great trip that people can do as a family. From two to 92, people enjoy being on board this train. They have the opportunity to see something that they otherwise couldn’t do unless they walk, or ride a horse.
So come and ride our train. Come during the summer months and do our Saturday night starlight trains.
If you like wine, do our Great Train Escape where we do wine tastings, Ales on Rails is in the fall. And of course, our most important trip of the year when the Big Man himself comes. Our Magical Christmas Journey is the whole month of December.
We are a trained for everyone, for all seasons, and we want people to come out when it works for them and ride the Verde Canyon Railroad. For more information, visit verdecanyonrr.com.
While you’re in an Arizona tourism frame of mind, may we suggest a few other spots worthy of consideration?
Do you love your fun in the sun? Wakeboarding, swimming, off-roading? A trip to Parker might be for you.
More of a Sun Salutation type? The vortex energy of Sedona might be more your thing.
