Spring Flowers on the Verde Canyon Railroad

ENJOY TUNNELS, TRESTLES AND OTHER UNEXPECTED TREATS
AS SPRING EXPLODES IN THE VERDE CANYON

CLARKDALE, Ariz. Springtime in the Verde Canyon offers a quiet solitude bursting with vibrant colors that dot the landscape. A patchwork quilt of color blankets the hillsides as wildflowers and cactuses bloom from March through June. Color spills down the walls and floods the canyon floor with warm hues from the indigenous prickly pear, desert marigolds, larkspur, Blackfoot daisies, ocotillo, and Indian paintbrush.

Spring is when the resident pair of bald eagles – Black and Decker - has one or two eaglets that can be seen in the nest, and train passengers are privileged to view these magnificent creatures in the wild, as they learn to survive on their own. Seeing America’s symbol and other endangered and endearing waterfowl and wildlife in their natural surroundings enhances the floral masterpiece created by Mother Nature.

During spring, more trains are added to accommodate the many passengers wanting to see this colorific canyon in bloom. Verde Canyon Railroad celebrates holidays in style with Mariachis on Cinco de Mayo, Throw Mama ON the Train with Mother’s Day gifts in May and The Easter Bunny Express on April 8th. Debuting in May will be the first Saturday night Starlight Train tours, and the celebrated Grape Train Escape, our famous wine tasting train, begins its season in May.

Most of the Verde Canyon is accessible only by rail, and the historic route is nestled between two national forests and adjacent to a designated wilderness area. This unique geological wonderland features rugged, high desert rock faces and spectacular, panoramic views. This distinctive confluence of desert and wetland is populated by a variety of wildlife, which thrives among the indigenous trees, shrubs, cactuses and wildflowers.
Passengers on this popular excursion train are enthralled as the eagle-decorated, vintage engines roll past towering, crimson cliffs, near ancient Indian ruins, over old-fashioned trestles, and through a 680-foot manmade tunnel on a four-hour round trip to deserted Perkinsville Ranch and back.

Expert narration leaves passengers with a sense of history, archaeology, geology, wildlife and the Indian lore of the Verde Canyon. Original music also is an integral part of the excursion that takes passengers through Arizona’s longest-running nature show.

A ride on Verde Canyon Railroad’s historic route from Clarkdale to the ghost ranch of Perkinsville and back –through Arizona’s other grand canyon—is truly an unforgettable experience. To see Mother Nature’s timeless artistry and the prolific Verde Canyon ecosystem firsthand, call 1-800-293-7245, or visit the Railroad’s website at www.verdecanyonrr.com.

The Verde Canyon Railroad is located at 300 N. Broadway, Clarkdale, Ariz. Ideally situated below the cold of the mountains, and above the heat of the desert, the train depot is 25 minutes from Sedona, two hours north of Phoenix, and one and one-half hours south of Flagstaff. Passengers are encouraged to arrive approximately one and one-half hours prior to departure.