The Verde Canyon, featuring an abundance of native flora and fauna, rugged, high-desert rock faces and spectacular vistas, is only accessible by rail. As you step aboard this popular excursion, complete with luxurious coaches and open-air viewing cars pulled by vintage diesel engines, expect to be captivated by this untouched and unspoiled canyon.
The ride from Clarkdale to the turn-around point of Perkinsville is scheduled so passengers may enjoy the progress of daylight as it dances over the rippling green waters of the Verde River, then tiptoes across the canyon floor through canopies of foliage before escaping up the towering canyon walls into the brilliant azure skies of this celebrated gorge.
On the return trip to Clarkdale, the Canyon takes on an entirely new dimension with further shifting of illumination and shadows.
More than any other feature, Arizona is defined by canyons. All across the state, these great gorges in the landscape harbor scenery and secrets. One of the most spectacular is in Verde Canyon.
Take a moment to imagine Sedona and its world-famous landscape without the development. The towering red rock buttes and haunting formations with no roads or resorts, no homes or hotels. You’ve just conjured up an image of Verde Canyon.
Inspired by nature, conducted by experts, the Verde Canyon Railroad travels through this wall-to-wall wonderland.
High cliff walls adorned with cactus and agave overlook this splashy oasis, while graceful cottonwoods and sycamores canopy the water.
Such a collision of ecosystems lures a variety of wildlife, a fur and feather roster that makes Verde Canyon Railroad the envy of other excursion trains and adventure tours.
History comes alive above, below, and around every turn. Ancient Sinagua ruins in towering cliffs stand sentinel over the tracks.
Sturdy trestles and elegant bridges span side gorges, testaments to the hard work and ingenuity of the men who built them over 100 years ago.
Blasted through solid rock, a 680-foot manmade tunnel envelopes passengers in total darkness before delivering the train back into glorious Arizona sunshine.
This bewitching scenery forms an unforgettable backdrop for the slow rolling journey of Verde Canyon Railroad.