The Experience
Unforgettable Journeys, Unmatched Hospitality
People Serving People
In a world that is facing an onslaught of artificial intelligence, it is typical for us to navigate through life via keyboards and touchscreens rather than through human interaction. Verde Canyon Railroad, a historic train adventure, still believes in people serving people. From the first phone contact with a cheerful and helpful reservation agent to a fond farewell from an enthusiastic train-car attendant, passengers riding this heritage railroad enjoy a genuine human experience.
More Than a Train Ride
Between making a reservation and someone saying, “Come ride again,” there is an army of other smiling faces just waiting to make the day-long Railroad experience more than just a train ride. Those at the ticket counter welcome you and traveling companions into the depot with a grin and tickets before directing your party to the Boxcar Gift Store to pick up a hat, t-shirt, book or souvenir, or to the Copper Spike Café for a luscious scratch-made lunch to be shared alongside other passengers on a spacious outdoor pavilion.
Outdoor Dining
Dining outdoors is definitely part of the Railroad experience, especially since there is an adult beverage bar with another happy person eager to serve every kind of drink from a fruit smoothie to a private-labeled beer or wine to make your daycation more enjoyable. With great customer service right at your fingertips, relaxing on the pavilion before the ride makes the trip worthwhile even before boarding the train.
Exploring History
Storyboards
After a bite to eat and spending a few dollars on a favorite piece of art, clothing or jewelry, there’s still time to stroll along the walk near the quarter-mile-long train idling on the track. The walkway storyboards reveal secrets about the many creatures that make Verde Canyon their home, and how their presence is essential to the building blocks of life in this fragile riparian ecosystem.
John Bell Museum
Nearby, there’s even more to explore in the John Bell Museum, named after a local historian and photographer who was instrumental in chronicling the history of Verde Canyon Railroad and the Verde Valley. The quaint museum, located in an old boxcar that once was owner Dave Durbano’s office, has an abundance of photography and memorabilia, each with a tale of its own to tell.
Onboard Comfort
When the “All Aboard!” is sounded, you and Verde Canyon Railroad car attendants exchange sincere greetings before the staff eagerly makes passengers comfortable in living-room-style or bistro-table seating, each near a panoramic window for views that will soon astound. There’s a charcuterie tray and a bottle of bubbly waiting for you to salute the rail adventure ahead. Insightful narration and railroad tunes that span decades are on the horizon for the 4-hour trip aboard tracks dating back to 1912.
Reason for the Ride
One of the vintage FP7 locomotives blows its whistle, signaling that you’re about to be whisked back in time when artificial intelligence wasn’t even a blip on the radar. It’s announcing that you’re about to enter a wild and picturesque canyon with vermillion stone faces, astounding scenery, wildlife, trestles, tunnels and other unexpected treats. Weather-chiseled stone pillars that have names, like Elephant Rock or Turtle Rock, integrate with other archeological and geological wonders, including a monocline fold that weaves its way under the tracks right before your eyes.
It’s a canyon with visual remnants of ancient Native Americans and early white settlers and miners who dared to go up against Mother Nature in a remote and inaccessible chasm, that is, until the railroad rolled out an iron carpet. What the train may lack in futuristic intelligence, it delivers with exceptional service and conscientious attendants eager to share a wealth of fascinating canyon lore.
Capturing the Past
This historic railroad was once a treasured connection between the booming copper mines of Jerome and distant civilizations. Today, passengers relax in plush comfort as the train rumbles into rugged terrain, where eagles soar off crimson rock ledges, and the continually flowing Verde River charts a sinuous path through the high desert. The best place to capture the honest essence of the Canyon is on an open-air car adjacent to your passenger coach. A gentle breeze and fresh canyon air are just two more reasons to step outside and snap a photo of breathtaking vistas only visible when riding Verde Canyon Railroad. You literally get two seats for the price of one.
Hunger Pangs
If lunch, an appetizer tray and a glass of sparkling wine or cider doesn’t quench your thirst or squelch your food craving, there’s multiple other snacks and mouthwatering drink specialties onboard. The Railroad has a secret-recipe Prickly Pear Margarita or signature Bloody Mary garnished with olives, celery and pepperoncini peppers so full that it could be considered another meal.
The Season is the Reason
There’s only one thing that changes on Verde Canyon Railroad and that’s the seasons. Winter welcomes real snowbirds, especially migrating bald and golden eagles that can be seen gliding on thermals before spotting prey and diving at record speed to capture their target. Spring announces its arrival with a colorful explosion of wildflowers and blooming cactuses, along with the emergence of an umbrella of greenery on mammoth cottonwood and sycamore trees that shade the verdant waters of the river. The azure summer skies turn a deep cobalt blue blanketed with a whitewash of distant stars and galaxies on evening excursions. Autumn seems to steal the show when green turns to gold and temperatures take a yearly dip. Whatever the season, the canyon remains the same, enveloping and rugged, but inviting.
The End of the Journey is the Beginning
If you missed something on the first two-hour leg from Clarkdale to Perkinsville – the ghost-ranch destination on the 40-mile roundtrip – the return allows more time to ensure that this glorious day has fulfilled a bucket list with rewarding human interaction. The comfort and amenities are consistent, there’s a link with people you didn’t know before, and the relationship created between you and the staff makes for a rail lasting experience. It’s always a good day when you’re on a train, especially this train.
