Verde Canyon Railroad
Verde Canyon Pixabay Public Domain
Welcome to Arizona’s longest-running nature show, the fully restored vintage train that has seen over 100 years of rail service, the Verde Canyon Railroad. Over 90,000 people per year experience the sights of this famous route and revel in the casual elegance of train travel as they discover the heritage of the landscape here in Clarkdale and Drake in Arizona. This train first began as a small mine town by the name of Jerome needed transport for its mining community along the 2,000-foot steep mountainsides of its town. There was first created a narrow gauge stretch of railroad by United Verde & Pacific Railway, though it became known as the "crookedest" of all time. In 1911 a new track, Verde Canyon, was created as a 38-mile standard gauge line from Clarkdale to Drake. It took 250 men just a single year, plenty of picks and shovels, a little bit of DuPont black powder, and tons of elbow grease to finish this astonishing feat, including a 680-foot tunnel through a mountain and a trestle track across a 175-foot gorge.
Once aboard this gorgeous train, you will see for yourself the scenic and historic treasure that is the route of Verde Canyon as you go on a four-hour excursion through 20 miles of 100 years of history. Enjoy the thoughtful decor and friendly, informative attendants as you sit aboard the open-air cars with canopies, inside climate-controlled cars, or choose between caboose, first-class, or coach Pullman-style seats. Let the FP7 locomotive take you away, as two of the only 10 trains of the sort available in North America today. The remote wilderness and luxury of comfort aside the soothing music and drink options will have your group truly enjoy the Verde Canyon and all it has to offer!
