If you've been to Sedona more than once and are looking for
something different and fun to do, or if you love trains, we
recommend the Verde Canyon Railroad in the town of Clarkdale, AZ.
Clarkdale sits at the base of the old copper mining town of Jerome, and it's just 25 miles outside of the Sedona city limits.
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Verde
Canyon Railroad |
The Verde Canyon Railroad is privately owned and runs along the Verde River through the
stunning Verde Canyon in the Verde Valley. Because it's just a
four hour round trip (40 miles), you'll also have time to do some
shopping in nearby Jerome, AZ.
If you visit Jerome before the train, we suggest that you find the
depot in Clarkdale first to get your bearings.
The trip starts in Clarksdale, chugs along to an old farm
at Perkinsville (you don't get out), and heads back home. Along
the way you'll learn a little history, and all around you'll see
beautiful canyons, red rock cliffs, and volcanic rock on the Black
Mountain in the distance.
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View from
the open air car |
As the train cars named Flagstaff, Phoenix, and the like exit the depot you'll see the old Clarkdale smelter
(now closed) on the left that processed copper ore mined in nearby
Jerome. The smelter operated from 1914-1952, and the railroad,
built in 1911-12, shipped the smelted copper to the main Santa Fe
line 40 miles away. On the right is a 40 acre mountain of
cooled molten slag, averaging 40 feet in depth, and accumulated over
almost 40 years. Slag is the waste material from the smelting
process. It looks like a huge pile of volcanic ash.
You'll also see Sinagua Indian cliff dwellings, eagle nests, cactus,
cottonwoods, and white barked sycamores.
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Going
into the tunnel |
The train also passes over bridges and through a 680 foot man-made
tunnel.
We sat in first class and, don't tell anyone, sipped on a marguerite
while munching on salsa chips and quesadillas; but most of the time
we were out on an open air car taking pictures and breathing in the
views. Bring a fleece pullover and a hat because it can get
windy.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is located at 300 North Broadway,
Clarkdale, Arizona 86324. For more information on the Verde
Canyon Railroad visit
www.verdecanyonrr.com, call 800-320-0718 or email them at:
info@verdecanyonrr.com.
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An open
air car |
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First
Class Car |
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Perkinsville |
If you're going to stay in Sedona for more than a day, you may also
want to take a day trip to the Grand Canyon. You could reserve
a seat on the Grand
Canyon Railway that departs from the town of Williams, AZ on
Route 66, about 60 miles from Sedona, and directly west of Flagstaff.
It's a beautiful ride, but many visitors don't realize that it
doesn't go through the Grand Canyon, just to the South Rim. It's
also a full day trip from Sedona, departing Williams around 10 am
and arriving back at Williams at around 6PM.
If you want to visit the Grand Canyon on a day trip from Sedona,
and do some bonus sightseeing too,
click here for our
recommendation.