Verde Canyon Railroad - Clarkdale, Arizona

J D.

An absolutely amazing experience! The Verde Canyon Railroad nature tour is one of a kind. From the majestic views of the valley and mountains to the beautiful Verde River itself.

The train ride was very peaceful with phenomenal customer service. The crew was very knowledgeable about the area and catered to our every need. There is not a better sightseeing tour in Arizona. I highly recommend the Verde Canyon Railroad to any Arizona visitors...natives as well. If you're a nature lover this is the tour for you.

Shane K.

The train leaves from a depot outside Cottonwood and they ask that you arrive two hours early. I don't really understand why as we ended up sitting around for basically an hour and forty-five minutes. There is a plenty of parking across the street from the depot. To kill time you can look through the gift shop and have lunch or a beer/wine. I ate lunch not realizing that we all got a cheese/cracker/fruit/brownie box on the train. The lunch was simple (burgers, chicken tenders, wraps) but good. Everything was about $20 which included a soft drink. Unless you are a big eater and love to snack, I would just eat something small and then enjoy the cheese and crackers on the train.

Anyway, once on the train it's about a 3 1/2 hour ride out and back. The car is very comfortable with sofas to sit on (if you have only two people there are padded chairs) and a bathroom and bar in each car. Drinks are reasonably priced .

The ride was nice and for every two cars there was an outdoor car with a guide giving history and stories. The guide pointed out geology and also told us about the locals past and present that we're influential in the area. The train moves pretty slowly and the ride is very nice. Everyone, including our 11 and 12 year old, had a nice time. It's a bit pricey but worth every penny in my opinion. Highly recommended.

Michelle B.

Lovely four hour train ride through Verde Canyon. The cars are all beautifully updated with comfortable seating and great air conditioning. The food was actually good. We had a champagne toast with charcuterie and also took advantage of the dining discount in the cafe by purchasing online.
The outdoor cars were accessible to all and were a wonderful way to move around and experience the outdoors while on a train. It’s a nice day if you are looking for something to do in the area or if you like trains.

Klaus L.

The scenic excursion was thoroughly enjoyed by my wife as the canyon showed all its beauty while the train cruised at a leisurely pace of 15mph, giving ample time to see all it has to offer. The seats were very comfortable, and the open cars allowed unrestricted views. For the so inclined one can get a ride along in the cab of the vintage F7 engine for a very unique bucket list experience (which is what I did and it was better than I ever imagined)

Mary B. R.

The train ride was fantastic!
However... you do NOT need to be there 2 hours early.
I highly recommend stopping at the Old Town Cottonwood Main Street shopping area which is literally a 5 minute drive to the depot. Shop in the stores and eat lunch there instead of the depot's snack bar. Getting to the depot 1/2 hr earlier leaves plenty of time to get your tickets and wait for boarding.

I did NOT like the snack bar at the depot and would not recommend it, or eat there again. I pre-paid for 2 lunches only to find out the prices on some of the menu items were cheaper than what the pre-paid ticket price was. The sandwich I ordered was probably one of the worst I've ever seen. It was made with very thick dry bread and I ended up tossing the bread and eating the turkey and fillings. You have to sit outside to eat, there is NO indoor air-conditioned seating, and shaded seating is extremely limited. All the tables were filled with people waiting for the train and we ended up having to sit in chairs directly in the sun to eat our lunch because they were the only ones we could find.

The train ride was fantastic and I would love to go again. The scenery is breathtaking and our in-car attendant was very knowledgable about the history of the region. If you like drinks, I highly recommend the Caramel Whistle Blaster!

Also, the best seats for viewing are the high tables, which seat 2 people each. I recommend requesting seats on that side of the train for the best views.

Jennifer L.

One of the most memorable experiences we’ve had in a long time. Before getting on the train, we bought lunch tickets in advance. Lunch meal was great with plenty of options to choose from. Was able to visit the museum which was so neat to see the history of Jerome and Clarkdale. Views on the train were stunning and loved the history lesson on board. The staff were knowledgable and so pleasant. The complimentary snacks, water bottle, and champagne toast were unexpected. The train car was so authentic it the best part was the open air car. We spent a majority of our time outside in the fresh air seeing the beautiful scenery firsthand. This is a must thing to do. You won’t regret it and you’ll leave in awe!

Carson S.

This was a great experience. As a guy who runs a train museum and organizes a lot of excursions, this one is top notch. The service was incredible, the food was great. My wife and I thought the charcuterie box was a meal in itself. This is clearly a railroad who is looking to make a train experience that is enjoyable for everyone in the party, and not just the train fans in the group. For instance in my neck of the woods Cass Scenic and Great Smoky Mountain railroads are big players. They really cater to rail fans. Tons of opportunities to get pics of the trains in stations and videos of operations. GSMRR has more in the ways of creature comforts and amenities than Cass but both can leave a lot to be desired for folks who aren’t as into trains. My wife loved this ride! We had a blast the entire time, and were never bored. It felt really nice to be able to share something I enjoy without it feeling like I was inconveniencing her. All in all this is absolutely fantastic, but if you’re a train buff who is used to more traditional tourist railroad locomovite photo shoot and ride, that this is about the experience and not the equipment. But don’t fret, you’ll get plenty of great action shots as the trains slithers through the canyon.

Fred L.

A truly captivating adventure. We had the time of our life. The train was authentic and well-maintained. The views were incredible. Are narrator Brian was the best. Very corny but fun! You could tell he really loves his job. The canyon gorge with spectacular, there was a tunnel, and even a trellis bridge. They gave us a snack tray / charcuterie board and it was very well done. There was some kind of turkey in there that absolutely lit up my cheeks. So good! I totally hate that I can't remember the bartender's name because he was extremely hospitable. And one of my favorite parts of the whole experience was the conductor Pearl. She's from Pasadena and somehow she ended up in Clarkville working on the railroad. Very distinguished and professional. She's an African-American woman and very proud of what she does, and I was very proud of her. I would suggest waiting around after the train ride to say hello to her. Overall I give this experience in a plus.