Arizona’s Verde Canyon Railroad

While in Sedona, Arizona in July, I decided to try out the nearby Verde Canyon Railroad trip. Less than a half hour drive from Sedona and less than a 10-minute drive from Cottonwood, the train’s hacienda-style depot complex includes an outdoor bar that sells both drinks and a small menu selection of food like chicken nuggets and fries, as well as a gift shop and outdoor seating.

For train history buffs, there’s a museum with train memorabilia on a remodeled boxcar. The train itself includes two rare vintage FP7 locomotives that were built in 1953.

I was given a designated seat on a car named after the town of Cottonwood. Unlike most trains, the seats were actually comfy chairs or couches. A small bottle of sparkling wine was on the table to share with the person sitting across from me, and we were each given a box containing cold meats, cheeses, crackers, grapes, and a brownie.

The ride takes four hours and spans 40 miles round-trip along the Verde River. It goes in one direction in two hours and then returns the same route for the second two hours. That’s the only bummer about the journey – you get the same scenery going as coming. But it’s a relaxing and comfortable ride in air conditioned cars with huge picture windows.

In between each set of two cars is an open car where you can step outside and take photographs of the many different colors of rocks along the way. it’s possible to see wildlife on this trip, but we weren’t lucky in that regard. The only animals I saw were a few vultures flying overhead.

We had a bartender and guide within our car, as well as an outdoor guide in the open car. I ordered a non-alcoholic prickly pear lemonade because I had fallen in love with the prickly pear cactus plants I’d seen in Sedona. The lemonade was not only delicious but pretty!

The guides were able to alert us to specific sites that we didn’t want to miss. For example, below is what the local Indian tribes have called “the turtle.” It’s a small rock formation at a top of a mountain that serves as a directional marker.

The photograph below is of an ancient Indian cliff dwelling that was built more than 800 years ago by the pre-Columbian Sinagua people in the limestone walls of the canyon.

Another interesting moment during the ride involved going through a 734-foot manmade tunnel that’s pitch dark if you’re outside. They encourage everyone to step into the open car and scream as they ride through. Of course, this is especially fun for kids.

The scenery is indeed gorgeous, so take a look at the photos I managed to take during my journey.