The Iron Horse sat quietly as we boarded her in the small town of Clarkdale, a few hours north of Phoenix, Arizona. The vintage FP7 Diesel engines gleamed in the desert sun waiting to pull the passengers through the Verde Canyon as they had so many times. As we settled into our oversized seats the railcar lurched forward building momentum. Soon we were immersed in a bygone era.

The Verde Canyon Train journey began in Phoenix with a comfortable van ride to the historic Mining Town of Jerome, Arizona. We made an hour stop for a quick bite of food and some strolling along this tiny towns charming streets before driving 20 minutes to the train depot where we would depart at 1pm. The Train Depot is large with restrooms, gift shop, small railroad museum and snack bar where food for the four hour journey can be purchased. Once on the train, there are snacks and drinks provided at a bar in each car.

You are assigned an indoor and outdoor car for the trip complete with narrator. This proved invaluable for spotting wildlife since the desert camouflage makes them hard to locate for the untrained. We learned the history of the railroad while looking at Bald Eagles, Free range cattle, Elk and the occasional Squirrel. We saw several Indian cave dwellings built into the canyon walls. The pace is slow and relaxing with an average speed of 7mph. This is great for photos! The train travels to the end of the line at a ghost ranch in Perkinsville, without deboarding, before returning back along the same route.

As much as I enjoyed this nostalgic rail journey, I’m not sure if my seven year old would have made it without being bored. Many of the children on board were restless after the first two hours since the scenery is similar along the line and the wildlife is sparse. For adults and couples, this is a fun trip.

I enjoyed the Verde Canyon Train trip. It is an old fashioned day exploring the mining history that defined the region. If you are in Phoenix, Arizona and want to extend your knowledge of the area then all aboard!  More Photos Here.

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