The Verde Canyon Railroad

Last Thursday we took my Mom who was here briefly from Indiana and my niece on the Verde Canyon Railroad.  What an incredible experience!  This has to be one of the best ways to see the Arizona wilderness at its best.  The train leaves from the station in Clarkdale, Arizona.  Most of the time it leaves at 1 PM for the four hour excursion but sometimes they run two trains a day.  There is a restored railroad car and a covered open car that are paired together.  Each car has a snack bar and restroom facilities.  Our three grandkids ages six and three and a half enjoyed most of it but it was a bit long for them. 

The train goes up the Verde River Canyon and travels along side the river most of the way up.  It is a two hour trip up and two hours back.  And what a ride!

 

That is the train crossing the old trestle and the next one is looking back down the Verde River.

We saw an eagle's nest and at one point we saw the eagle soaring over us as we rode up the canyon.  This is the nest that was on the far canyon wall. 

The eagles are protected as this sign says.  I couldn't read what it said until I got home and downloaded the photo.  The railroad crew watches out for them. 

The open air cars allow for a lot of close up viewing of the rocks and ruins along the way.

The old station at Perkinsville, Arizona that is the halway point in the trip is a part of a large working ranch. 

Here is what the open cars looked like just as we were coming out of the tunnel.

The end of the line, back at the station.  A not to be missed trip if you have the opportunity to go.  You can find more information here at   http://www.verdecanyonrr.com/

Comments

[Christine]

You are a wonderful embassador for Arizona. Looking at your pictures really makes me want to go there and see all there is. Especially with the winter we are having here!!