This unique geological wonderland features rugged, high desert rock faces and spectacular panoramic views. This distinctive confluence of desert and wetland is populated by a variety of wildlife, which thrives among the indigenous trees, shrubs, cactuses and wildflowers.
Passengers on this popular excursion train are enthralled as the eagle-decorated vintage engines roll past towering, crimson cliffs, near ancient Indian ruins, over old-fashioned trestles and through a 680-foot manmade tunnel on a four-hour round trip to deserted Perkinsville Ranch and back.
Expert narration and open-air gondola guides leave passengers with a sense of history, archaeology, geology, wildlife and the Indian lore of the Verde Canyon. Original music also is an integral part of the excursion that takes passengers through Arizona’s longest-running nature show.
Verde Canyon Railroad, nestled in the heart of the expansive Verde Valley, is ideally located above the heat of the desert and below the cold of Arizona's high country.
The railroads of north central Arizona were all built to support Arizona's richest copper mine, located in Jerome. The first rail line, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, was completed in 1882, connecting Jerome to Ashfork.
The Verde Canyon Railroad (formerly the Verde Valley Railroad, operated by the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railroad), was financed by Senator William A. Clark for a hefty $1.3 million. A miracle of engineering, the 38-mile line was built in just one year, from 1911 to 1912. It took 250 men using 200 mules, picks and shovels and lots of Dupont black powder explosives to lay these rails. Today, the same railroad would cost in excess of $38 million.
The smelter, which initiated the construction of the town of Clarkdale, named after Senator Clark, was located just below the Jerome mines. Used until 1952, the smelter had its final 400-foot high stack blown in 1962, signaling the end of an era and an industry on which a community had been built and prospered.
During the last century, the railroad, laid from Clarkdale to Drake, Arizona was often referred to as the "Verde Mix" because it carried such a diverse mixture of product and people. Today, the same transportation corridor still hosts both freight and excursion trains on its rails.
Visit the Verde Canyon Railroad's Website Here
See Also Verde Canyon Railroad
Passengers on this popular excursion train are enthralled as the eagle-decorated vintage engines roll past towering, crimson cliffs, near ancient Indian ruins, over old-fashioned trestles and through a 680-foot manmade tunnel on a four-hour round trip to deserted Perkinsville Ranch and back.
Expert narration and open-air gondola guides leave passengers with a sense of history, archaeology, geology, wildlife and the Indian lore of the Verde Canyon. Original music also is an integral part of the excursion that takes passengers through Arizona’s longest-running nature show.
Verde Canyon Railroad, nestled in the heart of the expansive Verde Valley, is ideally located above the heat of the desert and below the cold of Arizona's high country.
The railroads of north central Arizona were all built to support Arizona's richest copper mine, located in Jerome. The first rail line, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, was completed in 1882, connecting Jerome to Ashfork.
The Verde Canyon Railroad (formerly the Verde Valley Railroad, operated by the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railroad), was financed by Senator William A. Clark for a hefty $1.3 million. A miracle of engineering, the 38-mile line was built in just one year, from 1911 to 1912. It took 250 men using 200 mules, picks and shovels and lots of Dupont black powder explosives to lay these rails. Today, the same railroad would cost in excess of $38 million.
The smelter, which initiated the construction of the town of Clarkdale, named after Senator Clark, was located just below the Jerome mines. Used until 1952, the smelter had its final 400-foot high stack blown in 1962, signaling the end of an era and an industry on which a community had been built and prospered.
During the last century, the railroad, laid from Clarkdale to Drake, Arizona was often referred to as the "Verde Mix" because it carried such a diverse mixture of product and people. Today, the same transportation corridor still hosts both freight and excursion trains on its rails.
Visit the Verde Canyon Railroad's Website Here
See Also Verde Canyon Railroad
© 2006 by "DiscoveringArizona Inc." · All Rights Reserved · E-Mail: jayq@discoveringarizona.com
A ride on Verde Canyon Railroad's historic route from Clarkdale to the ghost ranch of Perkinsville and back into Arizona's other grand canyon is an unforgettable experience.
Home to America's national symbol, the majestic bald eagle, the Verde Canyon is accessible only by rail.
The historic route is nestled between two national forests and adjacent to a designated wilderness area.
Home to America's national symbol, the majestic bald eagle, the Verde Canyon is accessible only by rail.
The historic route is nestled between two national forests and adjacent to a designated wilderness area.
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