Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Verde Canyon Railroad By: Carl Jackson
If you've been to Sedona more than once and are looking for something different and fun to do, or if you love trains, we recommend the Verde Canyon Railroad in the town of Clarkdale, AZ.
Clarkdale sits at the base of the old copper mining town of Jerome, and it's just 25 miles outside of the Sedona city limits.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is privately owned and runs along the Verde River through the stunning Verde Canyon in the Verde Valley. Because it's just a four hour round trip (40 miles), you'll also have time to do some shopping in nearby Jerome, AZ. If you visit Jerome before the train, we suggest that you find the depot in Clarkdale first to get your bearings.
The trip starts in Clarksdale, chugs along to an old farm at Perkinsville (you don't get out), and heads back home. Along the way you'll learn a little history, and all around you'll see beautiful canyons, red rock cliffs, and volcanic rock on the Black Mountain in the distance.
As the train cars named Flagstaff, Phoenix, and the like exit the depot you'll see the old Clarkdale smelter (now closed) on the left that processed copper ore mined in nearby Jerome. The smelter operated from 1914-1952, and the railroad, built in 1911-12, shipped the smelted copper to the main Santa Fe line 40 miles away. On the right is a 40 acre mountain of cooled molten slag, averaging 40 feet in depth, and accumulated over almost 40 years. Slag is the waste material from the smelting process. It looks like a huge pile of volcanic ash.
You'll also see Sinagua Indian cliff dwellings, eagle nests, cactus, cottonwoods, and white barked sycamores. The train also passes over bridges and through a 680 foot man-made tunnel.
We sat in first class and, don't tell anyone, sipped on a marguerita while munching on salsa chips and quesadillas; but most of the time we were out on an open air car taking pictures and breathing in the views. Bring a fleece pullover and a hat because it can get windy.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is located at 300 North Broadway, Clarkdale, Arizona 86324. For more information on the Verde Canyon Railroad visit http://www.verdecanyonrr.com/, call 800-320-0718 or email them at: mailto:info@verdecanyonrr.com.
If you're going to stay in Sedona for more than a day, you may also want to take a day trip to the Grand Canyon. You could reserve a seat on the http://www.thetrain.com/ Grand Canyon Railway that departs from the town of Williams, AZ on Route 66, about 60 miles from Sedona, and directly west of Flagstaff.
It's a beautiful ride, but many visitors don't realize that it doesn't go through the Grand Canyon, just to the South Rim. It's also a full day trip from Sedona, departing Williams around 10 am and arriving back at Williams at around 6PM.
http://www.sedona.biz/ - Sedona Arizona's first daily news site. For article with pictures visit http://www.sedona.biz/verdecanyonrailroad.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Jackson http://EzineArticles.com/?Verde-Canyon-Railroad&id=376283
Clarkdale sits at the base of the old copper mining town of Jerome, and it's just 25 miles outside of the Sedona city limits.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is privately owned and runs along the Verde River through the stunning Verde Canyon in the Verde Valley. Because it's just a four hour round trip (40 miles), you'll also have time to do some shopping in nearby Jerome, AZ. If you visit Jerome before the train, we suggest that you find the depot in Clarkdale first to get your bearings.
The trip starts in Clarksdale, chugs along to an old farm at Perkinsville (you don't get out), and heads back home. Along the way you'll learn a little history, and all around you'll see beautiful canyons, red rock cliffs, and volcanic rock on the Black Mountain in the distance.
As the train cars named Flagstaff, Phoenix, and the like exit the depot you'll see the old Clarkdale smelter (now closed) on the left that processed copper ore mined in nearby Jerome. The smelter operated from 1914-1952, and the railroad, built in 1911-12, shipped the smelted copper to the main Santa Fe line 40 miles away. On the right is a 40 acre mountain of cooled molten slag, averaging 40 feet in depth, and accumulated over almost 40 years. Slag is the waste material from the smelting process. It looks like a huge pile of volcanic ash.
You'll also see Sinagua Indian cliff dwellings, eagle nests, cactus, cottonwoods, and white barked sycamores. The train also passes over bridges and through a 680 foot man-made tunnel.
We sat in first class and, don't tell anyone, sipped on a marguerita while munching on salsa chips and quesadillas; but most of the time we were out on an open air car taking pictures and breathing in the views. Bring a fleece pullover and a hat because it can get windy.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is located at 300 North Broadway, Clarkdale, Arizona 86324. For more information on the Verde Canyon Railroad visit http://www.verdecanyonrr.com/, call 800-320-0718 or email them at: mailto:info@verdecanyonrr.com.
If you're going to stay in Sedona for more than a day, you may also want to take a day trip to the Grand Canyon. You could reserve a seat on the http://www.thetrain.com/ Grand Canyon Railway that departs from the town of Williams, AZ on Route 66, about 60 miles from Sedona, and directly west of Flagstaff.
It's a beautiful ride, but many visitors don't realize that it doesn't go through the Grand Canyon, just to the South Rim. It's also a full day trip from Sedona, departing Williams around 10 am and arriving back at Williams at around 6PM.
http://www.sedona.biz/ - Sedona Arizona's first daily news site. For article with pictures visit http://www.sedona.biz/verdecanyonrailroad.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Jackson http://EzineArticles.com/?Verde-Canyon-Railroad&id=376283
# posted by Elaine and Pam /Favorite Things Home Decor @ 9:46 PM 
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