Starlight Ride on Verde Canyon Railroad

Overview

Hop aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad for a 4-hour rail journey through the untouched and unspoiled Verde Valley. With first class seating, you will enjoy unobstructed views of Arizona’s geological wonders, wildlife, and archaeological finds of the ancient Sinagua people who once lived in the area. The Verde Canyon Railroad offers Starlight and Moonlight excursions on select Fridays and Saturdays May through September, departing the depot during the cooler temperatures of later afternoon and traveling through sunset and into the moon glow of twilight. Sandwiched between two protected national forests and adjacent to the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, Verde Canyon Railroad brings its passengers into a untamed and unspoiled terrain, the exceedingly rare ribbon where high desert meets the river.

City: Sedona

Sat 21 Jun

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $184.49

Make a reservation

Sat 21 Jun

Starting at $184.49

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Appetizers

First class seating

Bottled water

Snacks

In 2023, all Verde Canyon Railroad tickets purchased through Viator include a cafe voucher for a meal at the depot cafe which may be carried aboard the train.

Champagne toast

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Infant age is 0-1 year. Any guest aged 1 and over will be charged an adult rate. Guests cannot board the train without a paid ticket

What To Expect

Verde Canyon Railroad

Make your way to the Verde Canyon Railroad Train Depot in Clarkdale, Arizona, not far from Sedona, to begin your Verde Canyon Railroad Starlight adventure. This rail adventure offers a wilderness train ride through the remote Verde Canyon which is known for its picturesque setting and abundant wildlife. Though it’s possible to hike in the canyon, by far the easiest way to experience it is by riding this scenic wilderness train. The train is made up of exquisitely-renovated passenger coaches and open-air viewing cars pulled by vintage locomotives and travels a route along the Verde River between Clarkdale and Perkinsville. After embarking from the Clarkdale depot, sit back for a 4-hour, 40-mile round trip that includes views of historic mining sites, geological wonders, Sinagua Indian cliff dwellings and wildlife from bald eagles to antelope.

Verde Canyon Railroad

At the depot, be sure to visit the John Bell Museum, home to the railroad's history and artifacts from its early days, as well as a wealth of information on Clarkdale, Jerome and the Yavapai-Apache Nation.

Verde River

The train runs on the same tracks that were created following the Verde River back in 1911. The river is visible for most of your journey.

Perkinsville Ghost Town

Discover the history of Perkinsville Ghost Town through on-board commentary on your train journey. This is the turn-around point of your trip.

Tuzigoot National Monument

You'll ride past Tuzigoot National Monument on your train journey.

Show 2 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (62)

SheriM_12

Jan 2025

Simply amazing and beautiful and worth every penny. We did the New Years Eve afternoon ride. The server we had in the Flagstaff Car was wonderful!

Response from Host

Jan 2025

Thank you for celebrating the New Year with us, Sheri, and for sharing this lovely review.

Julie_E

Sep 2024

This was just okay. It was way too long. Could be cut to two hours and it would have been better. The food was more than. we expected to get. The drinks were just okay.

Response from Host

Sep 2024

Julie, we appreciate you gave us a try.

Susan_B

Sep 2024

The ability to be on the open aur car and get a 360° view, or bartender in the Yuma car was great! We were surprised that a dinner and snack was included on our ride. The car was comfy for the long ride that included some interesting buildings on the way! Definitely worth the money spent!

Response from Host

Sep 2024

Susan, we're happy you enjoyed your Starlight journey with us, the views, the scenery, the comfy seats and our crew, and were delightfully surprised by the cafe voucher, included in bookings made via Viator.