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

Wed 04 Mar

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $184.49

Make a reservation

Wed 04 Mar

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)

sylviafishh

Jul 2019

Ok, so right up front, the 4 stars was simply due to the service on the train. We traveled first class, which had a bartender and bar. We recommend table cards so passengers can get up and walk around and come back to their drink, and not feel they need to wait 15+ minutes and miss things in the open car. As for the experience, hands down recommend. We left at 5:30 in the day time and were able to witness sundown through the mountains. The way back was glorious, with tons and tons of stars. So romantic. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

Response from Host

Jul 2019

Hello Sylvia, your review has given us something to think about, but we would like to make sure we understand exactly what your suggestion is. If you would be interested in elaborating, we would greatly appreciate it. You can write directly to me at [email protected]. Thank you, Teresa

luvturquoisesea

Jun 2019

This train ride started out kind of slow with the six of us in the first class coach looking out the window at 10mph. But after about an hour we meandered our to the open train car and boy what a difference! We passed spectacular scenery and red rocks and foliage and being outside on the 1/4 mile long train was just so much fun. We hoped in and out of first class to refresh our drinks and the whole four hour evening was just a beautiful memory we had together as a family. Lots of photo opportunities along the way!

Response from Host

Jun 2019

Thank you so much for choosing Verde Canyon Railroad. We love helping Sedona visitors make lifelong memories. Come back any time you need a refresher!

gaylepetrillo

May 2019

Four of us booked first class tickets to the Starlight Ride last night on the Verde Canyon Railroad. It's just over 3 1/2 hrs roundtrip. Yummy appetizers, a champagne toast (not the best champagne!) and spectacular views as you ride the rails along the canyon. We saw deer, cows and calfs, and an owl. The servers were professional, fun and knowledgeable about the area. We started in daylight and returned after 9 pm - amazing ride!

Response from Host

May 2019

Thank you so much for sharing your experience.