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

Thu 26 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $184.49

Make a reservation

Thu 26 Feb

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)

Denise K

Mar 2019

Every trip on this train is a new experience. This time, we saw a variety of deer and hawks - really great. You want to splurge and go First Class. Updated relatively recently, the seats are comfortable, you have a welcome toast and a light spread of food, along with the option to get any drinks you want. The service and info is wonderful and you just relax and enjoy the 4 hour trip. You also learn some history of the area. And the drive from Sedona is very nice and you go thru places you might wish to go back and visit.

Response from Host

Apr 2019

Thank you Denise for sharing your thoughts on our train trip. We love what we do, and will hope to see you again soon.

akrondon

Jan 2019

Stepped up to the first class ride for my wife and on I on January 12th. Got finger sandwiches, chicken wings, veggie and fruit trays and cookies thrown in for the fare. Meet a lot on fun people on the trip with an interesting pre-recorded narration supplemented by our two host. Great trip,

Response from Host

Jan 2019

Thank you so much for giving us this great review. We appreciate your business.

HeidiD451

Dec 2018

We booked the first class car for a 4 hour ride through the canyon. Scenic and the attendant was peppy and knowledgeable. Ride was pretty but perhaps a bit long as scenery did not change a lot. Snacks included with the first class price, although not a huge selection. Good for train buffs but kids may be a bit bored.

Response from Host

Jan 2019

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the trip. The fact that we are on a single rail line, built in 1911, is good and bad. In order to show the entire beauty of the canyon and share the historic points of interest we are close to four hours long, but there's no getting around that. We hope the opportunity to be out in the open-air cars added to your experience.