Verde Canyon Railroad

IF YOU EVER want to experience the thrill of riding on a train with the option of using an open-air car to observe baled eagles flying overhead, while riding so close to red, sandstone cliffs that you can reach out a touch them, then you will certainly enjoy the Verde Canyon Railroad that is located in Clarkdale, AZ.

Once the train leaves the station for its 4-hour, 40 mile round-trip journey, most of the riders leave the comfortable climate controlled coaches and walk out onto the open-air car where we had a great view of things.

I know that is making quite a statement, but it really was. In my opinion, better than the Durango to Silverton train ride. We traveled along the base of the cliffs just above the tops of cottonwood trees that carpet the floor of the canyon along the river.

We saw eagles flying overhead and what looked like their nests on the jagged sandstone cliffs. Each open-air car had an attendant to point out such things as eagles nests and other points of interest.

We went through one 600-foot tunnel

This is what it looked like when we exited the tunnel.