Riding the Scenic Railroads of Arizona

Years later, I’d take my own little boys on commuter train rides just so a conductor would punch their ticket, since they loved The Polar Express movie. Many weekends, we’d also head to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and board the Strasburg Railroad for a 40-minute steam train ride through the Amish farmland, visit the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (filled with behemoths from days gone by) and time spent at the National Toy Train Museum. And we’d stay overnight at the Red Caboose Motel in an authentic train car.

Nowadays, whether it’s Amtrak or “the T” in Boston, I still adore trains. Yet I’d never ridden any out west. And that’s why I chose Scenic Railroads of Arizona: Sedona and Grand Canyon. This program was simply spectacular, and I’d do in again in a heartbeat.

I attended this six-day program from the end of October to the beginning of November, and the weather there was just what I love — clear and sunny with crisp, chilly mornings that warmed up to temperatures in the 60s during the day.

My journey began when I reached the program’s first hotel in Oak Creek Canyon. I planned my arrival for early afternoon so that I’d have some free time before the group orientation, knowing I’d be within walking distance of iconic Bell Rock. I wanted a chance to hike around this incredible red rock formation — one of the many that Sedona’s known for.

We had two Group Leaders on this program and met several expert lecturers throughout the week. We learned about the geology of Sedona’s red rock formations, how the Grand Canyon came to be and — of course — the railroad history of Arizona. Everyone agreed that our lessons were top notch!

Now for some details about our learning adventure. We started out with a drive to Clarkdale for a train ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad. Boarding this renovated vintage train, we were treated to our own private first-class lounge car adjacent to an open-air car. During the four-hour narrated ride, we were able to roam freely between the indoor car for food and refreshments and the outdoor car to enjoy the gentle breezes and panoramic views of the Verde Valley.

All the while, we chugged along tracks winding around red rock cliffs — with soaring pinnacles on one side and plunging basins on the other — plunged into a long, pitch-black tunnel that ran through one of the mountainsides and hung on to our prized possessions over a dizzyingly high train trestle above a river. Around every bend we found thrilling yet dreamy landscapes. The miles and miles of fresh desert air, vivid colors and fantastical formations conspired to steal my heart.

The next day, we visited the astounding Montezuma Castle National Monument — a five-story, 20-room cliff dwelling considered to be the best preserved in all of North America. It dates back approximately 600 years and was constructed by the Sinagua tribe. Afterwards, during a visit to the Verde Valley Archeological Center and Museum, we learned even more about the indigenous culture while exploring artifacts uncovered in this very area.

From there, we enjoyed a special luncheon at one of the exclusive golf courses that makes Sedona such a sought-after destination. I can now see why golfers love to tee off on courses surrounded by those glorious red rock formations!

That afternoon, we walked along a desert trail lush with flora and fauna (think cacti) while learning about these unique plants from our expert guide. We also had a little time to walk around the “main street” area of Uptown Sedona before heading to Flagstaff and onto the second part of our adventure.

The majestic San Francisco peaks — mountains soaring upwards of 12,500 feet and coated in the first snow of the season — were a beautiful sight along our drive to the historic town of Williams. Here we would enjoy an overnight at the heartwarming Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, which was like a scene out of a storybook. And wouldn’t you know it, the trains were decorated for the start of their Polar Express season, with one classic steam engine all lit up like the movie.

We dined at a Harvey House restaurant on the hotel property, which harkens back to the early days of western railroad history. And it was music to my ears to hear the whistle of the Grand Canyon Railway train as it pulled into the depot. With a winter chill in the air, twinkly lights adorning a red caboose, and trees decked out with holiday lights, I entered the hotel lobby to the enveloping warmth of a massive fireplace that beckoned me to stay awhile in the fairytale-like surroundings.

The next morning, we climbed aboard the historic Grand Canyon Railway — which first arrived at the Grand Canyon in 1901 and heralded in a new age of travel. This two-hour train ride to Grand Canyon National Park took us across the Coconino Plateau, as strolling cowboys strummed their guitars while serenaded us.

With great anticipation, we finally reached the train station at Grand Canyon National Park. From there, it was a short walk to the edge of the South Rim. Several members of our group (including me) were seeing this landmark for the very first time — the realization of a lifelong dream. And I can now say with certainty that neither pictures nor videos are able to mimic the feeling of standing along the ledge of this vast canyon. I was riveted. Captivated. Enthralled. I didn’t realize how momentous it would be.

No wonder this national park inspires artists from around the world to paint, sketch and photograph the jaw-dropping spires thousands of years in the making — a seemingly infinite array of shapes and sizes randomly dotting the canyon from cliff to floor, each one a contrast of light and shadow.

We practically had the park to ourselves — surprising even our Group Leaders who are used to seeing much larger crowds. (Could it be that Halloween kept most parents home with their kids so they could trick-or-treat with their friends?) We were also blessed with perfectly clear skies and views all the way across the canyon to the North Rim (which isn’t always the case due to occasional cloud formations within the canyon).

Along the South Rim stood the El Tovar Hotel, built in 1903. It’s considered to be one of the greatest hotels inside our National Parks, and left me wanting to visit again, just to stay at that lodge overlooking the edge of the canyon.

Our group stayed at Yavapai Lodge, which is also inside the park (in Grand Canyon Village). This was an ideal location for exploring the park. With free time to spend any way we liked, we had direct access to park shuttles that ran along the West Rim Drive. The buses stop at all the viewpoints along the rim, including the popular Hopi, Mohave and Maricopa overlooks. Alternatively, it’s a relatively easy walk along the South Rim to take in each of these panoramic views (with mostly flat paved paths or well-worn dirt trails along the way). One of our Group Leaders was even happy to help some Road Scholar seasoned hikers conquer part of the trail that leads down into the canyon.

I’d say the things that I found well worth seeing in the time I had at the Grand Canyon included witnessing a sunset from Mather Point, visiting Hermit’s Rest, perusing Kolb Studio and exploring the structures created by architect and designer Mary Jane Colter, including Bright Angel Lodge, Lookout Studio and the Hopi House. This architect from the early 20th century was known for her many works for the Fred Harvey Company and the Santa Fe Railroad, blending Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival styles with Native American motifs.

Our group also enjoyed the scenic East Rim of the Grand Canyon and Desert View. This is the location of Mary Jane Colter’s famous Watchtower — her interpretation of a prehistoric “kiva," featuring Hopi artist Fred Kabotie’s lavishly painted interior walls. From here, you can spot the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon, which isn’t as easy as you might think. From rim to river, it’s well over a vertical mile down!

Another highlight of spending a couple of days at the canyon was the night-sky viewing. One benefit of being on-property is that Grand Canyon National Park holds the designation of being an International Dark Sky Park. That means there’s very little light pollution, making it possible to see thousands more stars than you would at home. Our Group leader walked us into the wilderness in the dead of night where we were able to view a myriad of constellations and even the Milky Way. This was something I never would have done alone — what with the pitch-black forest, wildlife and sheer cliff drop-offs!

I did find myself having to walk a bit slower than usual due to the altitude. I live down at sea level, so it took a while to become acclimated to 7,000-plus feet elevation. I found myself breathing a little faster and needing an ibuprofen to treat a mild headache my first day there. None of our group members suffered any extreme altitude illness, though.

Another first for me was being part of a large Road Scholar group. I’d been on several small and micro-group learning adventures, but this particular group was made up of 37 people. And, surprisingly, it was … fabulous!

The positives? Getting to know more people (which, as a solo traveler, is something I cherish), a variety of folks to sit with while dining, and a top-of-the-line coach for smooth travels between Sedona and Williams, complete with climate control, Wi-Fi and charging ports (which, to me, is a nice change from the vans I’ve been on with smaller groups).

The negatives? Honestly, I found not one negative factor regarding the larger group size. No one held us up when it came to the schedule we had to keep, and the group still felt intimate, inviting and welcoming. Everyone got along well.

If you’d like to see some of the videos I took during this program, they’ll appear from time to time in the coming weeks on Road Scholar’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Your questions and comments are welcome there, and it’ll give me a chance to interact with you personally!

And if you enjoy Road Scholar’s social media videos, be sure and check out our 2024 Campus of the Year series about Costa Rica on Instagram and find out what “pura vida” means!

Meanwhile, I know I’ll be looking to embark on more of Road Scholar’s train treks so maybe I’ll see you while riding the rails!

Lizzie G., Road Scholar Class of ‘23