Private Day Tour of the Verde Valley and Historic Jerome from Phoenix

Private Day Tour of the Verde Valley from Phoenix

Tour to the heart of the Verde Valley, recently named a Top 10 travel destination by Lonely Planet, from the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Highlights of this day tour include the mining town of Jerome, the historic Copper Art Museum in Clarkdale, and stunning views from your first-class seat on the Verde Canyon Railroad. After hotel pick up, our first major tour stop will be the historic mining town of Jerome. Mining in Jerome started in the late 1800’s and over the course of its history has produced approximately 33 million tons of ore including copper and gold. During our time in this historic mining ghost town, we will explore the history that made it “the wickedest town in the West.”

After our Jerome tour, we’ll visit the copper mining mecca of Clarkdale and the Arizona Copper Art Museum. Using the original school house, the Museum tour showcases more than 5,000 unique pieces dating back to 3500 BC. During our time at this world class art museum, guests will explore both functional and artistic uses of this second oldest known metal on the planet. From the functional uses in home kitchen supplies and tools throughout time to the ornate works of art used to adorn palaces and castles, the wide uses are nothing short of amazing!

From the Arizona Copper Art Museum, we will tour to the historic Verde Canyon Railroad for a chance to be a part of that history. The very first tracks were put down over 100 years ago to transport local workers and ore mined from the surrounding Jerome mountains and are still in use today. The unspoiled wilderness you will tour through is a scenic and historic treasure that has left people in awe since 1911. With stunning views of the Verde Valley from either your first-class seats or your open-air viewing car, the casual elegance of the train allows guests to discover the heritage uniqueness of the landscape and its diverse ecosystem. From the stunning 1,800-foot-tall red rock canyon walls as we get closer to Sedona to the consistently rippling waters of the Verde River, the scenery explored on this four-hour journey is truly breathtaking. As it is said, “it’s always a good day when you’re on a train.”