Take a moment to imagine the world-famous landscape of Sedona with majestic colors, historic red rock buttes and rolling hills with lush greenery. Now imagine this landscape as untouched wilderness – without roads, resorts, homes or hotels. Picture cactus kissed high cliff walls, graceful cottonwoods, sycamore trees and agave plants as far as the eye can see. The picture you have just painted is a true image of the historic Verde Canyon and now you can experience it with DETOURS for the very first time!
This guided tour of Verde Canyon and Jerome departs the Phoenix/Scottsdale area on Wednesday and Saturday at approximately 6:45am and returns at approximately 7:00pm. After hotel pick up, you will be whisked away to tour the heart of the Verde Valley.
The tour kicks off in the historic mining town of Jerome, which dates back to the late 1800 and during the course of its history produced approximately 33 million tons of ore, including copper and gold. The tour will explore the history that made Jerome “the wickedest town in the West.”
After the Jerome tour, the small group will continue to the copper mining mecca of Clarkdale at the Copper Art Museum. Guests will explore both the 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 final leg of the tour will explore the historic Verde Canyon Railroad. 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 Verde Canyon Railroad runs between two protected sanctuaries, the Coconino National Forest and the Prescott National Forest, where dramatic high desert meets a unique riparian area. 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 Canyon 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.”
Grab your friends and family and book your next adventure to explore the Verde Valley and the Verde Canyon Railroad with DETOURS!
