Breakfast:
at Hotel.
Morning:
Board our transport with our Group Leader for a field trip to Montezuma Castle National Monument. This 5-story, 20-room cliff dwelling is nestled in a limestone recess high above the flood plain of Beaver Creek in the Verde Valley. It is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America, constructed approximately 600 years ago by the Sinagua Indians. While here, we’ll observe the ruins from below and take note of Wet Beaver Creek’s unique ecosystem as we walk the paved loop trail. We’ll then ride to Clarkdale for our Verde Canyon train trip.
Lunch:
Our first-class train tickets include lunch with charcuterie items such as cured meats, gourmet cheese, fruit, fruit dip, crackers, brownies, and bottled water. It also incudes a champagne or sparkling cider toast upon boarding!
Afternoon:
Next, we'll transfer to the railroad platform and board the train for a leisurely ride with commentary given by a railroad expert and supplemented by our Group Leader. The Verde Canyon Railroad follows a 40-mile route along the Verde River. We’ll ride in comfort in renovated passenger and open air cars, journeying at a slow pace mostly near the canyon bottom. Along the route, we’ll pass red rock pinnacles, cross bridges, see Native American ruins, and ride through a 680-foot tunnel. Keep your eyes out for native plants and animals including the more than 30 eagles that winter in this scenic area. Following our journey we will stop at a restaurant for dinner before returning to the hotel.
Dinner:
Plated meal at a Sedona restaurant.
Evening:
We’ll return to the hotel in Sedona in the late evening. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure.