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Arizona

Scenic Railroads of Arizona: Sedona and Grand Canyon

Program No. 1083RJ
Experience the wonders of Sedona and the Grand Canyon via two historic railways as you join experts to learn about the local history, culture and charm of these iconic landscapes.

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itinerary
Please Note:
The itinerary for this program is different on certain dates.
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 30 - May 5, 2023
Starting at
1,799
May 14 - May 19, 2023
Starting at
1,849
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Sep 3 - Sep 8, 2023
Starting at
1,799
Sep 17 - Sep 22, 2023
Starting at
1,799
Oct 1 - Oct 6, 2023
Starting at
1,849
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Oct 15 - Oct 20, 2023
Starting at
1,799
Oct 30 - Nov 4, 2023
Starting at
1,849
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Nov 13 - Nov 18, 2023
Starting at
1,699
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Feb 25 - Mar 1, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Mar 10 - Mar 15, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Mar 24 - Mar 29, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Mar 31 - Apr 5, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Apr 28 - May 3, 2024
Starting at
1,949
May 12 - May 17, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Sep 1 - Sep 6, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Sep 15 - Sep 20, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Sep 29 - Oct 4, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Oct 13 - Oct 18, 2024
Starting at
1,949
Nov 10 - Nov 15, 2024
Starting at
1,949
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 30 - May 5, 2023
Starting at
2,279
May 14 - May 19, 2023
Starting at
2,329
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Sep 3 - Sep 8, 2023
Starting at
2,279
Sep 17 - Sep 22, 2023
Starting at
2,279
Oct 1 - Oct 6, 2023
Starting at
2,329
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Oct 15 - Oct 20, 2023
Starting at
2,279
Oct 30 - Nov 4, 2023
Starting at
2,329
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Nov 13 - Nov 18, 2023
Starting at
2,069
Itinerary Note

This date includes a night at the iconic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, AZ.

Feb 25 - Mar 1, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Mar 10 - Mar 15, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Mar 24 - Mar 29, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Mar 31 - Apr 5, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Apr 28 - May 3, 2024
Starting at
2,439
May 12 - May 17, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Sep 1 - Sep 6, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Sep 15 - Sep 20, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Sep 29 - Oct 4, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Oct 13 - Oct 18, 2024
Starting at
2,439
Nov 10 - Nov 15, 2024
Starting at
2,439

At a Glance

The wonders of Sedona and the Grand Canyon are well known, but few visit these locales via scenic and historic railway. Ride the Verde Canyon Railroad through Arizona’s rim country along the wild and scenic Verde River. Later in the week, embark on an overnight adventure to Grand Canyon National Park via the historic Grand Canyon Railway. Throughout your journey gain insights into regional lore as you explore this breathtaking part of northern Arizona.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking up to one mile on varied terrain. Optional longer hike at the Grand Canyon. Elevations of 4,500-7,000 feet.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy a guided exploration of Sedona’s red-rock vistas.
  • Travel through dramatic Oak Creek Canyon en route to historic Williams for embarkation on the Grand Canyon Railway.
  • Stay overnight at a Grand Canyon lodge, explore historic village sites and absorb incomparable canyon views.

General Notes

Transportation on this program is by full-sized motor coach.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Kennard Bork
Kennard Bork is a former university geology professor who has found his bliss in retirement where Sedona’s red rocks and natural beauty provide the setting for great exploration and discovery. Ken is active in OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) and INHIGEO (International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences), both as a speaker and as a participant.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of David Best
David M. Best View biography
David Best grew up in North Carolina and received his degrees in mathematics and geology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He retired after 32 years from the Geology Department at Northern Arizona University, where he was both a professor and administrator. His passion was teaching undergraduates, particularly non-majors who took introductory general education courses. He is the author of a textbook on natural hazards and is writing a similar book for the general populace. David enjoys cooking, traveling, woodworking, and reading.
Profile Image of Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson View biography
Paul Johnson is a recent transplant to Sedona after retiring from a career as a CEO of a non-profit focused on community development. He is a lifelong student of history and has traveled extensively in the U.S., Europe, Mexico, and elsewhere. Paul loves to share the history and culture of his adopted state of Arizona and enjoys hiking with his wife and dog, playing golf, and exploring the wonderful red rock paradise of Sedona.
Profile Image of Slim Woodruff
Slim Woodruff View biography
Marjorie “Slim” Woodruff is a graduate of Northern Arizona University. She has worked in outdoor recreation and education for most of her adult life. Slim is a board member and outings chair for the Grand Canyon Historical Society. She is a senior instructor with the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Living on the South Rim, her usual hangouts are inside the canyon. Her writings can be found in High Country News Writers on the Range and The Outdoor Journal.
Profile Image of Kennard Bork
Kennard Bork View biography
Kennard Bork is a former university geology professor who has found his bliss in retirement where Sedona’s red rocks and natural beauty provide the setting for great exploration and discovery. Ken is active in OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) and INHIGEO (International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences), both as a speaker and as a participant.
Profile Image of Kathy Farretta
Kathy Farretta View biography
Kathy Farretta is a history and science-loving bookworm who also loves hiking and taking photos. She was previously the Assistant Park Manager at Riordan Mansion State Historic Park in Flagstaff, where she now serves as a volunteer. She received her Master's Degree in History from Northern Arizona University and teaches U.S. History at Coconino Community College, and serves on the Board of the Flagstaff Festival of Science. When not prepping for her history classes, she most often has her nose in a science fiction book.
Profile Image of Brendan O'Brien
Brendan O'Brien View biography
Brendan O’Brien holds a Master of Science in Geography degree from Northern Arizona University and calls Flagstaff home. He has held jobs in the outdoor education field for much of the last decade with time spent as a Park Ranger in White Sands National Monument and a forest technician in Flathead National Forest. Brendan loves all the outdoor activities that Northern Arizona offers and especially its crystal clear night skies where he can enjoy his passion for star gazing.
Profile Image of Rob Brubaker
Rob Brubaker View biography
Rob Brubaker grew up in the Sonoran Desert around Tucson and has lived in Arizona for more than 50 years. He has a bachelor’s in History and a master’s in Information Systems. He has lived on a cattle ranch, taught public school, and worked in an IT Department. Rob’s love of history had him participating as a cavalry reenactor for 20 years. He has explored the Southwest on foot, mountain bike, horseback, and river raft. Rob is excited to share his knowledge of the Southwest.
Profile Image of Devon Beam
Devon Beam View biography
Devon Beam has called Northern Arizona home since 2018. After working in the outdoor industry for the past 15 years, he began working with Road Scholar to continue his ongoing passion for promoting outdoor recreation. Devon has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Central America. His hobbies include traveling, baking bread, playing guitar, and biking in remote places with his spouse.
Profile Image of Rocky Sullivan
Rocky Sullivan View biography
Rocky Sullivan, a Kansas native, has been living in the southwest working on ranches among other things for the better part of three decades. During the last few years, he has brought his poetry into the limelight, gaining respect and praise from peers and audiences. Rocky won in his division of the 2015 National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo in Abilene, Kansas, and again in 2017. He has been asked to perform at numerous venues since.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Living at the Edge: Explorers, Exploiters, and Settlers of the Grand Canyon Region
by Anderson, Michael F
A comprehensive look at the pioneer history of the Grand Canyon Region, from its earliest residents to the creation of the national park at the end of the pioneer era (circa 1920). Included are close to two hundred historic photographs, many never published before, and 12 custom maps of the region. 184pp
Arizona: A Cavalcade of History
by Trimble, Marshall
During America's first 100 years as a nation, pioneers moved ever-westward to new frontiers. When it became too crowded or the soil was mined out, they moved on to virgin land. Those days are gone forever. We have to learn to live with the problems we create. The knowledge gained from studying the mistakes of the past can help provide a better future. Will Rogers said it best: "The Indians never got lost because they were always looking back to see where they'd been." 368pp
Secret Sedona: Sacred Moments in the Landscape
by Larry Lindahl
This book provides an overview of the terrain, ancestral Indian ruins and petroglyphs found in Sedona's wilderness areas. Extraordinary photography from one of the nations most photogenic areas. 80 pages.
Carving Grand Canyon: Evidence, Theories, and Mystery
by Ranney, Wayne
Ranney explains how rivers in general can physically carve canyons, looks chronologically at the numerous theories that have been presented by successive generations of geologists regarding the Grand Canyon's formation, and describes a plausible sequence of geologic events that could create such a landscape. Numerous color photographs, detailed illustrations, and maps are provided. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR 160pp; 2nd edition 2012.
Sedona through time: Geology of the Red Rocks
by Ranney, Wayne
Visitors to the towering red rock cliffs near Sedona seldom realize that the area was once a broad river floodplain that lay beyond the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. Or that this same place was later buried in a vast, Sahara-like desert, still later to lie beneath the waters of a warm tropical sea filled with ancient life forms. Sedona Through Time is an eminently readable story of the evolution of this fantastic landscape through the eons of geologic time.
Grand Canyon Geology
by Beus, Stanley
This second edition of the leading book on Grand Canyon geology contains the most recent discoveries and interpretations of the origin and history of the canyon. It includes two entirely new chapters: one on debris flow in the Canyon and one on the impact of water flow releases from the Glen Canyon Dam. All chapters have been updated where necessary and all photographs have been replaced or re-screened for better resolution. Written by acknowledged experts in stratigraphy, paleontology, structural geology, geomorphology, volcanism and seismology, this book offers a wealth of information for geologists and general readers interested in acquiring an understanding of the geological history of this great natural wonder. 423pp
An Introduction to Grand Canyon Prehistory
by Coder, Christopher M.
People have inhabited Grand Canyon for the past twelve thousand years. Evidence of their lives exists throughout the canyon; but it is up to their ancestors and archaeologists to interpret those remains for us. This book provides a popular look at the architecture, art, and tools of prehistoric Puebloan peoples, as well as information about modern-day Native American tribes. With illustrations and color photographs.
The Archaeology of Ancient Arizona
by Jefferson Reid and Stephanie Whittlesey
General overview of the archaeology of Arizona written by archaeologists with combined experience of over half a century of a combination of laboratory and fieldwork.





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