Arizona & New Mexico Rail

Both Arizona and New Mexico owe much of their early development to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. Our Grand Canyon Train Tour will explore the railroad's role in the Verde Valley, at the south rim of Grand Canyon, and along its main line between Flagstaff, Arizona and Santa Fe, New Mexico. A night's stay at the La Posada, the storied Fred Harvey hotel in Winslow will be included, as will visits to Wupatki, Sunset Crater, and Walnut Canyon National Monuments. From Santa Fe, a day aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (co-owned by the states of New Mexico and Colorado) has been arranged.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrivals in Flagstaff, AZ We meet this evening in Flagstaff, AZ for a welcome dinner and orientation to the week ahead. Meals included: Dinner Day 2 —Verde Canyon Railway Shortly after leaving Flagstaff today we descend through beautiful Oak Creek Canyon, breaking out into the red-rock desert that surrounds the town of Sedona, where we will stop briefly to stretch our legs before continuing to Clarkdale to board the Verde Canyon Railway. Built by the Santa Fe Railway in 1912 to serve a local copper smelter, it is now an independent short line that began carrying passengers into the remote canyons of the Verde River a quarter-century ago. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 3 — Grand Canyon National Park In 1901 the Santa Fe Railway built a branch from Williams, on its transcontinental main line, to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Although the railway ceased passenger service in 1968, efforts to revive it started in 1977 and succeeded in 1989. Re-live the experience of arriving at the canyon by train, have lunch at El Tovar Hotel, then walk along the rim to the Yavapi Geology Museum operated by the National Park Service. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 4 — Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments We transfer to Winslow today, ordinarily an hour's journey. By allowing most of the day, however, we can visit Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments on the way which each have their own unique landscape and are gems of the National Park System. Lodging tonight is at the newest, and only operating survivor, of the legendary Harvey Houses along the Santa Fe Railway. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 5 — Southwest Chief to Santa Fe We depart early this morning aboard the Southwest Chief, en route to Lamy, New Mexico, Amtrak's station for the city of Santa Fe. Along the way, pass through scenic desert country including the Red Cliffs of New Mexico. Several of the 19 Native American Peublos of New Mexico are visible from the train. They include Acomita, Laguna, Isleta, Sandia, San Felipe, and Santo Domingo. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 6 — Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Travel to Chama, New Mexico, for a day aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. This National Historic Landmark is widely considered the best heritage railway experience in the United States. The 3-foot narrow gauge heritage railroad runs for 64 miles over the 10,015 feet Cumbres Pass and through Toltec Gorge for fantastic views. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 7 — Departures from Santa Fe/Albuquerque After breakfast transfer to the Amtrak station or depart for Albuquerque International airport. Meals included: Breakfast

Lodging

Drury Inn & Suites - 3 nights Located in the center of Flagstaff and a short walk from the Amtrak station. The hotel features free Wi-Fi, the relaxed rooms also have 37-inch flat-screen TVs with premium channels, and private terraces, as well as microwaves, minifridges and coffeemakers. There's also an indoor pool and whirlpool and a 24-hour exercise room. La Posada - 1 night Set in a restored railroad hotel built in 1929 by the Santa Fe Railway, this low-key southwestern-style hotel lies next to the Winslow Amtrak station. The warm, individually decorated rooms offer free Wi-Fi and cable TV. Many rooms feature handmade Ponderosa pine beds, handwoven rugs, and/or original 1930s mosaic-tile baths with cast-iron tubs. Inn on Alameda - 2 nights Nestled in the heart of the city, steps from the historic Santa Fe Plaza, the Inn on the Alameda is the closest downtown Santa Fe hotel to the Canyon Road galleries. Staying in the Santa Fe boutique hotel near the Plaza means you can unwind completely, tucked within colorful xeriscaped gardens and peaceful shaded courtyards. Well-known for their ample continental breakfast, the Inn also includes a relaxing afternoon wine hour, WiFi access throughout, and a downtown courtesy shuttle for your convenience. The Inn features 72 rooms and suites of various sizes, in distinctive Pueblo-style architecture, gracefully spread across two acres and ten buildings. Additional amenities include an on-site fitness center, hot tub and business center.

Pricing & Inclusions

Price Includes:‍‍

• Lodging as outlined in lodging section above based on double occupancy
• Meals as noted in itinerary above
• Snacks and beverages
• Train tickets and museum admissions for all included activities
• Commentary by rail expert
• Services of professional tour manager
• Ground transportation for all included events during the trip & porterage service

  Trip Price Excludes:

• Pre & post tour travel
• Alcoholic beverages
• Gratuities for your BSA guides