Cinco de Mayo on the Scenic Verde Canyon Train

OLE! ROLLING FIESTA ON THE VERDE CANYON RAILROAD

CLARKDALE, Ariz. - Mariachi music, mouth-watering food and colorful decorations highlight the festivities on Saturday, May 5, 2007 as the Verde Canyon Railroad celebrates Arizona’s Mexican heritage with special Cinco de Mayo excursion trains!

First-class passengers will enjoy a complementary, zesty buffet of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, and all passengers will be tempted by the south of the border treats slated to spice up the menu at the depot’s Copper Spike Café. Meals can be boxed for indulging while riding the train, or enjoyed on the shaded patio where strolling Mariachi’s will entertain the crowd with song and rhythm to encourage dance and vivacity.
There are two departure times scheduled to accommodate the Cinco de Mayo fiesta attendees, one at 9:00 a.m. and one at 2:30 p.m.

Departing from Clarkdale in the heart of the expansive Verde Valley, the Verde Canyon Railroad’s historic tracks meander through the spectacular, secluded wilderness of the Verde Canyon. The red cliffs, blue sky and the green waters of the Verde River are Mother Nature’s echo of the Mexican fiesta. Migrating fowl prepare to leave, while the incredible variety of resident species, including the American Bald Eagle prepares their fledglings for independent living. Deer, elk, fox and javelina can be glimpsed between the verdant boughs of the Cottonwood, Sycamore and Mesquite trees that gracefully line the tumbling water.

Forged by the same hearty men that mined copper from Jerome, the tracks of the Verde Canyon Railroad have been in business since 1912, hauling ore to market and supplies to residents. Trestles bridging incredible canyons, the awesome tunnel blasted out of raw rock and other unexpected man-made wonders provide passengers with access to the wall to wall wonderland of the Verde Canyon.

To join in the Cinco de Mayo fiesta, call 1-800-293-7245, or visit the Railroad’s website at www.verdecanyonrr.com.

The Verde Canyon Railroad is located at 300 N. Broadway, Clarkdale, Ariz. Ideally situated below the cold of the mountains, and above the heat of the desert, the train depot is 25 minutes from Sedona, two hours north of Phoenix, and one and one-half hours south of Flagstaff. Passengers are encouraged to arrive approximately one and one-half hours prior to departure.