Kids love trains! And let’s face it — plenty of adults do, too. We’ve pulled together a list of places in Arizona when the whole family will enjoy riding the rails.
Full-scale trains
Grand Canyon Railway
1-800-THE-TRAIN (843-8724) • thetrain.com
Departs daily at 9:30am and travels 65 miles from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Year round. Seasonal: Pumpkin Patch, Polar Express.
Verde Canyon Railroad
800-582-7245 • verdecanyonrr.com
Year-round wilderness adventures from the old mining town of Clarkdale (just outside of Sedona) to the Perkinsville ghost ranch and back in a fully restored vintage train. Seasonal: Chocolate Lovers Train (Feb), Easter Bunny Express, National Train Day (May), Eagle Watch and Santa Claus Express (Dec).
Miniature trains
Desert Breeze Park
660 N. Desert Breeze Blvd. East, Chandler
480-893-6652 • desertbreezerr.com
Desert Breeze Railroad’s replica Sante Fe-style engine pulls open-air coaches and a red caboose on a three-quarter-mile tour of the park. Weekends, Labor Day through Memorial Day.
Enchanted Island Amusement Park
1202 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix
602-254-1200 • enchantedisland.com
A seven-minute tour of the island on a one-third-scale replica of C.P. Huntington train.
Freestone Park
1021 E. Juniper Ave., Gilbert
480-632-2702 • freestonerr.com
Freestone Railroad’s miniature 1880s replica engine pulls covered coaches and open-air cars around the park on a three-quarter-mile track. Runs weekends from Labor Day to Memorial Day.
Goldfield Ghost Town
4650 N. Mammoth Mine Road, Goldfield
480-983-0333 • goldfieldghosttown.com
The Superstition Scenic Narrow Gauge Railroad’s 36-inch gauge train has a Plymouth diesel pulling a passenger car and a caboose along 20-minute, narrated journey around a mile and a half of track. Departs every 35 minutes.
Maricopa Live Steamers Railroad Heritage Preservation Society
22822 N. 43rd Ave., Phoenix • maricopalivesteamers.com
Adobe Western Railroad offers free rides (donations appreciated) on four different 30-minute routes each Sunday from noon to 4:30pm Labor Day through Memorial Day.
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale
480-312-2312 • therailroadpark.com
Ride the 5/12 scale Paradise & Pacific Railroad around the 30-acre park. Rail clubs offer free rides on even smaller trains during the weekend.
Old Tucson Studios
201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson
520-883-0100 • oldtucson.com
A C.P. Huntington Train takes guests on an excursion through the Arizona Sonora Desert.
Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass
5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler
480-502-5600 • rawhide.com
The Rawhide Express is a scenic desert train ride on a red and black C.P. Huntington (No. 43) within an Old West replica town.
Trail Dust Town
6541 E Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson
520-296-4551 • traildusttown.com
Operates a miniature C.P. Huntington Railroad through this Western-theme commercial complex. Runs 4:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium
16501 W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park
623-935-WILD (9453) • wildlifeworld.com
African Safari Train is a 5/8-mile narrated ride through the simulated plains of Africa with views of endangered antelope, gazelles, ostriches and more.
Raising Arizona Kids magazine provides resource directories as a community service. We do not independently evaluate nor do we imply endorsement by including particular organizations. If you know of additional resources we should list, please contact us with details.