A legendary train leads to one of America’s most stunning sights

It’s early – very early – as I stumble off Amtrak’s Southwest Chief train into pre-dawn darkness in Flagstaff, Arizona. Ahead of me is the attractive mock-Tudor form of the railway station, and next to that is a minibus waiting to convey me to the town of Williams and the Grand Canyon Railway.

Watch the scenery transform from desert to ponderosa pines when sitting in the train’s observation dome. 

Following this route feels like an immersion in American railway history. Before cars and planes were commonplace, this was how people visited the otherwise remote Grand Canyon. From 1901 to its closure in 1968, the Grand Canyon Railway conveyed passengers – including presidents from Theodore Roosevelt to Dwight Eisenhower, and Hollywood stars like Clark Gable and Doris Day – from the main Chicago-Los Angeles line to that natural wonder.

More than two decades later, in 1989, the railway was reborn purely as a tourist operation. I’ve been meaning to take this train for years, so I’m excited to finally be on my way to its southern terminus. After dropping my luggage at the railway’s hotel in Williams, I have breakfast in its Fred Harvey Restaurant, an echo of the Harvey Houses that once fed train passengers in the western US.

A Grand adventure.Credit: Getty Images

The train is due to depart for the Grand Canyon at 9.30am, but first there’s a live show in a mocked-up Wild West town that involves whip-cracking skills, gunshots and broad comedy from several blokes in cowboy gear. Little do I realise I’ll be seeing them again later, when they stage a theatrical hold-up of the returning train.

The train itself is an appealing collection of streamlined carriages. Boarding the 1968 Kokopelli car (named after a Hopi fertility god), I find myself in a first-class seat with burgundy upholstery above floral carpeting. Our carriage attendant is Alicia, a livewire who dispenses commentary and takes orders for outlandish drinks such as the Peppermint Patty (involving peppermint schnapps and hot chocolate). To complement her efforts, a roaming guitarist plays music, and there’s a table of sweet snacks to enjoy.

The Grand Canyon Railway is a heritage railroad that carries passengers between Williams, Arizona and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.Credit: Getty Images

As for the scenery, it’s a slow burn as we trundle first across a green plain with low hills and bushes, which gradually transforms into a rocky, arid landscape. Approaching the canyon, it changes once again, as the railway becomes surrounded by trees.

After just over two hours we arrive at Grand Canyon Village, the settlement that developed around the railway. A walk up a set of steps takes me toward the South Rim, with the Grand Canyon beyond. I decide to approach this marvel with eyes lowered (not closed, I’m not that reckless), so I can take it in all at once.

When I reach the South Rim’s low wall, I am amazed. Much has been written about the Grand Canyon, but it’s difficult to fully capture its appeal in text or photos. Seen up close, it is stunning – a vast space with enormous complexity in its colourful layers and contours. Every time I move a few metres along the path, the view becomes newly arresting, with more detail to take in.

Scenic siding… Grand Canyon Railway.

I could stare at this for ages – and I do – but eventually, I drag myself away from the path to El Tovar, the historic timber hotel where I’ve booked for lunch. My table has a glimpse of the canyon, which makes me happy, as I absorb more of its mesmerising beauty over the restaurant’s “famous” French onion soup and a club sandwich.

Breathtaking… Grand Canyon.Credit: iStock

After lunch, I drink beer in one of the rocking chairs that line the hotel’s broad verandah. It’s hard to remove my gaze from the geological miracle stretching out before me, but eventually, I must. I have a return train to catch.

THE DETAILS

RIDE
Return train journey from Williams to the Grand Canyon from $US90 ($149.50). See thetrain.com

One-way train fare from Los Angeles to Flagstaff with a bus transfer to Williams from $US87 ($145) for a coach seat, or $US319 ($530) for a private room with sleeper berth. See amtrak.com

FLY
Fiji Airways flies to Los Angeles via Nadi. See fijiairways.com

STAY
Grand Canyon Railway offers accommodation at its Williams hotel from $US153 ($254) a night. See thetrain.com

Residence Inn Flagstaff is a comfortable option near the city’s Amtrak station. Rooms from $US185 ($307) a night. See marriott.com

MORE
visitarizona.com

The writer travelled courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism and Fiji Airways.