Northern Arizona
Plenty More To Explore
The sleepy little town of Clarkdale, with a population of around 4,000, is located at the base of Cleopatra Hill between Cottonwood and Jerome. At an elevation of 3,545 feet, the weather is typical of the Verde Valley with summer daytime highs averaging in the upper 90’s and winter daytime highs in the 60’s.
Clarkdale was founded in 1912 as a company smelter town by William A. Clark, for his copper mine in nearby Jerome. Main Street today looks very similar to the original look and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the town center, there is a lovely little park for picnics and town events, especially around the holidays. It has a grandstand-style gazebo that stages occasional ceremonies and concerts.
Clarkdale is best know today for the Verde Canyon Railroad’s scenic train ride skirting the beautiful Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Area. The train depot is just around the corner from the town itself.
