100 Years of Route 66.
250 Years of America.
One Unforgettable Ride.
This summer, the Grand Canyon Railway sits at the center of two American milestones — and one journey you won’t ride again.
Climb aboard the locomotive, follow the Mother Road into Williams, and let history pull you all the way to the rim.
WHY THIS SUMMER?
250
America's Semiquincentennial
Our flagship engine has been wrapped in red, white, and blue to mark the nation's 250th birthday — a moving tribute you can ride through the whole of summer 2026.
100
The Mother Road Turns 100
Route 66 was christened in 1926. A century on, Williams remains its proudest mile — and the only town where the Mother Road still leads to the Grand Canyon.
150
Fred Harvey's Legacy Turns 150
In 1876, Fred Harvey set a new standard for American hospitality along the rails. Today, that legacy thrives at the Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel. As we celebrate September 17—the 125th anniversary of the first train to the canyon—we proudly continue the same tradition of warmth, craft, and care on the very tracks that carried those early travelers west.
A piece of rolling American History.
Our flagship steam locomotive has been pulling passengers from Williams to the South Rim for over a century. The routes have stayed the same. The canyon hasn’t changed. And the engine — built to last and maintained to run — remains one of the most storied on any working railroad in the country.
|“You don’t just see this train. You ride behind it.”
Every summer departure from Williams Depot is led by a locomotive that has earned its place in front of this train. Bring a camera. Bring the kids. Bring the people you’d want sitting next to you when something this rare rolls past.
The Mother Road's
centennial mile.
Williams was the last town on Route 66 to be bypassed by the interstate, and the first to be saved by the train. A century after the road was named, the rails still pull travelers off the highway and into the canyon. This is where the American summer still happens.
Williams Historic Route 66 Car Show
For Route 66’s 100th birthday, the Mother Road’s home stretch comes alive. Six hundred classic cars, custom builds, and hot rods line Historic Route 66 in downtown Williams — steps from the Grand Canyon Railway Depot. Stay at our hotel, walk to the show, ride the train to the rim.
June 5–6, 2026 · Downtown Williams, AZ · 11th Annual
Hosted by American Legion Cordova Post 13 · Title Sponsor: Grand Canyon Railway
600
CLASSIC CARS · 2 DAYS
Three ways to ride summer 2026:
From a one-day round trip to a full Route 66 getaway, every booking includes a seat behind the America 250 engine.
The Round Trip to the Rim
Williams to the South Rim and back in a day. Strolling musicians, a Western-style train robbery, and the canyon's edge before sunset.
BOOK DAY TRAIN
Stay & Save: Williams Overnight Getaway
Two nights at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, full round-trip rail fare, and a pre-departure cowboy show at the Williams Depot.
BOOK THE GETAWAY
Car Show Weekend Getaway
Two nights at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel during the Route 66 Car Show, train fare to the rim, and a front-row walk to 600 classic cars on the Mother Road.
RESERVE JUNE DATES