If you are looking for the best fall foliage train ride, look no further; we have found it!! Brandon and I went on this train ride the third weekend of October and were blown away! We can’t wait to share our experience and hopefully convince some of you to check it out!
What is it?
Tennessee Railroad Valley- Copperhill: Scenic Train is an 8-hour day trip train excursion through the lower Hiwassee River Gorge to the City of Copperhill, Tennessee. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Company operates the train, which uses restored vintage cars.
The train ride starts in Delano, Tennessee, and takes you on a 47-mile ride through the stunning Hiwassee River Gorge, where the tracks cross over themselves as they corkscrew up the mountain near Farner, Tennessee. There are only 6 of these loops in North America, and this is the only one ever East of the Mississippi River.
The railroad over which Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum trains travel on its Hiwassee River Scenic Railroad was formerly part of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad’s Atlanta Division stretching between Etowah, Tennessee, and Marietta, Georgia. This train ride is filled with history and beauty!
Pre-train and Boarding
We stayed in the town of Ocoee at the Quality Inn so we wouldn’t need to wake up in the wee hours of the morning. The hotel was comfortable and provided breakfast, a great way to start the day.
The departure location was about 20 minutes away from Ocoee, allowing us a relaxing morning.
The departure location is different from a train station. There are port-a-johns in the parking lot, but that is it. It is a big open lot for parking right next to the railroad.
The train left at 9:30 a.m., but they began boarding around 9:00 a.m. We arrived at the location around 8:00 a.m. The fun part about arriving early was that the train had not arrived, so we watched it pull up to the ‘station.’
The cars of this train were so beautiful from the outside. They have craftily restored the outside of the cars. The inside of the cars was excellent as well. All the cars are climate-controlled, although our car was very chilly in the morning!
We purchased coach seats, which are set up in a two-to-two configuration. If you are a group of four, they rotate the seats so you can face the others in your party. For this line of cars, the first was coach seating, the second was coach, and the third was coach with the commissary.
Seats are first come, first serve, and from what we observed, they typically fill the coach seats from the first car to the third car.
If I had to choose the best coach car, it would be car number one. No one walked through the car very much, unlike car number three, which is where the food and drinks were. And, on the way back, you are at the end of the train, where you can easily go to the open back for beautiful views (more on that later).
The fourth and fifth cars were first class. We did not get to look into those carts, unfortunately.
The Ride
The ride through the gorge was beautiful! We timed it perfectly with peak fall colors (unintentionally), but this ride would be spectacular any time of year.
On the train, one of the crew members is a Narrator, which I was surprised to find out. For many parts of the journey, he would tell the history of the railway, what used to be there, the history of the towns we passed, and much more information. He did such a fantastic job narrating the ride! It was like a museum on wheels! His narration added a unique quality to this train ride.
While on the train, you can walk around and explore (minus the first-class cars). The best part about this, and possibly the whole train ride, was that the vestibules connecting the cars had open windows that you could stick your head out of!
And when the train is headed back to Delano, you can ride on the back of the open vestibule. It was the best experience ever!
Brandon and I spent much time by those open windows, watching the scenery roll by.
The train also has a commissary. The prices are very reasonable. We got coffee and water for $1 each. They also had small packaged snacks available. They also allow you to bring your snacks and drinks to the train!
Neither Brandon nor I had any cell service, so get ready to unplug! So, on the ride, you can sit back, savor the scenery, relax, and soak in the beauty of nature. It’s a wonderful opportunity to unplug, unwind, and reconnect with the world outside.
Visiting Copperhill
This train ride allows you two hours to explore the town of Copperhill, Tennessee, which sits right on the border of Georgia. Copperhill is a small town, so two hours is plenty of time to eat and enjoy the area.
Brandon and I wanted to experience as much of the food and see as much as possible, so we created our own little food tour.
- Kenny’s Pizza and Subs: We shared a slice of pizza and an apple egg roll dessert! This place was very delicious and would be a quick and easy spot for lunch.
- Katz’s New York Deli: We got an order of the perogies that were phenomenal! This was a cute restaurant with plenty of seating options, coffee drinks, and sandwiches.
- Rum Cake Lady Cuban Cafe: We shared the Tampa Cubano Sandwich, and it did not disappoint!
- Happy Bear Ice Cream and Treats: I had a brownie, and Brandon got the cannoli. The brownie was less than desired, but the cannoli was delicious! This place does not make its own ice cream in-house, which I know can be a big deal for some people.
This food tour was a great way to see the city and try the local cuisine. Being such a small town with so many different food options, anyone could find something to enjoy!
We also wanted to try out at least one of their two breweries but ran out of time. We will have to come back!
The Ride Home
After the two-hour layover, you return to the train. The crew members flip the seats, and you switch sides with the people next to you. This way, you can see the views from both sides of the train. On the way there, the left side has the best views, and on the way back, the right side will have the best.
The train ride back was perfectly aligned with the sunset and gave terrific color to our journey home.
Over all Feels
In our opinion, this was one of the best fall train rides. It’s a delightful blend of history, nature, and charm, all wrapped up in a nostalgic package that will leave you with a deep appreciation for the beauty of autumn in the Tennessee Valley.
Everyone on the train, the workers, and the people of Copperhill were so kind and delightful that it just added to an already fantastic trip!
