Local Festivals
Several annual festivals showcase the arts in
Flagstaff, including the Zuni Artists Exhibition at the
Museum of Northern Arizona (May); the Festival of Native
American Arts, held at the Coconino Centre for the Arts
(June); the annual Hopi Artists Exhibition (at the museum
in June); the Navajo Artists Exhibition (same venue in
July); the Festival in the Pines (August); and the city's
Festival of the Arts, held annually in July, with
symphonic and pops concerts, chamber music, theater, and
classic film showings.
Outdoors
Because the city lies at the base of the San
Franciosco Mountains and Mount Humphreys, Flagstaff is
noted for its winter activity. The Snow Bowl attracts
skiers from across the country. With 35 trails, it's the
most extensive ski area in the state. The Nordic Ski
Center north of town offers groomed cross-country ski
trails, as does the Mormon Lake nordic ski area. Summer
sporting attractions include a championship 18-hole golf
course and fishing in Mormon Lake and Lake Mary, both
less than a half-hour's drive from town. Oak Creek, just
south of town, is a trout angler's haunt. The city has an
Urban Trails System with biking and hiking trails.
To the Grand Canyon
There are two highways you can take to reach the
South Rim of the Grand Canyon
from Flagstaff. Our preferred route is covered in the
scenic drive beginning on page 178. This route follows
U.S. Highway 89, past Sunset Crater and the Wupatki
National Monument to Cameron, and then follows the path
of the Little Colorado River to the national park's
western edge. The shorter route is the drive out of
Flagstaff on U.S. Highway 180, through the San Francisco
Mountains to the crossroads community of Valle and then
completing the trip north (still on Hwy. 180) to the
south gate to the park. Using both routes offers a fine
loop drive to and from the park.
Native Culture -- Ancient & Contemporary
The history and culture of Arizona's native Indians
attracts thousands of visitors annually to the city and
environs. Wupatki National Monument, the Sinagua ruins,
is located 20 miles north of Flagstaff, just off Highway
89. As well, the city is within a day's drive of the Zuni
and Hopi reservations. Descendants of the Anasazi, the
Hopi, towns settled northeast of Flagstaff.
In Flagstaff
Fort Valley Road (Highway 180) leads to several points
of interest. The Coconino Center for the Arts features
galleries displaying regional artists and traveling
national exhibitions. The Center stages an annual
"Trappings of the American West" show. For information,
phone (520) 779-6921. Next door to the arts center is the
Arizona Historical Society/Pioneer Museum. The museum
includes pioneer buildings and historical displays of
Arizona settlement (520-774-6272).
The Arboretum at Flagstaff is one of two fine arboreta
we visited during our recent tour of the state (the other
is the Boyce Thompson Desert Arboretum near Phoenix).
Flagstaff's arboretum is located in a wooded area on
Woody Mountain Road, off old Route 66, west of town.
Native Arizona plants and flowers are featured, as well
as rare plants and flowers not naturally found in
northern Arizona.
Visiting the two botanical gardens provides an insight
into the incredibly diverse nature of Arizona ecology.
For information, phone (520) 774-1442..
The Museum of Northern Arizona (on Fort Valley Road)
houses a large collection of southwestern native arts and
crafts, in addition to displays on northern Arizona's
geology and history. It is the location of several annual
native art and crafts exhibitions (see previous page) and
always has special museum attractions (520-774-5211).
Lowell Observatory, named for pioneer astronomer
Percival Lowell, is located atop Mars Hill just west of
the downtown area. The observatory is open daily for
guided tours, slide shows and lectures (phone
520-774-2096).
Two vastly different historic homes can be viewed in
the city. Walnut Canyon National Monument is an example
of ancient Sinagua Indian cliff dwellings. You can walk
through the canyon on paved trails or you can follow the
rim. It's located 5 miles east of town, off Interstate
40.
Riordan Mansion (a state park) was the home of one of
Flagstaff's first families and has been restored as a
testament to the pioneering spirit of Arizona's founders.
The mansion is found off Milton Road, near Northern
Arizona University.
Scenic Drive to
Sedona
South of Flagstaff, Alternate Route 89 leads down into
Oak Creek Canyon and to the red rock country surrounding
Sedona. The short drive to Sedona makes a fine day-trip
from Flagstaff, providing lots of time to visit picnic
parks along the creek, the old Indian Gardens, and then
Sedona with its clusters of chic boutiques, new-age
crystal shops, and superb resorts. Before descending into
the Oak Creek Canyon, the route passes through pine
forest, with access to several small lakes that also
provide recreation areas with picnicking and fishing. For
more on Sedona and area, see the Sedona
Page.
The Red Rock Loop Drive just south of Sedona
provides great views of the natural red rock
architecture. If you're spending only a day visiting the
Sedona area before returning to Flagstaff, this short but
spectacular tour is a must.
