2023-10-19 03:34:25
With its otherworldly geology, dramatically hued Tribal Lands and concentration of national parks and monuments, Northern Arizona is a playground for road-trippers and outdoor adventurers alike. Ski through powdery snow. Hike up, up, up to Arizona’s highest peak or down, down, down into the world’s grandest canyon. Time travel to prehistoric civilizations or peer into the vast universe in hopes of making a new astral discovery. Past, present, future — the possibilities are endless in this diverse region. IN THIS REGION Flagstaff, Ganado, Monument Valley, Page, St. Johns, Tuba City, Williams, Window Rock, Winslow Area Highlights ANTELOPE VALLEY CANYON TOURS, PAGE AREA Marvel at curvy sandstone walls lapped smooth by water and shafts of sunlight that shine through crevices in column-like beams when you explore Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon, Canyon X, Mystical Antelope Canyon or Ligai Si’ Anii Canyon with one of the many tour operators in the City of Page area. GRAND CANYON Experience nature at its most awesome with a visit to Grand Canyon National Park. Get your camera ready for breathtaking views from the many scenic overlooks that dot the 277-mile-long canyon carved by the Colorado River. For a truly thrilling adventure, take a multiday whitewater rafting trip through the canyon. GRAND CANYON RAILWAY & HOTEL, WILLIAMS Time travel to another era when you ride the rails from Williams to Grand Canyon National Park on a vintage train car. You’ll arrive at Grand Canyon Village and have three hours to explore the sights and scenery before returning. Spend the night in the elegant Grand Canyon Railway Hotel for the full experience. RIORDAN MANSION STATE HISTORIC PARK, FLAGSTAFF At this state park, take a guided tour of an architectural treasure: the 1904 duplex-style Riordan Mansion, one of the best examples of American Arts and Crafts architecture open to the public today. The 40-room mansion is outfitted in original furnishings by Edison, Stickley, Ellis and Steinway. LYMAN LAKE STATE PARK, ST. JOHNS Bring all your fast water toys to this state park, where the 1,500-acre reservoir touts no restrictions on boat or motor sizes — a haven for waterskiing, wakeboarding and speed boating. Make a weekend of it when you book one of the cabins or hook up your RV in the campground. HUBBELL TRADING POST NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, GANADO Dating back to 1878, this is the oldest operating trading post on the Navajo Nation. Tour the original 160-acre homestead — which includes the family home, farm animals, outbuildings and a visitor center with history exhibits—and shop handmade Navajo blankets, jewelry, baskets and pottery. STANDIN’ ON THE CORNER PARK, WINSLOW Nodding to the Eagles song Take it Easy, which references standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, this public park is a popular photo-op for road-trippers traveling Route 66. Don’t miss the town’s Standin’ on a Corner Festival September 27–28, 2024, featuring country rock and Eagles tribute bands. MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK, OLJATO-MONUMENT VALLEY Instantly recognizable as an icon of the American Southwest, this dramatic landscape is punctuated by monoliths, mesas and spires. Drive along the 17-mile loop to take in the scenery or book a guided tour for spectacular hiking and photography. HERITAGE SQUARE, FLAGSTAFF This popular gathering spot in the heart of historic downtown Flagstaff is surrounded by local shops and restaurants with welcoming patios. Stop by Heritage Square throughout the year and you’ll find special events like the First Friday Artwalk, live music and performances, children’s activities and family-friendly movie screenings. PEP TALK COFFEE HOUSES & ROASTERS TO START YOUR DAY BY TAYLOR GARLAND Before heading out for a day of adventures, linger over a cup of specially made coffee, from single-origin pour overs to craft coffee roasted on-site. Firecreek Coffee Company in Flagstaff is a must-visit for coffee aficionados. Choose from a range of blends and single-origin options, and pair your cup with a selection of delicious house-baked pastries. Another Flagstaff favorite, Lund Canyon Coffee is a small-batch roaster that specializes in organic and fair trade coffee beans. Offering a variety of brewing methods, including pour-over and French press, you can enjoy your coffee just the way you like it. If you’re looking for a unique coffee experience, Flagstaff’s Matador Coffee Roasting Company uses only the highest quality beans from around the world, and their coffee is roasted in small batches to ensure maximum freshness and flavor. Single Speed Coffee Roasters is another Flagstaff-based coffee roaster that has made a name for itself in the local coffee scene, specializing in craft coffee that is brewed with precision and care. Single Speed’s mobile coffee bar can be found at local events, farmers markets and festivals. At Brewed Awakenings in Williams, sip on uniquely flavored lattes with fun names, such as the Happy Camper (a white chocolate and butterscotch latte) or the Air Stream (a white chocolate and coconut latte). The breakfast menu also offers the perfect fuel for outdoor adventures, with health-conscious options like hearty quinoa oatmeal and egg-white breakfast wraps. In Winslow, the family-owned Mojo Coffee Co. Roastery & Cafe roasts their beans fresh every day and offers traditional espresso drinks, plus specialty mochas, teas and smoothies. WINTER WONDERS With its lush forests and higher elevation areas, Northern Arizona is a snow lover’s winter wonderland. Take your pick from outdoor snow adventures, whether you’re an absolute beginner or a seasoned snow bunny. Less than 15 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona Snowbowl boasts an average of 260 inches of snowfall and the most beginner terrain in the Southwest. Ski or snowboard down your choice of 55 runs or try something new with a ski-bike ride. Ages 12 and younger or 75 and older ski free. High Country Adaptive Sports at Arizona Snowbowl offers a specialized adaptive skiing and snowboarding program for people with disabilities. At nearby Arizona Nordic Village, revel in a serene retreat of sugar-hued vistas and some 30 miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails. Backcountry yurts are available for rent year-round. On White Mountain Apache Tribal Lands, you can ski, snowboard and ski-bike at Sunrise Park Resort, where coasting downhill includes magnificent views of the surrounding pines and open sky. For slower-paced fun, take a turn on the tubing hill or go on a sleigh ride. NAVAJO CODE TALKERS BY ELIZABETH EXLINE Known as Diné among themselves and Navajo to the world at large, this population worked a veritable miracle during World War II. The Japanese had deciphered every code developed by the U.S. Marines until Navajo recruits joined up and changed the course of history. By speaking their native tongue, the Navajo marines were able to communicate in the Pacific theater without the Japanese ever understanding. In fact, the Navajo language was the only “code” the Japanese failed to crack. Today, just a handful of the original Code Talkers remain, but visitors can immerse themselves in the drama and victory of their story at the Navajo Code Talkers exhibit at the Historic Tuba City Trading Post in Tuba City. The museum features a smattering of threads that, taken together, weave a tapestry of danger, secrets and, ultimately, survival. See a documentary, artifacts and weapons from this era. The museum resides a stone’s throw away from the better known Explore Navajo Interactive Museum, which attempts to put into exhibit form the “Navajo journey through life.” Each of the four quadrants reveals key aspects of Navajo culture, from the traditional hogan (home) to the ceremonies and culture to, yes, that language that made all the difference to U.S. troops in the 1940s. UNREAL Landscapes Some of the Southwest’s most unique landscapes can be found in Northern Arizona. MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK This collection of crimson mesas and towering sandstone buttes captures colors that appear only in nature. Please be respectful of Navajo Nation regulations when visiting Monument Valley to help preserve this ancient site. PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK Not a forest in the traditional sense, this national park amazes with views of colorful mesas, buttes and badlands — not to mention the fossilized wood the park is named for, as well as Triassic-Period animal fossils, petroglyphs, hoodoos and a stretch of historic Route 66. VERMILION CLIFFS NATIONAL MONUMENT Undulating swirls of red and yellow sandstone, dramatic red cliffs and uncommon wildlife such as endangered California condors are just some of the draws to this 280,000-acre monument. Most roads require four-wheel drive — and the most notable sights require a permit — but the rewards are worth the effort. METEOR CRATER NATURAL LANDMARK Approximately 50,000 years ago, a meteor slammed into the earth with the force of more than 2 million tons of TNT, creating a crater a mile across and 550 feet deep. Go on the 45-minute guided rim tour in Winslow to learn about this epic event.
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