Arizona Official State Travel Guide - Arizona 2024-25

IN THIS REGION

Flagstaff, Ganado, Monument Valley, Page, St. Johns, Tuba City, Williams, Window Rock, Winslow

Area Highlights

ANTELOPE CANYON & VICINITY 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 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-milelong 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 26–27, 2025, 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.

48 HOURS IN PINETOP-LAKESIDE

Pinetop-Lakeside enjoys a well-earned reputation as a summer escape, but when cooler weather arrives, this mountain town shows a whole different side of its personality.

Arrive: EVENING

Check into a cabin with a hot tub and wood-burning fireplace at Whispering Pines Resort to experience the area at its rustic best. Just a 15-minute walk away, Mexican restaurant Los Corrales serves up saucy enchiladas and other dinner staples in a colorful setting.

Day 1

MORNING

Fuel up at nearby Darbi’s Cafe, serving up comfort foods like thick-cut caramel apple French toast and gooey cinnamon rolls. Then stroll the easy one-mile paved Woodland Lake Loop, accessible for hikers of all ages and skill levels.

AFTERNOON

Sip a post-hike craft beer at Pinetop Brewing Company before heading off the beaten path to Fort Apache Historic Park. The story of the fort is a complicated one involving the U.S. Calvary moving into an Apache village and later enlisting members of the tribe as the first Apache scouts. Self-guided walking tours at Fort Apache take you back in time, with nearly 30 buildings dating from the 1870s through the 1930s. Finish the tour with a visit to the Kinishba Ruins, about five miles east of the park. The ruins are the site of an ancient village once home to the ancestors of the Hopi and Zuni people.

EVENING

Head back to town for dinner at this historic Charlie Clark’s Steakhouse, a ruggedly Western-themed joint with mesquite-broiled steaks and chicken, prime rib and seafood.

Day 2

MORNING

Hawley Lake isn’t just picturesque; it’s also an angler’s dream. Pack a picnic breakfast, find a piece of open shore, and hook anything from bass, crappie and walleye to trout. (Pick up a White Mountain Apache Tribal fishing permit at Hon-Dah store or one of the local convenience stores.) For visitors looking to get on the water, the nearby Hawley Lake Store offers boat rentals and snacks.

AFTERNOON

In addition to outdoor fun, Pinetop-Lakeside also offers a vibrant, quirky shopping scene. Explore The Burly Bear for furniture and décor — and plenty of bear-themed furnishings, naturally. While you’re here, you might even catch the owner creating custom wood carvings.

On your way out, grab a bite at The Bistro at Annie’s. This quaint restaurant and garden serves up sandwiches, paninis, soup and salads for lunch six days a week (closed Sundays).

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.

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.