ROUTE 66 CLICK HERE FOR MORE ROAD TRIP IDEAS get out for a walk through the 20-acre zoo-like setting to see even more animals up-close. March through December, don’t miss the daily High Country Raptors show to come face-to-face with owls, hawks and other raptors. Stop 10 5 PLACES TO STRETCH YOUR LEGS IN FLAGSTAFF Bushmaster Park: If the kids have been going stir-crazy, let them burn off some energy at this park’s playground, wide-open green spaces or skate park. Fatmans Loop Trail: Get your body moving on this easy 2.4-mile loop offering scenic overlooks of Flagstaff and Mt. Elden’s volcanic formations—and the potential to spot Steller’s jays, ravens, mule deer and gray foxes. The Arboretum at Flagstaff: In Coconino National Forest, stroll the grounds of this 200-acre ar-boretum, home to more than 740 plant species in natural habitats, gardens and greenhouses, as well as birds and butterflies. Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course: For the more extreme, get your heart pounding and your blood pumping as you navigate an array of aerial feats: scrambling walls, hanging nets, zip lines and suspended bridges. Walnut Canyon National Monument: Follow the 1-mile strenuous Island Trail at this archae-ological destination. The effort will be worth it; you’ll be rewarded with views of 25 ancient cliff dwelling rooms, as well as views of others across the canyon. Stop 11 METEOR CRATER NATURAL LANDMARK Just outside the town of Winslow, stare into the vast expanse of where a meteor slammed into the earth with the force of more than 20 million tons of TNT, creating a crater nearly a mile across and more than 550 feet deep. Go on a 45-minute guided rim tour to hear about this event that occurred approximately 50,000 years ago, learn more about asteroids and meteors in the Discovery Center, and watch the film “Impact, the Mystery of Meteor Crater”—all included in the price of admission. 36 VISITARIZONA.COM Stop 12 STAY OVERNIGHT: LA POSADA A true oasis of the Southwest, this historic hotel in Winslow was a hotspot among Hollywood’s jet set in the 1930s. Today, its Spanish-style architecture (designed by renowned architect Mary Colter and restored by current owner Allan Affeldt), picturesque gardens and Southwestern-chic rooms offer a much-needed retreat for road-worn travelers—fitting, as its name translates to “The Resting Place.” Stroll the grounds, fill up on wild game dishes at the onsite Turquoise Room restaurant, and browse the gift shop for tribal pottery, jewelry and katsina dolls. While you’re here, be sure to stop next door at the Winslow Arts Trust Route 66 Art Museum to browse exhibits in the restored La Posada Depot, formerly a railroad depot. Stop 13 Bearizona Wildlife Park, Williams Stop 14 DETOUR DRIVE: PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK Dramatically striped badlands, crystal-laden petrified logs, ancestral pueblos and sweeping views of the vast desert landscape will transport you to seemingly another world and time when you visit this national park just outside Holbrook. Drive along the 28-mile scenic road from one end of the park to the other and pull over along the way for outlooks and hiking trails. In the southern portion of the park, you’ll find the highest concentrations of petrified wood and the Rainbow Forest Museum & Visitor Center, while in the northern end you’ll find the Painted Desert Visitor Center, historic Painted Desert Inn (now a museum and National Historic Landmark) and scenic viewpoints of the Painted Desert. Fatmans Loop Trail, Coconino National Forest The Arboretum at Flagstaff, Flagstaff Petrified Forest National Park CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BEARIZONA WILDLIFE PARK; THE ARBORETUM AT FLAGSTAFF; GETTY IMAGES/LOTHAR KNOPP; PUBLIC DOMAIN/BRADY SMITH; AOT NAVAJO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Housed in the stately 1800s Historic Courthouse in Holbrook, this museum covers an array of time periods within its exhibits. See the old courtroom, base-ment jail cell and a collection of artifacts from over the centu-ries—everything from tribal crafts to an old chuckwagon to vintage surgical equipment to Route 66 memorabilia.
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2020-21: Page 36
