Flagstaff



Flagstaff is a city of over 75,000 people (2019) near the San Francisco Peaks mountain range of northern Arizona and the Grand Canyon. At an altitude of, Flagstaff and much of the surrounding region are substantially cooler than the low desert that dominates the southern part of the state. Though still dry by east coast standards, enough rain and snow falls in the area to allow a forest of ponderosa pine trees to cover the landscape. Winters tend to be cold, and heavy snowfall is expected on an annual basis.

Climate
Although located in Arizona, Flagstaff has a very different climate from the southern desert areas of the state. Winters are cold and sometimes very snowy, depending on the year. Temperatures can dip below in the coldest months. Snow tends to melt quickly, as the temperature is usually above freezing during the day, even in winter. The spring season is windy and chilly, albeit otherwise mild, with occasional rain and snowstorms.

Flagstaff's summer begins around May, when temperatures warm substantially; the highs can exceed during the hottest days. During the monsoon season (roughly June - September), intense, frequent rainstorms occur, lowering temperatures and ending the dry spell that tends to set in when the weather warms. The cool temperatures and frequent rain continue into the fall, and the first snowfall is often in November or December.

By car
Flagstaff is at the intersection of I-40, which runs west to California and east to New Mexico (following historic Route 66) and I-17, which runs south to Phoenix.

By plane
American Airlines provides service from Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix Sky Harbor as the only commercial airline to Flagstaff. Otherwise the airport serves a general aviation airport.

The nearest major airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Driving time between Flagstaff and Sky Harbor is greater than the 150-mile separation would suggest: the airport is on the east side of Phoenix, traffic jams in Phoenix are a problem, and I-17 can be shutdown for accidents or wildfires. Allow 2½ hours or more to get from one to the other by car.

Get around
Flagstaff is stretched out along historic Route 66, which runs roughly east-west. The fairly small (about 5 blocks square) downtown is on the western side of town, near the base of Mars Hill, the location of Lowell Observatory. The I-40 highway and the BNSF railroad tracks run roughly parallel to Route 66. Northern Arizona University is south of downtown and the tracks, but north of I-40. Here the north-south oriented Milton Road, which becomes I-17, is the main thoroughfare, with Route 66 heading west north of the railroad underpass.

The city is fairly bike-friendly, with many roads having bike lanes. In 2006 the Flagstaff was designated a "Bicycle-Friendly Community" by the League of American Bicyclists. The Flagstaff Urban Trails System (FUTS) includes more than 50 miles of paved and unpaved trails that wind throughout the town and are used extensively for recreation and transportation. One well-traveled FUTS path runs along the south side of Route 66 from downtown to the east side of town.

The Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority operates The Mountain Line, fixed-route bus service that extends throughout Flagstaff and carries more than one million passengers per year.

Do




Outdoors
The area surrounding Flagstaff is a hotspot for outdoor activities.
 * Many of the bicycle and outdoor sports stores in downtown Flagstaff carry Favorite Hikes: Flagstaff and Sedona and Mountain Biking Arizona Guide: Fat Tire Tales and Trails, two excellent guidebooks written by local Flagstaff mountain bike enthusiast Cosmic Ray.
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding
 * Trailriding

Drink
For beer fans, Flagstaff boasts several brewpubs and microbreweries.



Sleep
Because of its proximity to the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff has a wide array of hotels and other lodging, with over 5,000 rooms available. Cheap rooms are available at older non-chain motels, but you get what you pay for, and prices may not be that much cheaper than discount chains. Be sure to shop around and bargain as proprietors are often willing to drop prices during the off-season.

Many motels of the older variety are located along Route 66 east of downtown. More older hotels and most newer motels are located south of downtown along Milton Road. There are a few historic hotels downtown, as well as two hostels. Various B&B establishments can be found near downtown in older neighborhoods. Campgrounds and RV parks can be found on the outskirts of town. Note that the BNSF rail line is very busy and in many hotels train horn noise is prominent (though not overwhelming as no facility is directly on the tracks). Sensitive sleepers should look to the Milton Road area for more quiet. Visible from the I-40 freeway off the Butler Ave. exit on Lucky Lane is a large selection of national chain economy class hotels including Econo Lodge, Motel 6, Quality Inn, Super 8 and Howard Johnson.

Camping
Dispersed camping (free) is permitted almost anywhere in the Coconino National Forest, which abuts town in many places (i.e. Thorpe Park, Mt Elden). Specific sites set aside for dispersed camping include Cinder Hills, Freidlein Prairie, and Marshall Lake (free, no water or facilities). Some of the choicest camp sites are on the San Francisco peaks and inner basin where a breathtaking aspen color changes happen every fall.



Stay safe
Although Flagstaff is well within the southern half of the U.S., it receives more snowfall than just about any other American city. Always come prepared in wintertime.

There is not a huge crime problem, but certain areas noted below should be avoided, mainly at night:

Sunnyside, one of Flagstaff's larger neighborhoods, is on the east side of town (bordered by Cedar Ave. on the north, 4th St. on the east, Izabel St. and Cedar Hill on the west and Route 66 on the south). Sunnyside is an incredibly diverse and interesting neighborhood but is also one of the most poverty-stricken neighborhoods in the city. Most points of interest are restaurants located on the edge of the neighborhood in the business districts which are generally safe any time of day. The area has been afflicted with some gang activity, mostly in the very center of the neighborhood. Just don't walk the neighborhood at night or hang out in an area that seems unsafe.

The other area that becomes unsafe at night is some areas of what locals call the "South Side". South of the railroad tracks, west of Lone Tree Road, east of Milton and north of the NAU campus is the general designation of this area. The exception being most of the areas along South Beaver St. and South San Francisco St., which are safe even at night because of the night-time music, restaurant and bar scene that takes place along these streets. Areas closer to campus and on side streets such as South O'Leary and South Fontaine should be avoided at night. Though a lot of college students inhabit the area, drug addicts and transients do also, and there is some gang activity.

Go next
An unusual number of national parks and monuments are close to Flagstaff, the largest and most famous of which is the Grand Canyon, but there are three right nearby. Note that there is a $25 Flagstaff Area National Monuments Annual Pass which works for all three monuments, and covers entrance fees for up to four people which may be cheaper for groups visiting multiple sites.



For more of the canyon landscape: the Grand Canyon is just a short drive further north, and to the northeast is Navajo Country and Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. The detour through Sedona on the way south to Phoenix offers a scenic route west of I-17.

For more forested high-country, head southeast to the Mogollon Rim area or southwest towards Prescott.

For more of Historic Route 66 and the Old West, head east towards New Mexico, going through Williams and onwards to Gallup, Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Or head west to Kingman, with options to continue into California towards Barstow and eventually Los Angeles, or veer north at Kingman from Route 66 to Hoover Dam and Las Vegas.