10 Worthwhile Northern Arizona Attractions & 10 to Skip!
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Northern Arizona is home to many of the state’s most enchanting attractions including The Grand Canyon, the majestic red rocks of Sedona, and the beautiful San Francisco Peaks (which at 12,633 feet are the highest mountain range in the state).
As Flagstaff is located along both I-40 and Route 66, it’s the most popular road trip stop in the region. Unfortunately, this also means it is one of the most congested areas in the state. Despite the crowds, the wilderness surrounding the city provides a natural escape for locals & tourists. I didn’t know much about this area before moving here, but after living here for several years, I can say it is simply incredible.
You may just find yourself stopping here for a night (or several) en route to a national park. Or maybe you are traveling to a nearby city like Los Angeles, Phoenix, or Las Vegas. As the area is basically a hub for travel within the Southwest, it’s more than likely that one day you might just find yourself passing through (or maybe you already have!).
I absolutely loved my time living in the city. So many stunning natural wonders (that I may have never seen otherwise) were right at my fingertips. In my guide, I highlight the most incredible attractions and a few overrated tourist traps which I recommend skipping if you are short on time.
Flagstaff: a great base for your adventures!
Flagstaff, offering a unique high desert, 4 season climate, is the state’s premier recreational hub. The city offers a surprising number of attractions for its’ small size. Not to mention, it is conveniently located within close proximity to many beautiful places like Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and the Petrified National Forest. Driving into the city and seeing all the traffic, it’s quite hard to imagine that only 145k residents call this small metro home. Despite the congestion, I absolutely loved every second of my time living here. The town offers so many great amenities and there is so much to explore within a quick daytrip.
To help you decide which attractions are worth your time (and those to skip), I’ve devised a helpful guide. All these suggestions are based on my personal experience, so of course, your opinions may differ.
First up are what I consider to be the best things to do in and near the city. If you are severely limited on time, my top picks would be a cruise on Oak Creek canyon, exploring the Grand Canyon, and a hiking adventure in Sedona. Next up would be hiking the Inner Basin trail and visiting Walnut Canyon.
1. Explore Walnut Canyon National Monument
Walnut Canyon, a wonderful place to get in some exercise for the day and learn about the lives of the Sinagua (the ancient tribe who inhabited the area from 600-1400 AD), is without a doubt one of the best attractions in the region.
The 20 million year old canyon is quite an amazing site to behold at 20 feet long, 400 feet wide, and 1/4 mile wide. Two trails will take you past the diverse high desert scenery, which varies from prickly pear cacti to pine trees. The Island Trail is steep and moderately challenging (you will climb up and down 185 steps!) which takes you past more than 20 ancient cliff dwellings.
The 2 mile long Island Trail journey will take about an hour and a half, depending on your current fitness level and how fastly you acclimate to the elevation. Take it easy as hiking at 7000 feet is much harder on your body! The hike will not seem all that long when taking in the incredible vistas and diverse plant life along the way.
The Rim trail is an easier alternative where you can still explore some history. Here is a 2 bedroom pueblo (from AD 1100).
If you have the time, definitely sign up for a summer stargazing tour. Flagstaff is an International Dark Skies City (the world’s first) and the stargazing opportunities (at Walnut and elsewhere) are simply spectacular!
2. Hike the Inner Basin Trail (in the fall)
Flagstaff sees a surprisingly awesome fall color season with many trails and parks around town glowing with bright yellow aspens. I was honestly shocked at how amazing it was, rivaling even the best I saw while living in New England. Family members back in the Midwest can’t believe the pics I send them. Unfortunately, those unfamiliar with the state do not see Arizona as anything other than an ugly dry desert! My favorite leaf peeping adventure is Inner Basin: stunning 4 mile round-trip trek through beautiful aspen forests.
So many people want to hike this trail during the peak season, which unfortunately is an extremely limited 1-2 week period of time. And thus, a long line often forms the 1st two weeks or so into October. Only a limited number of cars are let up at a time due to the dangerous, narrow mountain road and limited number of parking spots.
In exchange for your lengthy wait, you will experience an invigorating hike in the fresh mountain air along one of the most gorgeous, colorful trails found anywhere. If you plan your hike at peak (check the Flagstaff Leaf O’Meter for seasonal updates), bright yellow aspens will surround you in every direction.
Colorful views are not the only highlight of this journey – your entire body is going to get a major workout on the 2 mile uphill climb (bad for some, a bonus for others!). I recommend getting used to the altitude in town for a few days before attempting this hike. It’s 4 miles long with a lengthy uphill portion, not to mention the trail is located at a pretty high elevation (ranging from 8600-10500 feet). Lots of people get seriously sick by not taking proper precautions (drinking extra water, eating salty snacks, taking it easy) each year.
3. Spend the day exploring scenic Oak Creek Canyon
This picturesque 14 mile journey, starts just outside of the pines in Flagstaff and continues on impressing throughout until reaching the jaw dropping red rocks of Sedona. it serves as a convenient means of transportation between the 2 cities and doubles as an attraction in and of itself. Oak Creek Canyon frequently rates amongst the most picturesque roads in the country, and I have to agree! You could find me on this drive at least 2 times a week as I lived 5 min away. My perfect half day out is breakfast in Oak Creek, a scenic drive, a hike in Sedona, followed by an alfresco lunch, and then a leisurely drive back to Flagstaff.
As you being your drive on Hwy89a near Flagstaff, you will pass pretty pine forests (Flagstaff is located within the largest Ponderosa pine forest in the world). As you slowly drop elevation (from about 7000 feet near Flagstaff to around 4000 when you arrive in Sedona), you will begin to notice the scenery changing from pines to deciduous trees to the gorgeous red rock formations that Sedona is so famous for. It’s also a decent leaf peeping destination, with the West Fork Trail shining this time of year. This lengthy, yet rewarding hike features beautiful “rare for Arizona” leafy views and 13 fun (and slightly challenging) creek crossings. Be prepared for crazy fall crowds, otherwise it’s a beauty worth going out of your way for.
From gorgeous pine forests to stunning red rock formations all in the same drive…
Definitely stop for an invigorating hike along the West Fork. There are fun creek crossings plus great red rock views. Even better, the foliage is terrific each fall.
And if you happen to visit right after a major winter storm, you may just get to see some rare snow capping the red rocks!
Oak Creek Canyon is not simply just a drive, but an adventure with numerous hiking trails, sightseeing spots, and attractions along the way.
I always start my drive with a great breakfast and espresso drink on the gorgeous patio at Indian Gardens (their breakfast burritos and Grains & Green bowl are amazing). Other things to do include: shopping for handcrafted Native American souvenirs (you’ll see many vendors along the way), visiting Slide Rock State Park (a popular summer hangout named as so for its’ natural water slide), and taking in the views from the various scenic overlooks and pullouts along the way.
4. Drive through Bearizona
Bearizona, located a quick half hour drive from Flagstaff in Williams, is one of the country’s premier drive-thru wildlife parks. In fact, it rates amongst the top 10. It doesn’t feel at all like a typical zoo which is nice. Here the animal enclosures are much larger and resemble the animal’s natural habitat, thus giving each animal more room to roam freely and enjoy nature.
The drive here is really interesting with many diverse animals to see, along with some great views of the beautiful landscapes surrounding Williams. Some of the wildlife you may see during your visit include: Bison, Black Bears, Rocky Mountain Goat and Elk, and Alaskan Tundra Wolves. In the walk-thru section, you will see a variety of smaller mammals including bobcats and the cutest junior Black Bears.
5. Enjoy year-round recreation at Snowbowl
Summertime is a prime time to get out there and explore the city’s beautiful hiking trails. What I loved most about living here is the awesome network of trails, especially at Snowbowl. It was so easy to get to – I could easily hop in the car and hike, leaf peep, or snowshoe depending on the season. While Southern Arizona is blazing hot come summer, Northern Arizona offers the perfect recreational climate (highs are usually in the 70’s-80’s). I love the combination of aspens and ponderosa pines on each trail. It’s crazy to think that the palms and cacti of Phoenix lie just 2 hours south!
Snowbowl is home to 4 great hiking trails: Aspen Nature Loop, Kachina Trail, Humphrey’s Peak, and Veit Springs (not technically part of Snowbowl, but in the same area). Humphrey’s Peak, which climbs to the top of the San Francisco Peaks, is a very challenging trail, only suited for the advanced hiker. However, I would recommend any of the other 3 to anyone seeking a moderate challenge.
The weather at this high of an elevation (8000 feet and above) means it’s always perfect hiking temps during the summer months, unlike Phoenix and Tucson which soar past 100 on a daily basis. Even when temps in town reach the 80’s or higher, it will always be at least 10-15 degrees cooler at Snowbowl.
Aspen Nature Loop is a nice moderate 1.5 mile round trip hike, offering stunning views of the peaks. During the fall, the trail transforms into a a prime leaf peeping area due to the many aspen groves. Winter is probably my favorite time to explore this trail. I grab my snowshoes (I bought them cheap on Amazon but you can rent them) and enjoy a solitary trek through a Narnia-like wonderland.
Another fantastic easy option is the Veit Springs trail, a nature lover’ oasis. Beautiful pines and aspens line this hidden gem. As someone who misses the scenery of the East Coast, I appreciate the simplicity of this trail. Like the Aspen trail, bright aspens cover the majority of this trail come fall.
An interesting side route takes you to some pretty cool ancient pictographs.
While I have personally not seen any animals besides deer, hiking this trail is your best bet for seeing wildlife. Black Bears and mountain lions are occasionally spotted on this hike, although I’ve yet to hear of anyone who has personally seen one while hiking.
This is also one of my favorite snowshoeing destinations: it’s quiet, it’s short enough to enjoy a great workout without exhausting yourself, it’s gorgeous, and the trail is always fresh because no one really uses it!
