10 Worthwhile Northern Arizona Attractions & 10 to Skip!
5. Enjoy year-round recreation at Snowbowl
Summertime is a prime time to get out there and explore the beautiful hiking trails found in this area of Arizona. While Southern Arizona is blazing hot come summer, Northern Arizona offers the perfect recreational climate (highs are usually in the 70’s-80’s). You will truly be surprised at how many trees and plant life you will encounter on any given hike, especially if you are used to the climate and plant life of Southern Arizona.
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, the other 3 options are easy enough for most hikers.
The weather at this altitude (8000 feet and above) means it’s always perfect hiking temps during the summer months, unlike hot Southern Arizona. 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. And, winter might just be the most spectacular season of all as you can strap on your snowshoes or cross country skis and enjoy a quiet trek through snowy pines and mountains.
Another fantastic easy option is the Veit Springs trail, a nature lover’ oasis. This entire trail is lined on both sides with gorgeous pines and aspens. Anyone missing the hefty tree coverage of the East Coast is likely to be impressed with 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.
Veit Springs is one of your best bets in the area for spotting wildlife due to the light traffic. While I have personally not seen any animals besides deer, there is always a possibility! Black Bears and mountain lions are occasionally spotted in Flagstaff, although I’ve yet to hear of anyone who has personally seen one while hiking.
Veit Springs offers the perfect conditions for winter snowshoeing: 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!
