15 Fun Facts About Northern Arizona You Probably Didn’t Know
7. Paranormal happenings are not at all uncommon
Arizona, the northern portion of the state in particular, has a long history of ghostly occurrences. The historic Monte Vista hotel, located off Rt 66, remains one of the most haunted hotels in the country. Over the years many guests (including celebs like John Wayne) have reported the same eerie sightings. Numerous guest have seen a ghostly vision of a woman in a rocking chair haunting Room 305. So many in fact that it was featured on the classic series Unsolved Mysteries! Whenever or not ghosts haunt the Monte, I like to grab a cup of coffee in the Rendevous Bar and enjoy all the people watching downtown.
Jerome, a former copper mining town, is another Arizona destinationĀ to add to your Halloween bucket list. This town goes out all for Halloween with ghost tours, crazy decorating at the Asylum Hotel (a former mental hospital that is haunted), and plenty of parties. Known as “the largest ghost town in America,” the town now primarily operates as a tourist destination. LegendsĀ of ghost sightings date back over 50 years! The town even published a special ghost newspaper (the Jerome Ghost Post) for a while. Sign up for a tour and you will get to pretend you are a ghost hunter with the aid of real ghost hunting equipment like EMF meters and IR thermometers.
8. The region is home to 8 national parks/monuments (besides the Grand Canyon)
While seeing the Grand Canyon is an obvious addition to any bucket list – “a place you have to see before you die”, there are so many other fascinating sights to see take advantage of while you are in the area. Northern Arizona is home to 9 natural wonders. Besides the Grand Canyon, you can explore the Petrified National Forest, Canyon de Chelley, Parashant National Monument, Navajo National Monument, Sunset Crater National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, and Wupatki National Monument.
In addition, Oak Creek Canyon, Antelope Canyon, & Horseshoe Bend, while not national monuments, sure are natural wonders worthy of a day trip! Flagstaff has been dubbed “the city of 7 wonders” as it is surrounded by so many gorgeous places. Thankfully, these can all be explored via an easy daytrip.
9. Here you will find Arizona’s tallest mountain peak
At 12,633 feet, Humphrey’s Peak stands as the tallest peak in Arizona. The hike to the summit is a very popular trail for both locals and tourists, although it is one rough uphill, high altitude journey suited only for the most advanced hikers. Fitness buffs and adrenaline junkies (in top notch shape) should definitely add a climb to their list of must-do hikes. For those seeking something a bit less intense, Slate Mountain offers wonderful views of the Peaks from afar. Humphrey’s is part of the San Francisco Peaks range, an extinct volcano that last erupted sometime between 1040 and 1100 AD.
10. Lots of classics movies filmed throughout the area
Scenes from classics like Forrest Gump (the running scene where Forrest runs through dog crap was filmed on San Francisco Street in the downtown neighborhood), Casablanca (the famous hotel scene was shot at the Monte Vista downtown), and National Lampoon’s Vacation (the scene where Clark fills up the gas was filmed at the Little America Hotel) were filmed in Flagstaff.
Page, Arizona was a filming location for desert scenes in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom.Ā And Monument Valley near the Arizona/Utah border served as a backdrop for many westerns including Back to the Future Part 3. Several scenes from 80’s classic Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures were filmed within the Coconino National Forest. And there are plenty more – this is just a small sampling!
More movies that filmed around Flagstaff
11. You can stand in 4 states at the same time
At Four Corners Monument, you will be able to take all sorts of crazy pictures where you can literally stand in 4 states at once. At this unique location in Navajo Nation, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico all join together in the only place in the US where 4 states meet. Not worthy of a trip out of your way, however, if you happen to be passing through the area, it’s a pretty cool spot for a unique vacation souvenir photo. You can also shop for all sorts of quality handmade Native American crafts – I found the cutest pottery pieces & dreamcatchers here.