Snowshoeing in Flagstaff: The Most Gorgeous Destinations
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.
Snowshoeing is one of my favorite winter workouts. It allows me to continue hitting the trails year-round, no matter how much snow is on the ground. It burns a ton of calories and is much more enjoyable and scenic than a boring gym workout. Flagstaff is one of the best places to snowshoe in the US, not just in Arizona. This is because the higher elevation mountain trails (located at 8000+ feet) see an incredible amount of snowfall all winter long. Little sunshine comes in through the tall ponderosas in the gorgeous Coconino National Forest, so the snow often stays around for months on end.
You need a lot of snow to snowshoe – at least a foot for the best experience. This is no problem in Flagstaff which sees over 100 inches of snow per year, with the season often stretching from November to June. I was very surprised when I was greeted with light snowfall upon moving into my new house in May! Fortunately for winter lovers, this means a long season for snow sports!
I began to love winter more and more the longer I lived in Flagstaff. Here are a few of my favorite places to snowshoe in this beautiful mountain oasis.
Aspen Nature Loop
Location: Arizona Snowbowl
Why I love It: Lots of snow all winter, beautiful mountain scenery
Length of trail: 1.5 mile loop
Difficulty: Moderate
This is the most scenic destination to snowshoe. Aspen Nature Loop is one of my favorite year-round trails. Summertime, I use it for hiking, fall for leaf peeping, and winter for snowshoeing. The mountain scenery is gorgeous and the trail does not receive much tourist traffic in the winter, so it’s super peaceful. I feel as if I have a winter wonderland all to myself on this one. The distance is perfect for a solid workout which is not overly taxing. There is one major hill, but the rest of the trail is pretty flat.
Pumphouse Wash
Location: Kachina Village (about 5 miles outside of Flagstaff)
Why I love it: Desolate (little tourist traffic), peaceful creeks and streams, gorgeous pine scenery
Length of trail: ~1 mile out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate
Kachina Village is a quiet little neighborhood located just a few miles outside of Flagstaff. I was lucky enough to find a rental in this charming area. While living here, I found out about Pumphouse Wash, a beautiful little nature area which I could walk to from my house. This became one of my favorite areas for snowshoeing especially when conditions were too bad to drive around town. I simply walked down the hill to access the park. The pine scenery is gorgeous here and it retains a peaceful vibe due to the lack of tourists.
Kachina Trail
Location: Arizona Snowbowl
Why I love it: Gorgeous pine and aspen scenery, Super isolated in winter
Length of trail: ~5 miles out-and-back
Difficulty: Moderate-difficult
Kachina is another great year-round trail at Snowbowl. This one is much longer and more difficult than the Aspen Nature Loop, so I usually only venture out a few miles during the winter season. I recommend simply going out to your comfort level and enjoying the winter wonderland of snow covered pines and aspens. This trail does not see much traffic in the summer, let alone in the winter, so really a great place to escape it all for a bit!
Fort Tuthill County Park
Location: 3 miles south of Flagstaff
Why I love it: Easy to get to from the city (no long drive up Snowbowl Rd).
Length of trail: There are a number of trails within the park. I recommend the Soldier’s Trail, a 5 mile loop
Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Fort Tuthill is a great year-round park with an extensive trail system which can be used for jogging, hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. I lived minutes away and enjoyed outdoor activities here pretty much every weekend. The trail system includes a variety of terrain for beginners through advanced, so a good pick for pretty much everyone. The pines are beautiful and wildlife is abundant (I’ve seen several grey foxes).
As one of the drawbacks, you have to get out here right after a storm. Less snow accumulates due to the lower elevation (~7000 ft) and the snow melts quicker due to the strong sunshine.
Veit Springs
Location: Snowbowl Road (just over 4 miles up the road – look for a small parking pull out)
Why I love it: The dense forest reminds me of New England
Length of trail: 1.5 mile loop
Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Veit is one of the region’s hidden gems often overlooked by tourists because it is located halfway up Snowbowl Rd. Tourists tend to keep driving and miss the hidden parking pull out. This is one of the reasons why I love this trail. It’s super quiet and the forest here is a bit more dense with barely any open vistas. The vibe reminds me more of the trails I used to frequent during my time living in Massachusetts. There is typically always plenty of snow here and the forest is serene and gorgeous for a winning snowshoe adventure.
Other great snowshoeing destinations include: Kendrick Watchable Wildlife Park and Arizona Nordic Village. The Village rents out both cross country skis and snowshoes, although I prefer skiing here. Kendrick is a beautiful place but the trails are a bit too short for my liking. Either way, you can’t go wrong really anywhere in this beautiful region of the country!
Snowshoeing Tips
It’s best to stick to official trails even though backcountry passes are no longer required by the forest district. You can check the Coconino website for more winter safety tips.
Bring with lots of water and snacks. I usually carry a backpack for easy access.
Dress in layers. You can easily take something off if you work up a sweat.
Always carry tire chains. They are often needed to drive up Snowbowl Road.
Purchase your own pair of snowshoes from a sporting goods store to save money on repeat rentals. Babbitt’s is the best place to rent if you will only be going out once and do not want to invest in a pair.
Eat a full breakfast before setting out. It’s great to fill up on a healthy breakfast before exercising in high altitude areas. My favorite local breakfast joint? The Toasted Owl – super cute decor, great coffee, & delicious breakfast tacos! To ensure you are prepared, read more tips about dealing with the high elevation.
Proper attire – waterproof boots, insulated snow/ski pants, hats, gloves, winter weather gear, etc. should be worn at all times.
Snowshoeing is a tough cardio workout especially in high altitude regions. You should be in decent physical fitness to embark on any high altitude trail in Flagstaff.
For beginners, here is a great intro to snowshoeing guide by REI.
