Ever since I made my first trip to Flagstaff I’ve always enjoyed the incredible difference in weather versus the hotter parts of Arizona. With 2020 in the rearview mirror I decided that it was finally time to head back to Flagstaff for a visit. My last trip in 2019 was a very short one since it was only one night in Flagstaff before I moved on to Clarksdale for my train ride. With all the previous trips that I’ve made to Flagstaff, I decided that this one needed to be for a long weekend so I could fit in as much activity as possible and revisit many of the places I’ve seen in the past. Also with this being my monthly trip out of town, it also allowed me to visit the various restaurants and bars of the area. A lot of my planning usually ends up being months in advance if not longer, but this one was kind of a spur of the moment trip. My last trip to Flagstaff I stayed at the Weatherford Inn in Downtown Flagstaff but unfortunately with the abruptness of the planning of this trip that particular hotel was booked up along with many of the others in downtown Flagstaff. So I expanded my search out a little further and found the Highland Country Inn as an acceptable place. This particular hotel was well within walking distance of the main area that I wanted to be in, so it was worthwhile.
Thursday September 9, 2021
And after a short week it was time to travel. So I packed up the suitcase, grabbed my messenger bag, and it was time to hit the road. As many of my trips I left right after work and pretty much tried to drive as far as possible before tiredness even appeared on the radar. The drive from Phoenix to Flagstaff was pretty uneventful besides the elevation gain. There are a few places to stop along the way but nothing really grabbed my attention on the way out. So I arrived in Flagstaff just about an hour before check-in time at my hotel so I just found a place to park and enjoyed the cool mountain air. Just a little bit after I parked it started to rain in Flagstaff. Finally arrived the time that I was able to check into my hotel, so I checked in without much to do. Once I get settled into my hotel, it was time to ventured out. The rain wasn’t going to stop me, so I grabbed my umbrella and started to walk to downtown Flagstaff. After a couple of photo ops at the Flagstaff Visitors Center, I’ve ventured into one of the first bars that I ever went to in Flagstaff that being Beaver Street Brewery. At Beaver Street I enjoyed some of their beers on tap and just decided to get the appetizer as it was still a little early. After a few other stops in Flagstaff I decided to get a full proper meal and head back to my hotel since it had been a long day of travel.
Friday September 10, 2021
It was a nice cool morning and I decided that it was a good time to go and get breakfast. So I headed off to Mike and Rhonda‘s Place which was a restaurant recommended by a coworker. So I went there and had what could only be said an overwhelming breakfast. After breakfast I was feeling a little burdened, so I headed back to my hotel room to regroup. After being at my hotel for a little bit I will made my decision on where I wanted to go for the day. This destination was the Arizona Snowball. So with that I headed off on the drive up to the Arizona Snowbowl. Upon arriving at the Arizona Snowbowl I noticed the scenic gondola ride that was there. The scenic gondola takes people up the mountain to a scenic vantage point and at that point that was all I needed for me to decide that I needed to go up there. So I purchased my ticket online which is required for some reason and then went into the gift shop to redeem my ticket. The scenic gondola is definitely not for people with a fear of heights but I enjoyed it very much as it slowly creeped its way up the mountain. Upon arriving at the top of the mountain I was greeted by a ranger station with the highest restroom in Arizona and a nice easy scenic hiking trail further up the mountain. From here I was able to get great photos of the valley below. After my small hike and lots of photos being taken it was time for me to head back down the mountain. So I rode the gondola back down the mountain taking photos and video along the way. Upon arriving back down it was time to head back to the city proper with taking a few photos and a few stops along the way. Upon arriving back at my hotel I apart and went into my hotel room to regroup and then it was back to on the foot exploring. With being on foot and being within walking distance of downtown Flagstaff it was time for me to indulge in more restaurants and bars of the area. After partaking in the various establishments it was time to turn in for the night.
Saturday September 11, 2021
With learning my lesson about a large breakfast the previous day, I decided to head out this morning with just a few snacks from my road trip kit. Once again following in my own footsteps I decided to head out to Sunset Crater National Monument. It had been a long time since I’ve been to Sunset Crater this would end up being my third time with the last time being in 2011 in the previous time being in 2007. But it was nice to see a place from my past and explore the various hiking trails around the monument. But after a little bit of exploring, it was time to head further down the road toward Wupatki National Monument which was also included in the entry fee to Sunset Crater. Upon arriving at Wupatki I’ve went down the trail and explored it even further than I had the previous time I had been there including taking a lot more photos. Upon finishing at Wupatki, it was time to hit the road and head back to Flagstaff. After a quick regrouping at my hotel it was time to try more restaurants and bars along Flagstaff the main strip. After a bit of indulging it was time to head back to the hotel and turn in for the night.
Sunday September 12, 2021
Since this was only a three day weekend and not a four-day weekend Sunday morning meant it was time to head back home. But of course along my way I always have to find something to see. I decided to go to the Lowell Observatory before i left town, but was greeted by a sign that it was only open by appointment due to Covid restrictions. So i took a few photos at the City Overlook before heading south. When I get close to Camp Verde, I decided that I would stop at Montezuma‘s Castle. One of the main reasons why I decided to stop at Montezuma‘s Castle is because at a previous time I visited I did not have my camera so I needed to make up for that by taking photos. One thing that I did not remember about Montezuma‘s Castle was that the trail which is paved, isn’t very long, and there’s actually not that much to see at Montezuma‘s Castle. But one of the bonuses is that it also includes entry into Tuzigoot National Monument. So after feeling a little letdown I decided I might as well drive over to Tuzigoot. This national monument is probably about a 30 to 40 minute drive from Camp Verde actually located closer to Clarksdale. The particular route that I used took me through historic Cottonwood which is always a nice place to drive through. And before I know it I was at Tuzigoot and I must say that the trail that you hike is more fulfilling than Montezuma‘s castle. Although I do not want to say much bad about Montezuma‘s castle it was still worthwhile to visit since I needed to get photos of it. After spending a little bit of time at Tuzigoot, it was time to hit the road and head on back home.
Final Words
I always enjoy visiting Flagstaff ever since the first time I went to the city. It’s a nice mix of a mountain college town and a Route 66 town that never gets old for its own good. As a person who lives in Phoenix, Flagstaff is an even better place to go to during summer because of its cooler weather. Also Flagstaff’s proximity to multiple national parks and monuments makes it a great city to go to for outdoor enthusiasts. Flagstaff always ranks high on my list of cities to visit especially of the smaller variety. Overall my recommendations are if you’re in Arizona and most likely you’re coming to see the Grand Canyon so you definitely should see Flagstaff.
