From Flagstaff
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Flagstaff is an outdoor lover’s paradise. Less than two hours from Grand Canyon, the city is surrounded by the world’s largest ponderosa forest and an ancient volcano field that left behind peaks, craters, and lava domes. Coconino National Forest offers miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. In the winter, the San Francisco Peaks provide snowboarding, Telemark, and downhill skiing areas north of town, with snowplay and cross-country ski areas nearby. A number of river guides, outdoor photographers, and canyon lovers call Flagstaff home, and if you strike up a conversation with the people sitting next to you at dinner, you may get some inside tips on favorite trails.
A historic lumbering, ranching, and rail town in the late 1800s, Flagstaff gained a reputation during the early 1900s as a science center. Local attractions include the Arboretum, Lowell Observatory, the Museum of Northern Arizona, and Elden Pueblo, where the forest service leads an archaeological field school during the summer. The Flagstaff Visitor Center (1 E. Rte. 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 928/774-9541 or 800/842-7293, www.flagstaffarizona.org), located in the old train depot downtown, has current information about shuttles, tours, and local attractions.
The shortest route to the canyon from Flagstaff is via Highway 180 (78 miles): From downtown Flagstaff, turn north on Humphreys Street. At Columbus Avenue, turn left. Columbus Avenue becomes Highway 180. Continue west on Highway 180 to Highway 64 (about 55 miles). Turn right (north) on Highway 64 and drive to the South Rim (23 miles).
It’s a fast 90 miles from Flagstaff to the canyon’s South Entrance via I-40: Take I-40 west (about 30 miles) to Highway 64 (Exit 165). Drive north on Highway 64 to the South Rim (about 60 miles). The canyon’s East Entrance is 107 miles from Flagstaff via Highway 89: Follow Route 66 northeast through Flagstaff. Route 66 becomes Highway 89 as you leave town. Continue on Highway 89 north for about 65 miles. Turn left (west) onto Highway 64 and drive about 30 miles to the East Entrance and Desert View.
Airport
US Airways (800/235-9292, www.usairways.com) lands at Flagstaff’s Pulliam Airport (FLG). The airport is a couple of miles south of town along I-17.
Train
Amtrak’s (800/872-7245) Southwest Chief stops at the Flagstaff depot (1 E. Rte. 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 4:15 a.m.–11:45 p.m. daily), arriving from Los Angeles or Albuquerque. There’s no train service between Flagstaff and Phoenix or Las Vegas.
Bus and Shuttles
Greyhound (399 S. Malpais Ln., Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 928/774-4573 or 800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com) has service to Flagstaff, with connections nationwide.
Open Road Tours (602/997-6474, 877/226-8060 or 800/766-7117, 7 a.m.–6 p.m., www.openroadtours.com), based in Phoenix and Flagstaff, has daily shuttle service between Flagstaff, Williams, and Grand Canyon. The shuttle to the canyon departs in the morning from the train depot and makes stops at Williams and Tusayan before continuing to Grand Canyon Village. Open Road also has shuttle service several times daily to the Phoenix airport.
Flagstaff Express Shuttle Services (928/225-2290 or 800/563-1980, www.flagstaffexpress.com) has twice-daily runs between Flagstaff, Williams, and Grand Canyon Village, and travels three times daily to Phoenix locations, including the airport. Flagstaff Express can also arrange private-car transportation for those whose schedules or needs differ from established shuttle schedules.
A Friendly Shuttle (928/226-0106) has shuttle service between Flagstaff, Phoenix (Fast Track Park, near the airport), and Grand Canyon, while Sun Taxi & Tours (928/774-7400 or 928/779-1111) has service from Flagstaff to the South Rim.
For getting around town, you can call a taxi or hop on one of Flagstaff’s Mountain Line buses (928/779-6624, www.naipta.az.gov), with five different routes operating daily every 30–60 minutes.
Car Rental
Several national car-rental agencies have service counters at Pulliam Airport and/or downtown Flagstaff. One local agency rents used cars, X-Press Rent-A-Car (2710 E. Rte. 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, 928/522-0773).
RV Rental
Cruise America (824 W. Rte. 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001,928/774-4707 or 800/671-8042) has a rental office here. Luxury Travel Service (3889 Fanning Dr., Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 928/526-8521 or 800/644-9319, www.luxuryts.com) is a local alternative.
Equipment Rental
Per capita, Flagstaff probably has more stores specializing in outdoor gear than any other city in Arizona. You can rent equipment at Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters (12 E. Aspen St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 928/774-4775), Four Season Gear Outlet (1051 S. Milton Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 928/779-6224, www.fsgearoutlet.com), and Peace Surplus (14 W. Rte. 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, 928/774-4521, www.peacesurplus.com).
If you’re supplying a private river trip, see the Outfitting a Private Trip page in the River Running section for a list of outfitters.
Accommodations and Food
From mom-and-pop motels along Route 66 to large national chains to quaint B&Bs, Flagstaff has a wide range of accommodations. Chains include Best Western, Comfort Inn, Days Inn, Holiday Inn, Howard Johnson, Motel 6, Quality Inn, Radisson, Ramada, Rodeway Inn, Super 8, and Travelodge. Hotels at the south end of Milton Rd. have quick access to I-17 and I-40, plus lots of nearby shops and restaurants.
If you want history, head for downtown, where the Weatherford Hotel (928/779-1919, www.weatherfordhotel.com, $50–125) and Hotel Monte Vista (928/779-6971 or 800/545-3068, www.hotelmontevista.com, $65–140), have stood for roughly a century.
If you plan to make Flagstaff your base of explorations, Comfi Cottages (928/774-0731 or 888-774-0731, www.comficottages.com, $135–280) rents historic bungalows close to downtown. If you’re on a tight budget, Flag has two highly regarded hostels under single management, Grand Canyon International Hostel (928/779-9421 or 888-442-2696, www.grandcanyonhostel.com) and Dubeau International Hostel (928/774-6731 or 800-398-7112, www.grandcanyonhostel.com). Both offer dorm-style rooms ($20) or private doubles ($45). Several campgrounds surround Flagstaff, and camping at large is permitted in the Coconino National Forest.
When Flagstaff’s population passed 50,000 (it’s now more than 60,000), chain restaurants proliferated, and you’ll find everything from Arby’s to Olive Garden. If you want local flavor, the city has several microbreweries that serve food, including the moderately priced Beaver Street Brewery (928/779-0079), a block south of historic downtown near the beloved bohemian hangout, Macy’s (928/774-2243). You can stroll through the historic district and choose from a number of interesting midrange eateries, but only Mountain Oasis (928/214-9270) has belly dancers.
Want something more sedate? Josephine’s (928/779-3400) offers fine dining in a romantic setting, a large Craftsman-era bungalow. At the other end of the spectrum are a couple of quick and unpretentious local lunch spots, Crystal Creek Sandwich Company (928/774-9373) and Burritos Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill (928/774-3600), both south of downtown off Milton Road.
© Kathleen Bryant from Moon Grand Canyon, 4th Edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.