Resources and Opportunities : Natural, Historical, and Cultural Attractions

Sustainable tourism occurs when visitor and host interaction is authentic and meaningful, natural/cultural resources are preserved or enhanced, and local economies benefit.

In thinking about your impact as a tourist, you cannot separate the places you visit from the mode of travel you took to get “there” as well as the duration of your stay. Sustainable tourists will visit fewer places per year but stay longer and immerse themselves more fully in the places they do visit. Fortunately, Coconino County has a wealth of attractions, including the world class attractions of Grand Canyon and Sedona and many other treasures to turn your week long vacation into a lifetime of possibilities.  Here are a few places/activities to get you started:

The Arboretum at Flagstaff

4001 S. Woody Mountain Rd., Flagstaff • 928-774-1442 • thearb.org

Explore one of the nation's largest collections of high-country wildflowers at “America's Mountain Garden.” Situated at 7,150 feet in elevation, this 200-acre botanical garden and nature preserve offers spectacular views of the San Francisco Peaks, a nature trail through a ponderosa pine forest, daily live birds of prey programs and a gift shop. Guided tours at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Open April-October, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Arizona Historical Society-Pioneer Museum

2340 N. Fort Valley Rd., Flagstaff • 928-774-6272 • arizonahistoricalsociety.org

The Pioneer Museum is housed in the former Coconino County Hospital for the Indigent, often called the Poor Farm by locals. The three-acre property includes numerous territorial-era buildings and a steam locomotive. See exhibits on early medicine, Route 66, logging, Flagstaff history and the Grand Canyon. Open Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Closed on Sunday.

Coconino Center for the Arts

2300 N. Fort Valley Rd., Flagstaff • 928-779-2300 • culturalpartners.org

Showcasing the very best of local and regional artwork in the largest art gallery in Northern Arizona. Popular exhibitions include the 8th Annual Recycled Art Show (April), the Exhibition of Dance (mid-May through mid-August) and the “It’s Elemental” fine crafts exhibition (December). Regular hours are Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Coconino National Forest

1824 S. Thompson St., Flagstaff • 928-527-3600 • fs.fed.us/r3/coconino

The world’s largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest surrounds Flagstaff. With elevations ranging from 2,600 to 12,633 feet, the forest features diversity from desert cactus to alpine tundra and is home to a variety of wildlife. Respect and enjoy your national forests.

Flagstaff Nordic Center

Highway 180, mile marker 232, 15 miles northwest of downtown Flagstaff • 928-220-0550 • FlagstaffNordicCenter.com

Offering over 25 miles of groomed cross-country trails and 10 miles of snowshoe trails through beautiful forests. The trails will entertain and challenge beginner and seasoned cross-county skiers alike. Rentals and lessons available. Located 1 mile from Crowley Pit snowplay area. Open Monday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and Friday, 6:00 p.m. –9:00 p.m.

Fort Tuthill County Park

Exit 337 off I-17, Flagstaff • (928) 679-8000 • http://www.coconino.az.gov/parks.aspx?id=410

The historic Fort Tuthill County Park is nestled in cool ponderosa pines 3 miles south of Flagstaff. The 411-acre regional park is the home of the annual Coconino County Fair (Labor Day weekend) and the nationally-awarded Pine Mountain Amphitheater. It also features a military museum, campground, picnic areas, tennis courts and scenic trails

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

691 Scenic View Dr., Page • 928-608-6404 • nps.gov/glca

The park lies in the midst of the nation’s most rugged canyon country. Lake Powell, formed by one of the world’s highest dams, stretches for 186 miles along the old Colorado River channel with a shoreline of 1,960 miles. Boating, camping, fishing, swimming and sightseeing opportunities abound.

Grand Canyon Deer Farm

6769 E. Deer Farm Road, Williams • 928-635-4073 • deerfarm.com

The Deer Farm is a great place to bring your children to teach them about animals as well as how to interact with animals. Experience: Reindeer, Axis Deer, Talking Birds, Wallabies, Coatimundi, Marmosets, Mini Cattle, and new as of this year a Baby Camel and two Baby Bison.

Grand Canyon National Park

81 miles northwest of Flagstaff via Highways 180 and 64 • 928-638-7888 • nps.gov/grca

Often described as Earth’s greatest geological show- case, the breathtaking ensemble of colorful rock layers, impressive buttes and shadowed side canyons sets Grand Canyon apart. Enjoy the views, hike a trail, observe the wildlife, watch a sunrise or sunset, or immerse yourself in almost two billion years of geology.

Grand Canyon Railway

233 N. Grand Canyon Blvd., Williams • 800-THE-TRAIN (800-843-8724) • thetrain.com

Travel a century-old rail line to the heart of Grand Canyon National Park aboard a vintage train with four classes of carefully restored passenger service. Journey through pine forests and wide-open prairies as musicians play the tunes of the West on this uniquely historic Grand Canyon expedition.

Homolovi Ruins State Park

I-40 Exit 257, 1.5 miles north on Highway 87, Winslow • 928-289-4106 • azstateparks.com

Tour and learn about Pueblo Indian ruins and northeastern Arizona heritage. The park offers an informative visitor center and excellent camping opportunities. Open daily 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Closed on Christmas.

Heritage Square (Flagstaff)

Downtown on Aspen Ave. between Leroux St. and San Francisco St. • 928-853-4292 • heritagesquaretrust.org

A friendly gathering spot in the heart of downtown, the Square is the place to find an array of free entertainment events. “Thursdays on the Square,” a live music series, is offered from Memorial through Labor Day. Also in the summer, “Movies on the Square,” popular with families, plays here Friday nights and the Heritage Square Trust summer concert series entertains on weekend afternoons.

Lowell Observatory

1400 W. Mars Hill Rd., Flagstaff • 928-233-3211 • lowell.edu

Founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell, the Observatory is active in research and also welcomes visitors year-round for tours and telescope viewing. Guided tours take visitors to the classic 24-inch refracting telescope built in 1896 and through the historic Rotunda Museum. Open daily for tours and many evenings for telescope viewing.

Meteor Crater

35 miles east of Flagstaff via I-40 Exit 233 • 928-289-2362 • 800-289-5898 • meteorcrater.com

Experience the “Best Preserved Meteorite Impact Site on Earth!” Formed nearly 50,000 years ago by a giant meteor weighing several hundred thousand tons, this crater is 550 ft. deep, 2.4 miles in circumference and nearly one mile across. Featuring interactive displays, a large-screen theater, the Astronaut Wall of Fame, an Apollo space capsule, and more. Guided trail tours of the rim are offered daily (weather permitting).

Montezuma Castle National Monument

2800 Montezuma Castle Rd., Camp Verde • 928-567-3322 • nps.gov/moca

Montezuma Castle is one of the best preserved American Indian cliff dwellings in the United States. Only one hour south of Flagstaff, the trail to view this important prehistoric site is flat and easy with no climbing. From Interstate 17, going south, take Exit 289 east. Fee: $5 per adult, children 15 and younger no charge. Federal passes accepted. Closed on Christmas.

Montezuma Well

5525 Beaver Creek Rd., Rimrock • 928-567-4521 • nps.gov/moca

Montezuma Well is a dramatic limestone sinkhole with prehistoric American Indian dwellings in the interior and along the rim. Less than an hour south of Flagstaff, take I-17 to Exit 293 and follow the signs. The trail is easy to moderate. There is no entry fee. Open daily, closed on Christmas.

$5 per night. Open daily: October-March, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; April – September, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Navajo National Monument

Located at the end of State Highway 564 off of US Highway 160 • nps.gov/nava

Navajo National Monument preserves Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and interprets both modern and ancient American Indian culture through volunteer demonstrations, Native guides and museum exhibits. Entrance, tours and camping are free. The visitor center and self-guided trails are open year-round.

Museum of Northern Arizona

3101 N. Fort Valley Rd., Flagstaff • 928-774-5213 • musnaz.org

Now celebrating its 80th year, MNA is one of the great regional museums of our world in one of Earth’s most spectacular landscapes. The museum and its nine exhibit galleries evoke the very spirit of the Colorado Plateau and its richly diverse Native cultures, tribal lifeways, natural sciences, ecology and fine arts. Museum Shop and Bookstore on-site. Open daily 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

National Geographic Visitor Center

Highway 64, Grand Canyon • 928-638-2203 • explorethecanyon.com

Located at the south rim entrance of Grand Canyon National Park, the National Geographic Visitor Center is your must-stop first stop before visiting the “rim of the world.” It’s also your first step to making the most of what will be the experience of a lifetime. Here you will find the most comprehensive travel and visitor information for the Grand Canyon area.

Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

409 W. Riordan Rd., Flagstaff • 928-779-4395 • http://azstateparks.com/Parks/RIMA/index.html

Completed in 1904 in the Arts and Crafts style of architecture, the historic mansion is expansive, with more than 40 rooms and 13,000 square feet of living area and servants’ quarters. A tour guide will lead you through this richly furnished home, filled with original artifacts, Stickley furniture and many other personal possessions of the Riordan families. Also featured are a visitor center, a self-guided tour of the grounds and picnic tables. Reservations are recommended for the mansion tour.

Sedona Heritage Museum

735 Jordan Road (Jordan Historical Park), Sedona. 928-282-7038. http://www.sedonamuseum.org/museum.html

The main museum building was the farm home of Walter and Ruth Jordan. Its first room tells the stories of Sedona pioneers, how they lived and the things they used. The core of the Jordan House is the family's original one-room cabin, built in 1930 and now restored with original furnishings. Four rooms were added in 1937, and the remainder of the present house was added in 1947.

Slide Rock State Park

6871 N. Highway 89A, Sedona • 928-282-3034 • water quality hotline 602-542-0202 • http://azstateparks.com/Parks/SLRO/

Located in the heart of Oak Creek Canyon, 18 miles south of Flagstaff, the park is best known for the natural waterslide in the creek and is the site of the historic Pendley homestead and apple orchard. Tours of the homestead are offered to park visitors every Saturday. Programs with insight into the geology, flora, fauna and riparian life are available free throughout the summer. Glass containers and pets are prohibited in the swim area.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

12 miles north of Flagstaff via Highway 89 • 928-526-0502 • nps.gov/sucr

Born in a series of eruptions 900 years ago, Sunset Crater is still the youngest volcano on the Colorado Plateau. Visitor center exhibits explain the powerful geologic forces and their aftermath. See for yourself on the one-mile, self-guided Lava Flow Trail. Open daily 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Extended summer hours, please call. Closed on Christmas.

Walnut Canyon National Monument

10 miles east of downtown Flagstaff via I-40, exit 204 • 928-526-3367 • nps.gov/waca

Walk among the cliff dwellings and pueblos where people lived only 800 years ago. Experience the dramatic geology, varied vegetation and abundant wildlife that made their lives possible. The strenuous one-mile Island Trail descends into Walnut Canyon. The shorter Rim Trail offers overlooks, forest and a pithouse. Open daily 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Extended summer hours, please call. Closed on Christmas.

Wupatki National Monument

33 miles north of Flagstaff via Highway 89 • 928-679-2365 • nps.gov/wupa

Rock walls of 800-year-old pueblos dot a desert landscape once home to thousands of people. Visitor center exhibits explain how they survived by farming, hunting and gathering, and trading. Short trails lead to Wupatki, Lomaki, and other pueblos. The scenic drive to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument climbs rapidly from desert to mountain landscapes. Open daily 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Extended summer hours, please call. Closed on Christmas.

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