Recently, I took two weeks to go on a road trip through the state of Arizona.
Traveling, or not traveling, right now is a very personal decision and one that I did not take lightly. My friend and I agreed on some important things ahead of time - we would not be doing any indoor dining, museums, bars, etc.
Some nights, eating outside in November was more comfortable than others (plot twist: Arizona isn’t always warm). Some nights we cooked in our Airbnbs. If we encountered people without masks, even outdoors, we distanced ourselves from the situation.
I will mention things throughout these Arizona city guides in regards to how certain areas, restaurants, etc. handled coronavirus protocols.
But our overall goal for the trip was to hike, run, and generally spend time outside - alone. This was not the trip for trying all of Arizona’s restaurants and bars and museums and this guide reflects that.
You can read about our first stop, Phoenix & The Superstition Mountains here!
You can read about our second stop, Tucson & Saguaro National Park here!
You can read about our third stop, Williams & The Grand Canyon here!
You can read about our fourth stop, Page & The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area here!
Our next stop was Flagstaff, Arizona!
FLAGSTAFF
WHERE WE STAYED
Another city, another Airbnb! Our Flagstaff Airbnb was an apartment located beneath a family’s house - they have two Airbnb units each with their own outdoor area on the deck. We had two bedrooms, one bathroom, access to laundry, and a cute little kitchen and living room area.
We were in Flagstaff for a little longer than our other spots, so I really settled into my King-sized bed!
Flagstaff is a great spot to base yourself on an Arizona trip - it’s about 90 minutes to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim entrance and under an hour to Sedona’s Red Rocks. In 2 and a half hours you can even reach Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Phoenix.
Flagstaff itself is a city surrounded by everything from mountains, to deserts to ponderosa pine forests. In the winter, it’s a ski destination (the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort) and it’s also a destination for athletes to train at altitude. We saw so many runners!
Flagstaff is also home to Northern Arizona University, a college with nearly 30,000 students. It definitely felt like a college town.
WHAT TO EAT (AND DRINK!)
TOASTED OWL - WEST FLAGSTAFF
12 S. MIKES PIKE STREET | FLAGSTAFF, AZ
I would go out on a limb and say this was our most enjoyable meal of the trip - both because of the food and the atmosphere.
The Toasted Owl had a huge outdoor seating area and the sun was shining. We had run 10 miles before leaving Page and were ready for some brunch! But first, we started with a mason jar mimosa - for just $6!
Then, we split the Snowbowl Fiesta Plate (scrambled eggs topped with cheddar cheese, onions and green chile with (corn!) tortillas and potatoes. Then, we ordered two buttermilk pancakes - because you always need to order table pancakes.
Little did we know, the pancakes were the size of a dinner plate.
Nothing is more rewarding than being told by the waitress that they’re impressed with how much you ate…we came pretty close to finishing our monstrous pancakes!
LUMBERYARD BREWING COMPANY
5 SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ
Once we had finished our brunch we decided to explore the area and look for some breweries with outdoor seating.
Downtown Flagstaff has no shortage of craft breweries, in the area around the Toasted Owl we found no less than 6 in a half mile radius.
Lumberyard Brewing Company was our first stop - with a big patio, heat lamps and entirely digital ordering experience to limit the amount of time you’re in contact with waitstaff.
We got a flight and watched so many runners go by.
MOTHER ROAD BREWING COMPANY
7 S. MIKES PIKE ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ
Right across from Toasted Owl was Mother Road Brewing Company and we were so upset to see that it was closed on Mondays. I’m including it on the list anyway - because their Station Tower IPA is one of the most popular Arizona pours! We were able to pick it up at a bodega in lieu of visiting the tap room.
The Station Tower’s description hits all my favorites - unfiltered, grapefruit peel and pine!
PIZZICLETTA AT DARK SKY BREWING
117 N BEAVER ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ
Our next brewery stop was to Dark Sky Brewing where we had to wait a little bit for an out door seat - only to find out that their heaters were out of propane.
We survived, though, with lots of layers - and enjoyed beers and even more so, pizza, from the breweries food partner, Pizzicletta.
We absolutely loved the “Bee’s Knees” - mozzarella, mascarpone, sausage, sage (<3) and local honey.
BEAVER STREET BREWERY
11 S. BEAVER STREET | FLAGSTAFF, AZ
After our attempted hike to the top of Humphrey’s Peak (more on that later), we ordered delivery from Beaver Street Brewery - not only were we able to get burgers and fries, we were able to get a growler of one of their hazy IPAs.
The only disappointment was their corn bread. Otherwise, five stars for post-hike calories.
MORE TIME?
If you have the time (and tolerance) to fit in a few more breweries, these are all within walking distance of the previously mentioned spots:
HISTORIC BREWING BARREL + BOTTLE HOUSE
110 S SAN FRANCISCO ST. | FLAGSTAFF, AZ
FLAGSTAFF BREWING COMPANY
16 W HISTORIC ROUTE 66 | FLAGSTAFF, AZ
And do me a favor, go pick up some donuts from Macy’s and let me know how they are since I never made it!
macy’s european Coffeehouse and bakery
14 s. beaver st. | flagstaff, az
what to do
hike humphreys peak - the tallest point in arizona
After my trip to New Hampshire this fall, an idea entered my brain that I should try to climb the tallest peak in each state (New Hampshire’s being Mount Washington). I was excited to see that Arizona’s highest point was in Flagstaff - Humphreys Peak in the San Francisco Peaks and part of the Kachina Wilderness.
Being November, we knew that the trail would have snow in places but we thought we would give it a go - and set out one morning to hike the 10.4 mile trail that climbs 3,343 feet to Humphreys Peak at 12,633 feet.
It was a short drive from our Airbnb to the trailhead and we left before sunrise with the goal of finishing in time for one last brunch at toasted owl. Pretty quickly we realized the trail was almost 100% snow packed, and fairly icy, and we were without microspikes. We relied heavily on our poles and rocks peaking out from the snow to gain our footing and it was slow going. At one point we ran into two guys coming down and asking if they had made it to the top - they told us they had turned around because it got too icy. Most people, understandably, would have turned around at that point.
But we forged ahead and eventually broke the treeline where we were greeted with WIND. a lot of wind. We then started what can only be described as a slow, terrifying struggle along the rocky ridge of a mountain. At many points we were legitimately crawling on our hands and knees fighting against the gusts. I had my poles under my arms because if I tried to use them, they just blew around in the wind.
I had read an AllTrails review that mentioned two false summits so I should have been mentally prepared but damn the summit actually seemed like it kept getting further and further away.
Ultimately, we called it short of the summit - it was getting too scary and miserable and turning around seemed like the smarter choice. We were both close to tears and we weren’t having an semblance of a good time.
Heading back down was equally scary, parts of my backpack were whipping me in the face, my poles were somehow making balancing harder, the trail was impossible to follow.
When we finally got back into the trees and the wind subsided a little, I finally felt like I could breathe. We started running into people who asked if we had made it to the top and we had to tell them no, but at that point I didn't even care I was so happy to be out of that situation.
The journey down was its own adventure - each step was a steep, slippery trap and I spent a lot of time on my butt. at one point Callie was laughing and crying simultaneously as we wondered how many hours this was going to take us to get back to the car.
We had considered not packing sandwiches but THANK GOD we did because eating them in a patch of sun really helped our spirits. That and me singing a lot of random songs including “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” from Annie.
I was actually really proud of us - despite the awful conditions we didn't get too sad or mad or discouraged and by the end we found we were still happy to have spent 7 hours in the woods on our final day in Flagstaff.
My plan to hike the tallest peak in each state isn't off to a great start, and we missed brunch at Toasted Owl, but a growler and burgers from Beaver Street Brewery delivered to our Airbnb wasn't a bad way to end the day.
hike fatman’s loop TRAIL
Right outside of Flagstaff we found this easy little loop that we did at sunset. There were some really awesome looking trees and rocks along the way.
It’s a quick 2.4 miles with only 561 feet of gain - perfect if you’re looking for something quick and close.
go shopping downtown
While waiting for our table at Dark Sky Brewing Co., we walked around downtown Flagstaff which was full of cute stores. We didn’t stop in many, but we did check out Mountain Sports Flagstaff (obsessed with these mugs!) and Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters.
take a day trip to the pertrified forest national park
A little over 90 minutes from downtown Flagstaff is one of the lesser known National Parks - Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.
If you’re a fan of long day hikes, you may not love this National Park. But if you’re looking for a place you can drive through and see some awesome scenery, this would be a worthwhile day trip from Flagstaff!
The petrified wood is really awesome (we checked it out by walking the Long Logs and Agate House trails) and we loved getting to see the petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock. We did the Blue Mesa Trail (.9 miles) which was probably our favorite - the bluish bentonite clay looked like elephant skin!
My personal favorite part of the day was getting to introduce Callie to Jimmy John’s - and eating it overlooking the Painted Desert.
To be honest, the only reason I’m glad we went is because it’s a check off the list of National Parks (I hope to one day visit all 62). I think we would have had a better time doing something in Flagstaff that day.
take a day trip to sedona
This could be it’s own entire blog post, because Sedona is truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been! While we went as a day trip from Flagstaff, it’s definitely a place that could be a stop on your road trip for a full 1-3 days.
That being said - we fit in a good amount of Sedona sightseeing and I didn’t feel like I wasn’t ready to leave at the end of the day.
We left Flagstaff early, just as the sun was rising. We wanted to be sure we could take in the views as we drove the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Byway (89A). The 24-mile road winds it way down 4,500 feet through a series of scenic switchbacks through Oak Creek Canyon.
It was only about a 45 minute drive until we arrived at Midgley Bridge, where we parked for a short walk to the incredible scenic views of Oak Creek Canyon and the surrounding red rock formations.
Next up was the Little Horse Trail - a 4.3 mile hike with 564 feet of elevation - nothing crazy, but with really great views. Once we got to Chicken Point Lookout, we continued on a little bit up the Broken Arrow Trail. The views were really beautiful and we didn’t see many other hikers. Unfortunately, the peaceful morning was made slightly less serene by the Pink Jeep Tours. But, c’est la vie.
After our first hike we headed to Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village to look for some Christmas gifts for friends and family. There were some really beautiful home goods and jewelry stores but I couldn’t settle on any of the big ticket items and walked away with just a cactus Christmas ornament.
What I really fell in love with were these mountain sculptures - which I might need to buy for myself when I move to a new apartment!
After some shopping we drove to the downtown area of Sedona and picked up sandwiches from Sedona Memories Bakery Cafe (both of the employees were not wearing masks, which we obviously didn’t appreciate as they made our food). I had read that their sandwiches were incredible and made on fresh-baked bread - but I guess I missed the memo that they were absolutely GIANT!
I also took some time to get my aura read - it seemed like a very Sedona thing to do. You’ll find a ton of places that offer aura readings, psychic readings, information on vortexes and other ~spiritual things. I was sad that I didn’t get a print out of my pictures, and I’m not sure I would do it again, but it was something different to try!
We took our sandwiches and headed to hike #2 - the Brins Mesa Trail (4.5 miles, 951 feet of elevation).
First of all, the sandwiches were amazing. The bread had great flavor and I am now a convert to putting cream chees on my turkey sandwiches. It was an odd assortment of ingredients (turkey, provolone cheese, cream cheese, sprouts, sunflower seeds, avocado, lettuce and cranberry sauce) but we were feeling it.
The hike had a few steep parts, we took a wrong turn, and then we wondered if there was going to be any real end point with a view but we stuck with it and the end was a really scenic spot. The wind had really picked up so we didn’t stay perched on our rock for too long, but we did spend a few minutes taking in the 360 degree red rock views and eating a little bit more of our massive sandwiches.
We returned to the car and headed to the Bell Rock trailhead lot, but followed these instructions to climb Baby Bell Rock for a stunning Sedona sunset.
With beer in hand, we scrambled to the top of the rock where we had our own private viewing (a very drunk group climbed up for about 2 minutes but quickly disappeared) as the rocks changed colors all around us. I even Facetimed my parents to let them see it!
After falling to get a table at Sedona’s most famous restaurant - Elote - we opted for dinner back at Tlaquepaque purely because El Rincon Mexican Restaurant appeared in the Google results for “best margaritas Sedona.”
We got a table right away at their outdoor patio and enjoyed some margs and Mexican - I only wish the meal hadn’t seemed so rushed.
And then it was time to say farewell to Sedona. We drove back along 89A and at one point, pulled over to take in the absolutely stunning sky full of stars. Leaning back on the hood of the car and looking up in the pitch black, it was nuts.
trail run to the crack swimming hole
No trip to Arizona is complete without a visit to a hidden swimming hole (there are many to choose from). We did a trail run “The Crack” at Wet Beaver Creek on one of our driving days (between Tucson and Williams) to break up the hours in the car - but it’s about 50 minutes outside of Flagstaff.
The trail was a great run (7 miles, 500 feet of elevation gain and well-maintained) and our first taste of red rock scenery - much different than Tucson's saguaros.
When we made it to the swim hole, there were only two other people there, who had already taken the plunge! With their encouragement, Callie and I decided to jump in - from a much lower ledge.
Obviously before jumping into water, you should be sure of the depth, make sure you can see the bottom so you know nothing is below the jump area, etc.
It was FRIGID but fun and after drying a little on a sunny rock, we ran back to the car.
MORE TIME?
cycling
There are tons of options for gravel and road cycling in the Flagstaff area and had it been a little warmer, I probably would have chosen one of these rides over our trip to the Petrified Forest National Park.
Lake Mary Road - 62 Miles
Sinclair Wash - 5.7 Miles
Fort Valley Road - 14 Miles
Sunset Crater - Wupatki Loop - 60 Miles
Snowbowl Road - 6 Miles
more hiking
There’s tons of hiking in the Flagstaff area. One of the others I had bookmarked was:
Little Bear to Sunset Loop
7.4 Miles | 1335 Feet of Elevation
trail running
As I mentioned, the Flagstaff area is known as a place where professional runners go for altitude training. There’s tons of great runs in the area.
slide rock
A crowded but awesome Arizona favorite - I luckily got to go here on my first trip to Sedona when I was about 13! It was tons of fun - but November was a little too cold to enjoy the nature-made water slides.
