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2022 Summer Road Trips by the Numbers
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School is out, but numbers are still flying through our heads: 66, 80, 260. These numbers correspond to highway names and these highways offer some great summer road trips off the beaten path.
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Route 66 - It's easy to get your kicks on Route 66 in Arizona
Winslow - This year, "take it easy" on the eastern side of Route 66 starting in Winslow, Arizona. Of course, you have to take a picture Standing on the Corner of Winslow Arizona, a location made famous by the rock band The Eagles, with their hit song "Take it Easy". A new stop along the way includes an old-fashioned mercantile in Winslow, the Motor Palace Mercantile, which offers a variety of interesting souvenirs and food items. Need a place to spend the night? Try Earl's Route 66 Motor Court. Originally built in the 1950s, it has been updated (without losing the charm). You can't miss it, the still-operating architectural neon lights wrap their way around the building and signs. As you travel west, stop at Meteor Crater, the world's best-preserved meteorite impact site.
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Flagstaff - Snap a picture at the Flagstaff Visitor Center with the mother road themed street art in the west parking lot of Flagstaff's historic train station building. The large-scale, 25 feet wide public art was painted by local mural artists the Mural Mice to provide a permanent Route 66 photo opportunity for Flagstaff visitors.
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Continuing west, the time is just right for a great burger, and a good joke at the Snow Cap, in Seligman. If you are lucky, you can meet the furriest "residents" of Oatman, on the western edge of Historic Route 66. These small donkeys descended from miners' beasts of burden and often stroll through town. There are so many more places to discover, get a Route 66 passport, and add more stops!
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Historic Highway 80 - A Trip Back in Time
Highway 80 was one of the first U.S. Highways to span Arizona. It is the fourth state-recognized historic route in Arizona's history. From exit number 303 on I-10 in southeastern Arizona, you can follow Route 80 for a trip back in time, and find completely different experiences in four communities within 70 miles, from Benson to Douglas. There are several old west threads that tie the communities and their history together, but each community now has its own personality.
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Benson - As trains have been a big part of Benson's history, most people, and all railfans, begin at the Visitor's Center not just for information, but for an opportunity to control the model train. You manage the speed and direction of the train and it has all the horns, bells and equipment to give you the feeling of operating a real locomotive. For a step in the dustier past, visit the Mescal Movie Set. It was the backdrop to western movies such as Tombstone, The Quick and the Dead, and more than 80 others. A historian offers tours that recount the movies, the actors and the scenes filmed here as you walk past the buildings or ride a stagecoach to the backlot. Movies and programs are still shot here so tours work around the filming schedules. After the tour, you may be inspired to climb onto the back of a horse and imagine you are in a western. Stop by the Double R Ranch for a few hours of riding or spend the night. With well-mannered horses, they have the perfect horse for every level of rider.
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Tombstone - Tombstone is infamous for and is a great place to relive the shoot-out history between the Earps and the Clantons in 1881. But, don't forget that the beginning of the settlement was silver mining. You can take the Good Enough Trolley, a historical six-mile tour, covering more than 55 landmarks, the mining districts and the cemeteries as well as the Schieffelin Monument. It includes all the important sites such as the OK Corral, Bird Cage Theater, Boothill, the mines and others, all in the comfort of an air-conditioned trolley. Another option is the Good Enough Mine Tour, a 45-minute fully narrated tour that takes you into a real 1880s silver mine 100 ft. below the surface. It offers demonstrations of the mine techniques and you will see where men worked that started the rush in the southwest and made Tombstone the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco in the 1880s.
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Bisbee - B Active is the new hub for exploring Bisbee and the area. They offer E-Bike rentals, guided E-Bike tours, guided city hikes, hikes in the area, and pickleball lessons! To slow it down a bit, they also offer wine tours. Your step back into Bisbee's past, may be a step up. Take the steps and staircases that go up and down Bisbee's canyons to view some of the architecture of the homes from Bisbee's earliest days as a mining town. For a less strenuous look into Bisbee's past, stop at the Bisbee Restoration Museum which has just reopened. There are three floors of historic items from oddities like a copper High School diploma to a vast collection of textiles from quilts to wedding dresses and the equipment used to make them. The artifacts reflect the diverse and unique spirit that can still be felt in Bisbee today.
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Douglas - Opened in November 1907 and named after the historically significant Gadsden Purchase; the Gadsden Hotel soon became a meeting place for cattlemen, ranchers, miners, and businessmen. Travelers were amazed at the modern accommodations and to this day the lift is one of the oldest manually-operated elevators still in use west of the Mississippi. Enter the lobby to view the impressive staircase made of white Italian marble and the massive pink marble columns. Above is a Tiffany-inspired stained-glass window mural . Nearby, is the historic John Slaughter Ranch. Enjoy the scenery, wildlife, and atmosphere that has been left largely untouched since Texas John Slaughter's time. Open by appointment, the Border Air Museum highlights Douglas' airport as the first international airport in the country and a stopping point for Amelia Earhart and many famous female pilots in the 1920s.
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Highway 260 - The Center of it All
Highway 260 meanders throughout the geographic middle of Arizona. Going east or west, depending on your perspective, it either begins or ends in Cottonwood, and at the other end, is Springerville-Eagar. It's a "cool" road in the summer. It passes through many of Arizona's favorite high-country towns where a lift in elevation, means a dip in temperatures.
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Springerville - In 1884, a schoolhouse was built in Springerville as a place of learning for the children. Today, people are still visiting the former schoolhouse to learn. Now known as the Springerville Heritage Center, visitors can learn the stories of the surrounding communities and see artifacts from several centuries past. The Casa Malpais Archeological Museum, The Renee Cushman Museum, The Becker Family History Museum and the White Mountain Historical Society Museum are all housed in this one unique location. You can spend hours exploring history and admission to the museum is free! The Casa Malpais room exhibits 2,500 artifacts excavated in the early 1990s, as well as a film about the site that features Hopi and Zuni elders who talk about how their culture relates to the site.
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The Renee Cushman exhibits an extensive collection of art objects, including a Rembrandt engraving, pen-and-inks by Tiepolo, and an impressive collection of European antiques, some dating back to the 15th century. The White Mountain Historical Society displays commonly used household items and tools from 1870 to 1940. Ten rooms are dedicated to the people and towns of the White Mountain area, with highlights including a wooden aqueduct, telephone switchboard, blacksmith shop and jail cell.
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The actual site of the Casa Malpais, located just outside of town, is an ancient pueblo from the Mogollon Culture which was built and occupied between 1250 and 1340 AD. The site became a National Historic Landmark and can be visited by a guided tour.
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Outdoors, stroll along the River Walk Trail, a developed trail that follows the Little Colorado River and keep your eyes peeled to see beaver dams, mule deer and many species of birds. At the Historical Park, you can walk amongst eight historic buildings that were moved to the park to form a "village." On Saturdays during the summer, the White Mountain Historical Society offers tours inside the buildings.
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From Springerville head east on Highway 260 towards Show Low and across the third largest volcanic field in the country. The Springerville Field contains 405 vents, and covers about 1,158 square miles and there are very few other places in the world where you can drive at interstate highway speeds for one hour (such as between Springerville and Show Low) and still be in the same volcanic field.
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Cottonwood - Along your way to Cottonwood, be sure to stop for a dip in the lake at Fool Hollow Lake State Park. Dip with your toe, a paddle from a canoe or kayak, or with your fishing lure. A stop at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park will leave you in awe as it is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. If you've ever wanted to stay in a wagon, covered wagon that is, make reservations at the Verde Ranch RV Resort, to overnight in a Western-themed Conestoga covered wagon. These rustic and luxurious wagons give you the feel of the old west, but are climate controlled and come with soft bedding, modern amenities and a mini-fridge, just to begin.
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Continuing the Old West theme, end your journey in Cottonwood with a visit to the Blazin' M Ranch for their western activities, dinner and a show! The Blazin' M Ranch features an authentic Western-themed town and this year, have expanded their offerings to include the Be Wild family fun park. On weekends during the summer, Be Wild offers a range of activities including a 9-hole Putt-Putt golf course, a rock-climbing wall & bungee jumping pad, a Gellyball (paintball-lite) field, a remote control car racing track and a bounce house zone! Tokens can be purchased to use for each activity (like at a carnival!) or you can buy an all-day unlimited wristband.
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Appreciate AZ:
The Arizona Office of Tourism and the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics have forged a partnership to promote sustainable tourism practices across Arizona's spectacular landscapes and unique destinations. In addition to following local rules and regulations, it's important to understand the principles of Leave No Trace, which are guidelines that help protect beautiful, wild spaces. These include such things as plan and prepare, stick to trails, trash your trash, leave what you find, be careful with fire, respect wildlife, and share the outdoors. Appreciate AZ is Arizona's program for responsible tourism. It ensures we are doing our part to educate visitors and residents on how to recreate responsibly and to keep our state beautiful for future generations. If we do our part to take care of our public lands, we will have the privilege of enjoying them for many years to come. Thank you for doing your part to keep Arizona beautiful!
Please note: For visitor guidance due
to COVID-19 such as mask-wearing, a list of
tourism-related reopening's or closures, and a link to
public health guidelines, click here: https://www.visitarizona.com/covid-19/.
Some attractions are open year-round, and some are
open seasonally or move to seasonal hours. To ensure
the places you want to see are open on your travel
dates, please check their website for hours of
operation.
For more information about things to do and see in Arizona, please visit: https://visitarizona.com
Additional stories can be found on our website:
https://www.visitarizona.com/rediscover-arizona/road-trips/
https://www.visitarizona.com/like-a-local/arizona-road-trips-for-two/
https://www.visitarizona.com/plan/road-trips/
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