Flagstaff, AZ—The Capital of Northern Arizona

Flagstaff is commonly renowned as the outdoors paradise of Arizona, but the city offers more for motorcyclists than just magnificent mountainscapes. Steeped in history, Flagstaff was also a significant stop along Route 66.

Proud of the part it played in the story of the Mother Road, both the old and new alignments (relatively speaking) of Route 66 through Flagstaff have been preserved and are rideable today. Outside of town, the region bristles with excellent roads through majestic scenery that beg to feel your wheels.

The first saloon on the wagon trail that stretched through this area opened in 1871, marking the beginning of non-native settlement. However, the first permanent resident arrived in 1876, when Thomas F. McMillan built a small cabin just north of the modern downtown area.

On his property, he stripped a pine tree and pitched it up as a flag pole, thus inspiring the future name of the city.

Throughout its history, Flagstaff has been a major transportation hub in northern Arizona. It first served as a stop on the aforementioned wagon trail, then the iron horse arrived, and finally Route 66 was officially designated in 1926.

Although many of the original town’s buildings were unceremoniously demolished in the ‘70s and ‘80s, some remain in the historical downtown district. This is also where the visitor center is if you need some tips for your city tour—just look for the large Route 66 shield painted in the parking lot.

Nearby, on Phoenix Ave, you’ll find the Mother Myth Mural, Flagstaff’s tribute to the area’s gorgeous nature, Native American history, and Route 66.

Rolling along Flagstaff’s roads, you will see many hotels, motels, and gas stations. Some, like Hotel Monte Vista, have operated in the same buildings under the same name since Route 66’s glory days. Even most of the chain motels occupy historical lodgings, just under different names.

While in town, make sure to pay a visit to the Lumberjack Muffler Man. He used to stand by the now-defunct Lumberjack Cafe on Milton Rd, but these days he has retired from the advertising industry and spends his days by the Skydome on San Francisco St on the NAU campus.

Of course, there’s much more in Flagstaff than just Route 66. Make your stay out of this world and get the Flagstaff Lunar Landmarks passport from the visitor center. This tour of space-related locations within and outside the city will take you to places like the Lowell Observatory and Museum of Northern Arizona.