Don't miss the feature article "Route 66: Old Highway Offers Greasy Spoons, Kitsch, Ghost Town" by Mike Di Paola on Bloomberg.com describing this wonderful part of Northern Arizona. Northern Arizona offers almost limitless opportunities for exploration and relaxation. There are numerous trails for ATV use and off-roading. Horseback riding is an enjoyable past time for many. Tourists from all over the world enjoy cruising down historic US-66 and breathing in the nostalgia and laid-back pace of a time gone by. There are the magnificent red rock formations, hiking trails and golf resorts of Sedona and the sprawling old laid-back town of Prescott. There are the quaint and pretty old copper mining towns like Jerome. There is the natural wonder of the Grand Canyon. There are the ski slopes of the Snow Bowl nestled on the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff only about 50 miles east. There are the old Route 66 towns like the towns of Kingman or Seligman, where the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona was born. The authentic historic US-66 town of Seligman is only 10 miles West of where we live along US-66. "The first name for this location was Prescott Junction. A small community developed when the railroad from Prescott to the main line was completed in 1886. With the completion of the Ashfork railroad branch, however, the older Prescott branch was abandoned. Prescott Junction thereafter gradually came to be called Seligman, after the Seligman brothers. New York bankers connected with the A.&P.R.R., who owned the Hashknife Cattle company. In May 1897 the A&PRR reorganized, abandoning Williams as its western terminus, substituting Seligman. The Williams round house was moved to Seligman. In July the S.F.R.R. emerged from the reorganization. Seligman Canyon. PO Est Oct. 26, 1886, James Daily PM." Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.) Arizona's names : X marks the place Falconer Pub. Co. : distributed by Treasure Chest Publications, c1983. P. 552 This area of Northern Arizona is part of the San Francisco Volcanic Field so most of the peaks and buttes in the area are the remains of volcanic activity from some 3-12 million years ago. Lava rock and basalt from those volcanoes are prevalent on the surface. There is no current volcanic activity in this area.    In addition, there are numerous sites indicating past activity and home sites of native indigenous Indian tribes.  So, if you're into archeology you'll find the area quite interesting.
The map above illustrates the path the historic US-66 takes west of Flagstaff as it finds it's way towards California. You can see I-40 as it goes past Williams about 20 miles to the east in the direction of Flagstaff. Williams was the very last Route 66 town to be bypassed by I-40. It is home to the Grand Canyon Railroad, which offers a fun historic steam engine ride to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and back. AZ-89 goes from Ash Fork towards Prescott. Prescott is a lovely town only 50 miles away with all the major stores and restaurant chains as well as an old city square reminding you of the old Wild West legacy of Arizona. The ideal place to enjoy a round of golf before going into downtown for some relaxed shopping. The weather in Prescott stays around 15-20 degrees cooler than in Phoenix year round. The temperatures are usually even another degree or two cooler where our weekend home is located, since it sits another 500ft higher in elevation. In the West past Kingman you can see US-93 turning off to the north towards Las Vegas.     You can also see the town of Peach Springs in the Hualapai Indian Reservation. Peach Springs Road from Seligman is the shortest way to get to the Colorado River at the western edge of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a glass bridge leading out onto the Canyon offering a unique experience of it's majesty. Alternatively you can drive to Williams and take US-64 North to the Grand Canyon National Park main entrance.
A drive down Main Street Seligman today is a trip into the past with Angel's Barbershop, Lilo's West Side Cafe, the Snow Cap Drive-In as well as the Road Kill Cafe, just to name a few. The world-famous Snow Cap is still owned by the Delgadillo brothers, who are known for having fun with unsuspecting tourists.	The Route 66 Gift Shop with a wide variety of historic US-66 memorabilia as well as leather accessories for the bikers who enjoy a leasurely ride down the mother road.
The natural wonder of the Grand Canyon is only a short drive away. Climbing from 5200ft near Seligman to 6500ft near Williams and then almost 7000ft at the canyon itself. To drive out of the junipers into the open plain just to get back into pine trees again .... and then suddenly emerge and stand in front of this majestic canyon taking in the wonder and awe of it's natural grandeur and beauty .... who would want to miss this? There are numerous trails for beginning and advanced hikers. It is great for us to be just an hour away from the Grand Canyon and being able to enjoy it whenever we feel like it.