Ideas for Flagstaff area

[BullFrog]

Hey all, looks like I'll be visiting Flagstaff, AZ in late May to check out NAU. Hopefully I'll be there for a couple of days, and I'm looking for a nearby place to hike and hang. I'll be with my wife (who's never been to the mountains) and I'd like to hike somewhere that would be impressive to an Illinoisan (not a difficult task by any means). Any ideas would be appreciated!

[pgibson]

This link was MuseJr. and my trip report from a hike in that area last spring. I would definitely go back to see some more. There are a lot of folks from AZ and some in Flagstaff so I am sure you will get a number of more suggestions.

[BullFrog]

The link is broken Though while searching for it I did find some good links from te-wa.

[pgibson]

Sorry about that. Should be fixed now.

[BillyBob58]

I'm sure Dejoha and the other AZ gang will give you some good specifics soon.

Contact the Coconino NF ranger station and order a CNF map and maybe some topo maps. And ask about recent fire damage. If every thing has not been wiped out by forest fires in recent years, then go to Hart Prairie on the north west ( more or less) side or Locket (SP?) Meadow on the east side. You may want to get maps and hike the Kachina Peaks wilderness while in that area. Absolutely beautiful Aspen forests for hanging-- and you can car camp or hike in. But you will need to take enough water, unless there is still enough snow melt.

Or go south of Flag ~ 45 minutes into Oak Creek Canyon and camp near- or hike into- West fork of Oak Creek. Probably no need to carry water down there, as you are in "Oak Creek". Scenery guaranteed to shatter your brain.

Or somewhere ( east of Flag ) along the Mogollon Rim and the many creeks and some lakes there. Again, check on fire damage, otherwise, just beautiful. Ponderosa Pine, Spruce and Aspens. Elk, deer and turkey. Trout in all of these creeks.

Have fun!

http://www.fs.usda.gov/coconino/

[BullFrog]

Scenery guaranteed to shatter your brain.

That's what I'm looking for! Thanks for the tips.

[dejoha]

What!? Coming to Flagstaff!! SWEET! I work at NAU. Whadda want to know? You should totally come, so then I'll have a hanging partner

There are so many places to hang -- the places is surrounded by a national forest, not to mention the Grand Canyon, Oak Creek, Wet Beaver Creek, Fossil Creek, Sycamore Canyon, Chevelon Canyon, Blue Ridge -- dang, the list goes on-and-on.

Send me a PM and I'll get you hooked up! Let me know when you're coming down. I may even throw in a signed copy of my book.

[heyyou]

Hi B. Frog,
Flagstaff's elevation is almost 7000', so you will acclimate but not on the first day. Expect to feel tired. Consider going downhill to the red rock Sedona area first.

From Flagstaff, the road to the Snowbowl ski resort is paved to the parking lot at 9000'. On the way up, there are some gorgeous aspen groves beside the road. On the north horizon from that parking lot, those barely visible low cliffs are on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Line of sight, that is 90 miles.

Assuming that you will visit the Grand Canyon, return to Flagstaff via Cameron to Hwy 89. Turn north in Cameron for just a few miles to see some of the plant bare Painted Desert, before turning around to head south with the snow capped mountain to the south and west. As Dorothy said in Wizard of Oz, "Toto, I think we are not in Kansas anymore." The whole region has scenery, not just the Grand Canyon. Do expect to spend some money on fuel, sometimes driving a couple of hours each way to some scenic areas.