Day Trips in Phoenix

"At an elevation of 7,000 feet, the town of Flagstaff lies only only two hours from Phoenix in the shadow of the sometimes snowcapped San Francisco Peaks — also known as Kachina Peaks. It offers an environment as different from the desert as night and day. Home to the world’s largest ponderosa pine forest, Flagstaff is a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts in every season, with miles upon miles of hiking and biking trails. The Visitor Center house in the historic downtown Train Station on Route 66 is a good place to learn about the town and its surroundings and even watch a train go by. Plus, Flagstaff had the honor of being named one of Matador Network’s “Coolest Towns in America” in 2018.After a stroll through the center of town, visitors can head to the Museum of Northern Arizona for a glimpse into the geology and Native American history of the area. Across the street, an old historic locomotive dating from 1929 marks the entrance to the Pioneer Museum, another great place to learn about the history of people who first settled here.Trails for all levels of hikers surround the town, from short walks in Buffalo Park to the Kachina Trail through the heart of the mountain. Paths take you through tall ponderosa pines, intermingled with patches of aspens and, in spring, wildflower-filled meadows. From the highest point of the mountain, visitors can go into the depths of the earth, entering a lava river cave. After dark, Lowell Observatory offers a glimpse into our universe through the telescope that was used to discover Pluto." - MATADOR_NETWORK