In honor of Take a Walk Outdoors Day on Saturday, Jan. 20, members of our NAU community share their favorite walks around Flagstaff. Between wilderness trails, national monuments, wildlife preserves and the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS), Flagstaff has something for everyone, even when the snow is piled high. Here are 10 Lumberjack-approved walkable trails in and around Flagstaff.
1. Kendrick Park Watchable Wildlife Trail
Short loop
Length: 0.25-mile loop
Longer loop
Length: 1.5-mile loop
Features:
- Short loop is paved for wheelchair access
- Both loops include an educational interpretive experience
Recommended by: Grant Belcher (Marketing), Christine Kirby (CHER)
Length: 2.5 miles round trip
Features:
- Terminates in a volcanic cinder cone that creates a natural amphitheater
- Must climb ladder about 6ft high at end of trail to reach the amphitheater
Recommended by: Grant Belcher (Marketing)
3. Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve
Don Weaver Trail
Length: 0.7 miles
Tom Moody Loop
Length: 3.9 miles
Arizona Trail (within Preserve)
Length: 1.2 miles
Features:
- Self-guided interpretive tour
- Northern Sinagua petroglyphs
- Historic rail line
- Year-round waterfall
- Designated a Watchable Wildlife Site and Audubon Bird Sanctuary
Recommended by: Jill Kimball (NAU Communications)
“Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve, located just off Route 66 on the east side of town, is a guaranteed crowd pleaser because it checks so many boxes. Easy, family-friendly trails ranging from one to four miles? Check. Fascinating vestiges of the past, including Northern Sinagua petroglyphs and the remains of a 19th-century logging railroad? Check. Abundant wildlife, including 130 different species of birds? Check. To cap it all off, there’s a waterfall—and the cascades are particularly gorgeous in the wintertime,” Kimball said.
4. Lava Flow Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Length: 1-mile loop
Features:
- Upper 0.25-mile loop is paved and wheelchair accessible
- Pets welcome on the paved portion of this trail
Recommended by: Grant Belcher (Marketing)
5. Sandy’s Canyon Trail No. 137
Length: 3 miles round trip
Features:
- Part of the Arizona National Scenic Trail
- Connects to Fisher Point and Marshall Lake sections of Arizona Trail
Recommended by: Grant Belcher (Marketing) and Meredith Brown (Cline Library)
“I really like Sandy’s Canyon, which has some cool rock formations, alternates between more forested and open sections of trail, and (if you walk long enough 😉) you can take in some amazing views from the Fisher Point vista,” Brown said.
6. McMillan Mesa Natural Area Trails
McMillan Mesa Trail
Length: 0.5 miles
Mesa Ridge Trail
Length: 0.3 miles
Sunset Trail
Length: 0.6 miles
Arizona Trail
Length: 3.9 miles
Features:
- Connects to Buffalo Park
- Part of the Arizona National Scenic Trail
- Opportunity for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
Recommended by: Meredith Brown (Cline Library) and Tim Westerhaus (Kitt School of Music)
7. Karen Cooper Trail – part of the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS)
Length: 7.2 miles round trip
Features:
- Easy access to the Mountain Line bus route all along this trail
- Trail highlights include: the Rio de Flag, Frances Short Pond and the historic Townsite neighborhood
Recommended by: Jessica Clark (NAU Communications) and Melissa Yates (Printing Services)
8. Soldiers Trail at Fort Tuthill
Length: 5.2-mile loop
Features:
- Trail accommodates running, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding in the summer
- Connects to other trails in the Fort Tuthill area
- Connects to Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS)
- Opportunity for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
Recommended by: Melissa Yates (Printing Services)
Campbell Mesa Loop
Length: 5.7-mile loop
Anasazi Loop
Length: 2.7-mile loop
Continental Loop
Length: 1-mile round trip
Walnut Meadows Loop
Length: 4-mile loop
Features:
- Multiple trail options within an easily accessible area
- Connects to Fisher Point and the Arizona Trail
Recommended by: Melissa Yates (Printing Services)
10. Arizona Nordic Village Trails
Length: varies
Features:
- Acres of trails through ponderosa pine and aspen forests
- Opportunity for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
- Snowshoe and ski rentals available
Recommended by: Tim Westerhaus (Kitt School of Music) and Christine Kirby (CHER)
“Some of my favorite places to take wintertime walks are reached by tossing on a pair of snowshoes, which make any snow-covered trail traversable, whether lightly—or heavily—covered,” Westerhaus said. “If you don’t have a pair snowshoes, I recommend visiting Arizona Nordic Center, northwest of Flagstaff about 20-25 minutes. They have snowshoe rentals and an extensive, well-marked system of snowshoe trails.”