Free
Buffalo Park
A two-mile loop (the Nate Avery Trail) on a mesa in town, with a wide view of the San Francisco Peaks. Flagstaff's most popular city trail. Free.
Red rock and the high country, Arizona
Flagstaff
A ponderosa mountain city under the San Francisco Peaks, with a mesa-top city trail, a cinder-cone volcano, a cliff-dwelling canyon, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon about an hour and a half north.
Photo: The San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff, Clément Bardot, CC BY-SA 4.0
Flagstaff sits at about 7,000 feet in a ponderosa pine forest, with the San Francisco Peaks rising to the north. Buffalo Park is a mesa-top loop in town, with a wide view of the peaks. Mount Elden, just east of downtown, is a Coconino National Forest climb above the city.
Sunset Crater Volcano and Walnut Canyon are national monuments a short drive out, and Wupatki's pueblos sit on the same loop as the crater. The South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is about an hour and a half north. Sedona's red rocks are about 45 minutes south, down Oak Creek Canyon.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Mount Elden
A Coconino National Forest mountain just east of town, with trails to a lookout above the city and the peaks. Free.
Cheap
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
A cinder-cone volcano northeast of town, with a scenic drive and lava trails. The drive and trails are open year-round, day and night, unless snow or weather closes them; a park entrance pass is required.
Season The scenic drive and all trails are open year-round, day and night, unless snow or weather makes them impassable. The visitor center hours were posted in the 2026 superintendent's compendium as daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m., closed on 25 December (check before you go).
Cheap
Walnut Canyon National Monument
A limestone canyon of cliff dwellings a short drive east of town. The Island Trail drops into the canyon; the Rim Trail stays high. A park entrance pass is required.
Season The official plan-your-visit page listed the monument as open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with the Island Trail open 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and the Rim Trail 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; early closes or closures are posted for some holidays, and the Island Trail may close in winter for snow or ice (check before you go).
Cheap
Wupatki National Monument
Pueblos on the high desert north of Sunset Crater, on the same loop road. A park entrance pass is required, and the same pass is valid at Sunset Crater.
Cheap
Grand Canyon National Park, South Rim
The South Rim, including Grand Canyon Village, about an hour and a half north. The rim is open 24 hours a day, all year; every visitor needs an entrance pass.
Season The South Rim is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; most services are available year-round, and some facilities close in winter. Every visitor needs an entrance pass (check before you go).
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Downtown Flagstaff
A walkable historic downtown on Route 66, with a clock on the street, old brick buildings and a mountain-town evening life. Free to wander.
Free
Flagstaff visitor center
The official visitor center at 1 East Route 66, in the old train depot, a good first stop downtown.
Cheap
Museum of Northern Arizona
A museum of Colorado Plateau geology, Native art and anthropology, on the north side of town toward the peaks. Hours and admission are on the official site.
Paid
Lowell Observatory
The historic observatory on Mars Hill, where Pluto was discovered, with daytime exhibits and telescope viewing after sunset. Hours change, and it is closed on Tuesdays and on some holidays.
Season Listed as Monday and Wednesday–Sunday 12 p.m.–10 p.m., closed Tuesday, and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Telescope viewing usually starts around sunset (check before you go).
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Downtown shops
Independent shops and restaurants in the historic downtown, along Route 66 and San Francisco Street.
Free
Southside shops
A few more shops and cafés just south of the tracks, a short walk from the depot and downtown.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Sunset Crater and Wupatki entrance pass
A park entrance pass is required; the same pass is valid at both Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments.
Walnut Canyon entrance pass
A park entrance pass is required at Walnut Canyon National Monument.
Grand Canyon National Park entrance pass
Every visitor to the South Rim needs an entrance pass. The rim is open all year.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Lowell Observatory Tickets
Part of our Red rock and the high country guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The monuments and the mesa trail are a full day; the Grand Canyon is another day that does not fit on the way through.
- The peaks are better at the end of the day, when the mesa empties and the last light is on the snow.
- Sedona is close enough for a second day, but Flagstaff itself is worth the night.
Nearby and worth the drive
Sedonaabout 45 min · Guide ↗
Red-rock buttes and Oak Creek Canyon, about 45 minutes south.
Grand Canyon Villageabout 80 min
The South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, about an hour and a half north. An entrance pass is required.
Ready-made trips with Flagstaff
Good to know
- Tourism: flagstaffarizona.org is the official visitor site. The visitor center is at 1 East Route 66.
- Altitude: The city sits at about 7,000 feet; Walnut Canyon's Island Trail drops 185 feet and climbs back, and summer storms can build in the afternoon.
- Grand Canyon: The South Rim is open all year, but every visitor needs an entrance pass, and reservations are strongly recommended in spring, summer and fall. Check the official park page before you go.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: The San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff, Clément Bardot, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The trail at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff, with wildflowers, Outdoor Craziness, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: The view from Mount Elden above Flagstaff, John Vetterli from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: The cinder cone at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Nhartmannphotos, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Cliff dwellings in Walnut Canyon National Monument, Packbj, CC BY-SA 4.0