Arizona Route 66 - Traveling Arizona's Mother Road

LEGENDARY ROUTE 66

The Arizona Ribbon of the Mother Road

Arizona’s ribbon of the Mother Road is one of the most picturesque along the entire route. From volcanoes, to painted deserts, to lush green forests, your journey provides numerous scenic photograph opportunities as well as a wealth of history, great side trips, and a volume of Route 66 era icons.

Passing through this beautiful state provides you the opportunity to follow the trail of early pioneers and outlaws, see historic Indian ruins, visit ghost towns, and fill your bags with treasures from hundreds of historic trading posts along the way.

From the eastern border until you reach Seligman, Route 66 closely follows Interstate 40. From here, the old route veers away from I-40 on the longest unbroken original stretch of the Mother Road, taking you all the way to the California border and providing numerous vintage photo opportunities, ghost towns, and haunting views of the Arizona landscape.

You won't see many of these Saguaro Cactus on

Arizona’s ribbon of the highway. Route 66 is little

too far north. However, this one sits alone near

Oatman, Arizona, December, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

This image available for photographic prints HERE!

On your way to Holbrook, you will begin to spy dinosaurs of every size, shape and form enticing you to stop at The International Petrified Forest Museum and Dinosaur Park.

Holbrook had a wild and baudy Old West history before Route 66 came through, when vintage icons such as the Pow-Wow Trading Post and the Wigwam Village Motel appeared.

Heading on to Joseph City, you will pass the Geronimo Trading Post. Joseph City is home to the famous Jack Rabbit Trading Post that you have probably already seen advertised on numerous billboards. Nearby Winslow provides a peek at several Route 66 era buildings, as well as the famous La Posada Hotel, the only historic Harvey House Hotel that still caters to travelers in need of a rest.

Continuing to mosey on down the trail, you will soon spy the Meteor City Trading Post and just beyond is the actual meteor crater itself. Next, you’ll run into the ghost towns of Two Guns and Canyon Diablo.

Meteor City Trading Post, December, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

This image available for photographic prints HERE!

Don’t miss the Twin Arrows Trading Post on your way through Winona to Flagstaff. Called the City of Seven Wonders, Flagstaff provides numerous opportunities for recreation and sight-seeing, not to mention its many Route 66 era buildings. Be sure to stop in at the Museum Club, at the east end of Route 66, before heading to the vintage downtown district that provides a peek at the historic Hotel Monte Vista, built in 1926 and the old Santa Fe Railroad Depot.

Continuing your westward journey, you will pass several small towns on your way to Williams, the very last town on all of Route 66 to be bypassed by the interstate. It is here in Williams, that you have the wonderful opportunity to take a side trip to the magnificent Grand Canyon, just some 60 miles north.

The next segment of the road may find your ears popping as you drop down from the mountains to the Arizona plains. At Seligman, the town displays its pride in the Mother Road with several vintage businesses including Juan Delgadillo’s famous Snow Cap Drive-In and his brother, Angel's barber shop. Though the barber shop is closed, it still stands intact, complete with equipment, and now serves as a Visitor Center run by the family.

Gunfight in Oatman, Arizona, December,

2004, Kathy Weiser.

At this point, Route 66 veers north away from I-40, where you will pass through several small towns including Grand Canyon Caverns, Peach Springs, and Valentine before dropping south again towards Kingman. Kingman is home to the historic Hotel Brunswick and the Arizona Route 66 Association in Kingman's Powerhouse Building. A short side-trip off Route 66 from Kingman will take you northwest some twenty miles to the well-preserved ghost town of Chloride.

Continuing south for a short period, Route 66 turns west again at McConnico, as you travel along the Oatman Highway. Oatman is a ghost town with a long mining history. Here, you will see vintage icons of the Old West before heading south to Topock, where you will cross the Colorado River to enter the Golden State of California.

And, as always, Kick some asphalt and enjoy the ride!

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This image available for photographic prints HERE!

The Desert Inn in Holbrook, Arizona, December, 2004,

Kathy Weiser.

To the Painted Desert

Return to Route 66

To Arizona 66 Main

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Photo Print Shop - Travel the trails of the American West with our many photographs! Just take a look at our galleries or purchase prints at very reasonable prices! Here you'll see photographs of Route 66, ghost towns, scenic and historic views, and roadside stops.