Ghost Towns Along Arizona's Route 66

ARIZONA LEGENDS

Ghost Town Stretch to Kingman

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Peach Springs – Home of the Hualapai Indians

Just west the Grand Canyon Caverns on Route 66, the highway meanders into the lands of the Hualapai Indians, a reservation that encompasses more than a million acres, including 108 miles of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon.

Peach Springs is about 12 miles west of Grand Canyon Caverns and is the tribal headquarters for the reservation.

The “People of the Tall Pine” have been occupying these lands for more than 1,400 years, where the west rim of the Grand Canyon and the river below, has long since provided food sources and medicinal needs to the tribe. It was from the Haulapai's west rim, that the earliest visitors accessed the wild Colorado River below.

In the early 1880s, the railroad established a water station on these lands and called it Peach Springs, for the many peach trees found around the spring that fed their steam engines. Soon the small settlement reportedly had ten saloons but no churches or schools. Later it would also boast a roundhouse, several shops, a stagecoach line, and a Fred Harvey Restaurant.

When Route 66 came through, Peach Springs offered several cafes, motor courts and tourist businesses to the many travelers of the road. Though little is left of Route 66 era landmarks, Peach Springs provides access to one of the last undeveloped sections of the Grand Canyon.

Near the intersection of Route 66 and Diamond Creek Road, is the Hualapai River Runners office, the only Indian-owned and operated river rafting company of the Grand Canyon. Diamond Creek Road at the west rim of the Grand Canyon is the only known existing road that leads to the bottom of the canyon.

Abandoned station in Peach Springs Arizona, December,

2004, Kathy Weiser.

Helicopter rides into the canyon depths are also available. The Hualapai Reservation is an outdoorsman’s paradise, offering hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping facilities, as well as big-game hunting permits.

Just east of Peach Springs, you can take highway 18 north, where the Havasupai Lodge provides a beautiful place to stay while enjoying a more pristine piece of the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon West (located on the south side of the Colorado River) is managed by the Hualapai Tribe. This land lies outside the boundary and jurisdiction of the National Park Service and is administered by the Hualapai Indian Tribe.

Inquiries should be directed to Hualapai Tribe, P.O. Box 538, Peach Springs, Arizona, 86434, 928-769-2216. They can provide you with driving directions, as well as information on permits to access to their lands along the rim.

Truxton – A “New” Ghost Town

Just a few more miles down the highway, you will soon reach the town of Truxton, a relatively “new” town by Arizona standards. Unlike most cities along the Mother Road, this one has no history prior to Route 66. In fact, it started only as a café and a service station in October 1951, when Donald Dilts built the services to accommodate the many wayfarers along the road. Soon other businesses sprung up competing with Dilts, but sadly, the only ones that remain open today are the nine room Frontier Motel and the Truxton Station.

After a half century of operation, the Frontier Motel’s classic neon sign was beginning to show a lot of wear. However, thanks to the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, the sign has been rescued to shine brightly for Route 66 generations yet to come.

Truxton Frontier Motel, December, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

Upon leaving Truxton, you can see an older alignment of the Mother Road on the south side of the highway. Between mile markers 89 and 88 you can also get a fleeting glimpse of an old Route 66 bridge which is still used today by locals.

Continued Next Page

Closed Truxton Station, December, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

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