Located in Northern Arizona, Flagstaff and its surrounding areas are an outdoor enthusiast's dream. At a cool 7,000 feet above sea level, Flagstaff is nestled in the world's largest Ponderosa Pine Forest. The town is bordered by the Coconino National Forest on one side and the Navajo Nation on the other. Interspersed between are Arizona State Trust lands and Flagstaff Open Space. All the nearby public lands mean easy access to a variety of year-round outdoor activities in an uncommonly beautiful setting.
Flagstaff has a dry climate with an average 23 inches of precipitation a year. There are five distinct seasons: a cold and snowy winter, with dry sunny periods interrupted by deep snow every few weeks; a dry and windy spring with occasional snow; a dry and hot summer from May to early July; a rainy monsoon season from July to early September; and a dry and sunny fall which lasts until the first snowfall in November. The combination of high elevation and low humidity provide mild weather conditions throughout most of the year.
Flagstaff has a reputation as a bicycle-friendly community. The city maintains an extensive network of trails known as the FUTS (Flagstaff Urban Trails System). The FUTS includes more than 50 miles of paved and unpaved trails for hiking, running, cycling and commuting. In addition to the FUTS, there are many miles of single track and mountain trail for hiking, mountain biking and equestrian use. Also, the 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail takes two different routes through the city.
The Coconino National Forest, second largest in the country, isn't all forest and trees. The forest is punctuated with large meadows where wildflowers grow nine months of the year. At the higher elevations there are extensive groves of aspen trees that turn gold every fall. At the lower elevations you'll find semi-desert conditions with juniper, oak and prickly-pear cactus.
Wildlife is abundant in the national forest and open space around Flagstaff. Herds of elk and deer are frequently spotted along with black bear, coyotes, large jack rabbits and the long-eared Abert's Squirrel. A variety of birds seasonally populate the area, including western bluebirds, mountain bluebirds, mountain chickadees, northern flickers and yellow-eyed juncos.
No discussion of Flagstaff would be complete without talking about the San Francisco Peaks. The peaks are an ancient volcano whose blown out caldera dominates the city's northern viewscape. The tallest of these is Humphreys Peak which at 12,637 feet above sea level is also the highest point in Arizona.
Flagstaff has a dry climate with an average 23 inches of precipitation a year. There are five distinct seasons: a cold and snowy winter, with dry sunny periods interrupted by deep snow every few weeks; a dry and windy spring with occasional snow; a dry and hot summer from May to early July; a rainy monsoon season from July to early September; and a dry and sunny fall which lasts until the first snowfall in November. The combination of high elevation and low humidity provide mild weather conditions throughout most of the year.
Flagstaff has a reputation as a bicycle-friendly community. The city maintains an extensive network of trails known as the FUTS (Flagstaff Urban Trails System). The FUTS includes more than 50 miles of paved and unpaved trails for hiking, running, cycling and commuting. In addition to the FUTS, there are many miles of single track and mountain trail for hiking, mountain biking and equestrian use. Also, the 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail takes two different routes through the city.
The Coconino National Forest, second largest in the country, isn't all forest and trees. The forest is punctuated with large meadows where wildflowers grow nine months of the year. At the higher elevations there are extensive groves of aspen trees that turn gold every fall. At the lower elevations you'll find semi-desert conditions with juniper, oak and prickly-pear cactus.
Wildlife is abundant in the national forest and open space around Flagstaff. Herds of elk and deer are frequently spotted along with black bear, coyotes, large jack rabbits and the long-eared Abert's Squirrel. A variety of birds seasonally populate the area, including western bluebirds, mountain bluebirds, mountain chickadees, northern flickers and yellow-eyed juncos.
No discussion of Flagstaff would be complete without talking about the San Francisco Peaks. The peaks are an ancient volcano whose blown out caldera dominates the city's northern viewscape. The tallest of these is Humphreys Peak which at 12,637 feet above sea level is also the highest point in Arizona.
This gallery contains some of my favorite Flagstaff images that are available as downloads and fine art prints. To view the gallery, click here or on the photo collage above. When you are in the gallery, click on a thumbnail to enlarge an image. To navigate the images click on the arrows. To see the captions click on the (i) symbol.
Check out my Flagstaff images on Getty Images, Istockphoto and Fine Art America
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