Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Flagstaff area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Flagstaff, Arizona

Flagstaff is located in North Central Arizona. It is a 2.5-hour drive from Phoenix and 1.5-hour drive from Grand Canyon National Park. The city is situated on the Colorado Plateau and has an elevation 6,900 feet. The climate is fairly mild compared to the other major cities of Arizona, with much cooler summers and snow in the winter. The city is nestled in amongst Ponderosa Pines and has beautiful views of the snow capped San Francisco Peaks to the west, soaring to 12,633 feet. This is the home of the Northern Arizona University campus and is the stop over for many tourists headed to the Grand Canyon.

Flagstaff has a large network of paved and unpaved recreational trails for walking, running, cycling and other outdoor activities named the Flagstaff Urban Trail System, FUTS. These pathways provide a great way to get about town, commute to work or school on a bike or to head off into the surrounding forested areas. Many trails in the city lead to hiking trails in the surrounding area and there are wide paved pathways next to many of the major roadways for a safer commute.

Karen Cooper Trail

The Karen Cooper Trail is a 3.5-mile long unpaved, but well maintained, pathway located in the northern part of Flagstaff. The north end of the Karen Cooper Trail is located at the intersection of Fort Valley Road and N. Freemont Boulevard. From this point, the trail wanders south through the open spaces and adjacent to residential neighborhoods west of Highway 180. Once in town, the trail travels next to the athletic fields on Thorpe Road, Marshall Elementary School and Flagstaff Junior Academy.

The south end of the Karen Cooper Trail is located at W. Birch Avenue and N. Kendrick Street near the Flagstaff Public Library. This location is two blocks north of Highway 180.

Fort Valley Trail

The Fort Valley Trail is a 2.5-mile long paved path that runs alongside the east side of Highway 180 on the north side of Flagstaff. The northend is just north of N. Shultz Pass Road, and across the road from the Karen Cooper Trail. The trail ends at N. Kendrick Street, near the football field for Flagstaff High School.

Arizona Trail

The Arizona Trail in Flagstaff is a portion of the larger 800-mile long Arizona Trail system that extends through almost the entire length of the State of Arizona. Just north of the city, the Arizona Trail splits into two sections, one goes right through the urban area and the other section wraps around to the east of the city. The two sections meet again south of Flagstaff.

The Arizona Trail within Flagstaff is an unpaved pathway located right in the center of town. It goes through Buffalo Park north of Cedar Avenue. It then crosses Cedar Avenue and meets up with several other unpaved trails in the area. South of Cedar Avenue, the trail goes next to Coconino High School and the Flagstaff Recreation Center. The trail goes south from here and crosses Highway 66 at street level. The Arizona Trail follows alongside Ponderosa Parkway, E. Butler Avenue and S. Babbitt Drive before it goes under Interstate 40. Near the underpass for I-40, the trail meets up with the Sinclair Wash Trail and then the Bow and Arrow Trail.

The Arizona Trail continues south through the ponderosa forests south of the city as a single track trail.

Sinclair Wash Trail

The Sinclair Wash Trail is a 5.5-mile long unpaved pathway that passes through Flagstaff and heads to the south as far as Fort Tuthill County Park. At its northeast end, the trail connects to the Arizona Trail. The trail then heads west through the rugged area alongside Sinclair Wash. It then crosses through the campus of Northern Arizona University, tucks under Interstate 40 and heads south.

The route includes residential neighborhoods and commercial centers. The Sinclair Wash Trail intersects several other recreational trails in the southwest Flagstaff area.

Read more about the Sinclair Wash Trail

Route 66 Trail

The Route 66 Trail travels alongside the Historic Route 66 through the middle of Flagstaff for about 5 miles. Riding along this paved pathway gives you a taste of how Flagstaff looked to those travelers that drove along Route 66 on the way to California with lots of old style motels and gas stations.

The north end of the Route 66 Trail is at the intersection with N. Mall Way near the Flagstaff Mall. The paved pathway has junctions with several other trails along its route, including the Arizona Trail. The west end of the trail is at the intersection with Beaver Street, near the Flagstaff Amtrak Station.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails for bike riding, running and walking in Flagstaff, Arizona.