Flagstaff – Seligman

Flagstaff – Seligman

Printing this description can take a lot of time, so you might want to consider buying commercially available alternatives such as the 8 map set and the EZ66 guide to take along on your trip.

Flagstaff

Enter Flagstaff on Route 66 (former Santa Fe Av., US-66, US-180, US-89).

Sidetrip: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is located 15 miles north of Flagstaff on US-89.

Continue on Route 66 Through town.

The Museum Club at 3404 E. Route 66.

Continue straight at the intersection with San Francisco St.

One block to the north on San Fancisco St. is the Hotel Monte Vista, built in 1926.

Santa Fe Railroad Depot.

Westbound pre-1934 Route 66 would join here from the left.

Continue straight at the intersection with Beaver St.

Eastbound pre 1934 Route 66 would turn left here, make a right onto Phoenix Ave., Make a slight left on Mikes Pike and cross straight onto Milton Rd.

Follow as the road curves left across the railroad tracks onto Milton Rd. (1934-68 alignment).

Sidetrip: Sedona is 30 miles to the south on Alt-89: Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness, jeep tours, color changing rocks.

Continue slight right on Milton Rd. (Historic US-66).

Turn right onto AZ-89 (BL-40, Historic US-66).

Continue as the road curves right towards the west (1940-68 alignment).

Join I-40 at exit 191.

Bellemont

Ghost town

Leave I-40 at exit 185.

There are 3 different alignment at East of here:
– The 1926-31 alignment north of I-40.
– The 1931-63 alignment in use as the southern frontage road.
– The 1963-75 alignment in use as I-40.

Harley Davidson shop on the southern frontage road to the east of exit 185.

Pine Breeze Inn on the southern frontage road (1 mile beyond the HD shop). This location was used in the easy rider movie.

The Navajo Army Depot is across the railroad tracks to the south.

To the west are multiple alignments as well.
– 1926-41 alignment to the south of the southern frontage road.
– 1941-63 alignment is the southern frontage road.
– 1963-79 aligment is I-40.
Note that thre are crossovers for connecting these alignments as well, adding to the possible alignmnets, but those are almost completely gone.

About a mile from where the southern frontage road meets I-40 was a right turn for the pre 1941 alignments, we’re goign for these on the northern frontage road.

Follow the north frontage road westbound (technically not Route66, but that will change after 2 miles).

Consider this will take you over some dirt roads, conditions not permitting, return to I-40 and exit at exit 178.

Continue onto Branning Park Rd.

Auto tour sign put up by the Forest Service.

Through Branning Park

49 hill on your left. Some consider this the highest point on old 66: 7320 feet, but opinions differ on this, let’s agree it’s high.

Brannings Park Rd is the 1931-41 alignment, the pre-1931 alignment is to your right along the power line (undriveable).

The pre-1931 alignment joins to the right at Government Prairie Rd.

Auto tour sign put up by the Forest Service.

Continue west on Parks Rd.

Those bypassing the dirt road on I-40 rejoin here from the south near exit 178.

Parks

Parks Store at the intersection with Sprint valley Rd. The 1926-31 Route 66 ran behind the store, the windows were moved as Route 66 moved.

Continue west on the Parks Rd. to the north of I-40. (1931-64)

Continue as the road becomes Wagon Wheel Rd., Old Route 66 (1931-64).

Continue past the autotour sign.

If you’ve had enough of graveled road, return to I-40 at exit 171 till exit 167.

To the south of I-40 at exit 171, Ponderase Rd. to the east is the pre-1931 alignment.

Turn right onto the graveled road (Deer Farm Rd.), do not continue straight on CR-74.

Deer Farm on the right.

Continue on the northern frontage road (1932-64 alignment) until exit 167.

If you do not want to drive on dirt roads, continue on I-40 at exit 167 until exit 165.

Cross to the south on I-40 at exit 167 on Garland Prairie Rd.

After 0.2 miles, turn right (=west) on Mountain Man Trail (1926-31 alignment).

To the west is also the old alignment, but it dead-ends.

Turn right onto old AZ-64 a the former intersection of AZ-64 and US-66.

After a 0.15 miles, turn left onto the 1932-41 alignment near exit 165.

Turn west onto BL-40 (US-66). towards Williams.

If driving on I-40, leave at exit 165, continue on BL-40.

Williams

Pass under the railroad.

Turn left on Echo Canyon Rd. for the 1926-41 alignment.
Continue along the south of BL-40 till the railroad tracks.
Turn back, dead-end.

Williams was the very last bypassed town. It clung to Route 66 from November 11th, 1926 till October 13th, 1984. During that time, Bill Williams Ave. to the west of 2nd St. has been Route 66 uninterrupted.

Sidetrip: The Grand Canyon is 60 miles north of here on AZ-64, or with the Grand Canyon Railway.

West of Williams, join I-40 at exit 161.

The southern frontage road west of exit 161 is Route 66 (dead-end).

If you don’t drive on dirt roads, continue on I-40 at exit 157, otherwise leave I-40 here.

On the south of I-40 to the east of Pine Springs (exit 157) are 2 earlier alignments:
The southern one is the 1926-32 alignment.
The northern one is the 1932-52 alignment.
The route is a dirt road or with pavement in bad shape, so take care.

On the south of I-40 to the west of Pine Springs (exit 157) is the 1926-52 alignment, but it runs into private property after about a mile.

Continue on I-40 to exit 151 (Welch Rd.).

Turn north at the Welch Rd exit on FR-6, you’re on the 1926-32 alignment when the road bends slightly to the east.

As FR-6 turns onto FR-6 to the east:

At the juction with Silent Bridge Rd (FR-6E), you join the 1932-52 alignment to the east (dead-ends):
The 1926-32 alignment is a bit more to the south for about a mile.
Continue straight where FR-6E turns sharply to the left (north).
The pre 1926-52 alignment ends at the interstate (turn back).

At the intersection of FR-6 and FR6E above, Turn sharp left to continue to the west on the 1932-52 alignment.

Rejoin I-40 at exit 149 (Monte Carlo Rd.).

Ash Fork

Leave I-40 at exit 146.

Turn right onto Lewis Av. (BL-40).

Since the 1950’s, eastbound traffic uses Park Ave (also BL-40).

DeSoto’s Beauty and Barber shop can’t be missed due to the DeSoto on top, at 314 W Lewis Ave.

A left onto 8th Ave. Followed by a slight right on Pine Ave., puts you on the original alignment of Route 66. (dead-ends)

Rejoin I-40 west of town at exit 144.

Leave I-40 at exit 139 (Crookton Rd.).

Pre 1965 alignment to the east:
Dead-ends, you’ll have to return
Cross to south at exit 139.
Turn left (east) on the frontage road (not Route 66 yet)
As the pavement veers away from I-40 after a bit less than a mile, you’re on the 1926-65 alignment of Route 66.
Continue on the road being reclaimed by nature til the Partridge Creek.
The bridge was built in the 1920’s and has a prominent feature: a tree growing out of the concrete bridge.
The road ahead dead-ends at the railroad.

Turn right onto Crookton Rd. (Historic Us-66)

Head west onto Crookton Rd.

At Crookton Hill, note how the 1926-40’s alignment veers of to the right to navidate around the hill.

As you cross the railroad tracks (Crookton Overpass), note the older highway bridge on the right (you are on a 1930’s bridge).

For the next miles there will be left and right undrivable older alignments.

Seligman