Flagstaff:
Not many years ago, a traveler would select colorful Route 66 for the drive west from Albuquerque. Though that picturesque trail has been replaced by rapid transit Interstate Route 40, the experience of seeing Flagstaff for the first time has not changed. For mile upon mile the desert plain stretches out. Finally, in the distance, mountains can be seen. And what mountains they are! The San Francisco Peaks rise far above the pine forests of Flagstaff, majestic and blue. These are the mountains, just north of the city, that are the site of the Arizona Snowbowl ski area, one of the stat?s main winter playgrounds. In summer, miles of trails through these same mountains attract hikers and mountain bikers, and it is even possible to ride the chairlift for a panoramic vista that stretches 70 miles north to the Grand Canyon.
The three San Francisco Peaks are immediately north of the city, which is encircled by the Coconino National Forest. The peaks are the remains of an extinct volcano and are considered sac
