99 THINGS TO DO in Northern Arizona

Flagstaff and the Peaks

When I first moved to northern Arizona a couple of years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Initially, there was a lot of fear because my personal lifestyle tastes did not jibe with my preconceived notions. Don’t get me wrong, I love the heat, but I was in search of a place with ecological variety and a culture that would be more enriching than where I came from. And being the idiot that I was back then, I thought Flagsta and the northern Arizona community would be nothing more than the conclusions that I had come to in my own head.

Boy, was I wrong.

Northern Arizona is bursting at the seams with adventure, culture, beauty and opportunity. I remember visiting the Grand Canyon for the first time expecting, as always, to be underwhelmed, thinking, “How big could it REALLY be?” Well, when I first caught a glimpse of it, I couldn’t fully comprehend its immensity. The light haze that things get when they’re in the distance gave the North Rim a mystical quality; one that makes you feel as if you’ve been transported to a di erent planet. It’s an uncanny feeling, but recently, I’ve been resisting the urge to describe many of the things you’ll find in northern Arizona as “otherworldly.”

These declarations suggest subliminally, if not outright, that the wonder of this natural world can only be found elsewhere. They dilute our sense of place and our relationship with the land, so in this edition of 99 Things to do in Northern Arizona, we are examining this sense of place and the ways in which we can interact with the land we live with.

Back by popular demand, we have developed three itineraries for you to use as a guide or for inspiration as you venture through the state. We have also brought back Flagsta ’s brewery map with some much-needed edits that will keep our craft beer connoisseurs happy as they navigate Flagsta and the surrounding towns. And we have added a brand new section where you can read about the community’s favorite memories during their time in the area, and we hope that you will be able to contribute your own when your time here is done.

Northern Arizona is shaping up to be a beautiful place to visit this year, but please, if you do decide to come, take care of the land. It’s the only one we’ve got.

All the best,

Matthew Hayden 928.556.2280 mhayden@azdailysun.com