U.S. Route 66 in ArizonaBetween the California state line and Kingman, the original alignment is now known as Oatman Road and passed through the old mining town of Oatman.
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From the east, Route 66 enters the state on the Navajo Reservation at Lupton. It continues across the northern half of Arizona passing through Holbrook, Winslow, Flagstaff, Williams, Seligman, Kingman, Oatman and finally Topock before continuing into California.
Nourish and heal your soul in the geological wonderland of Sedona. On a quick detour off Route 66 of about 30 miles, south of Flagstaff via US-89, soaring monoliths straddle a town filled with dozens of spas, plentiful art galleries, boutiques, resorts, and wineries.
Completed in 1926, Route 66 winds 2,448 miles from Chicago to L.A. Through most of the Western states, Route 66 follows Interstate 40, which eventually replaced much of the Mother Road. In some areas, the remnants of 66 parallel the interstate as a frontage road.
U.S. Route 66 (also known as Route 66, U.S. Highway 66, The Main Street of America, The Mother Road and the Will Rogers Highway) was a highway in the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926. However, road signs did not go up until the following year.
In John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939), the highway symbolizes escape, loss, and the hope of a new beginning; Steinbeck dubbed it the Mother Road. Other designations and nicknames include the Will Rogers Highway and the Main Street of America.
The magical Grand Canyon National Park is just north of Route 66 and is worth the slight detour. This 200-mile-long, dramatic canyon of the Colorado River is a destination in and of itself, and is easily one of the best natural formations along the historic route.
While the Grand Canyon isn't technically on Route 66, it's worth a detour. The South Rim is the most accessible from the route and has the best viewpoints; although that does make it the most popular with visitors.
Virtually all roads, including Route 66, were functionally obsolete because of narrow pavements and antiquated structural features that reduced carrying capacity. Emergency road building measures developed during wartime left bridges and culverts woefully inadequate for postwar needs.
For desert lovers, Arizona's most striking Route 66 scenery lies between Flagstaff and the New Mexico border. Chiefly, you'll travel I-40 as not much remains of old 66 in eastern Arizona. Along the drive you'll see a petrified wood forest, a gorgeous “painted” desert and a massive meteor crater.
The Classic Route 66 Town: Seligman, ArizonaIts earlier roots was as a railroad town. When in Seligman, be sure to stop and visit Angel & Vilma Delgadillo's Route 66 Gift Shop & Visitor's Center. We've shopped there, and highly recommend it! Seligman is truly a step back in time!
The two major cities closest to the Canyon are Phoenix and Las Vegas. Flagstaff, AZ is only 1.5 hours from the South Rim and although it is a smaller city, it does have an international airport. Tusayan is the closest town to Grand Canyon Village and also has a small public airport.
The Desert View Drive portion of SR 64 is a scenic road that begins near Grand Canyon Village. Private vehicles can drive east along the canyon rim for 23 miles (37 km) to the Desert View Services Area, and the East Entrance of Grand Canyon National Park.
In some states Rt 66 is not well- marked and it was often difficult to find where it picks up when one section of it ends. But all in all it is worth the effort if you want to see some almost forgotten bits of Americana. Lots of worthwhile stops along the way, but they are scattered across 2,400 miles.