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Arizona Route 66:
Commissioned in 1926, Route 66 begins in Chicago and Ends in Santa Monica California. It spans across 8 states and about 2500 miles, it was not fully paved until 1937. Just the mention of Route 66 is enough to get most people nostalgic about a bygone era. What a great feeling it must have been to head out on a cold Chicago morning and know you were headed to the land of movie stars and beaches in sunny California.
Although Rt. 66 passes through several states, none of them can top Arizona for spectacular and unique scenery and attractions. Entering the state near Gallop New Mexico, Rt. 66 in Arizona is an extremely colorful stretch of road. This stretch of highway has volcanoes, meteor craters, majestic pine forests, and fabulous forests of petrified wood. This highway also has a rich and diverse history as well, which includes the early pioneers, Native Americans, cattle drives, railroads, and wild west adventurers. This road started out as a number of old trails and tracks, and was begun with an expedition that was one of the most outrageous ever.
Camels play a part in this expedition, and that is what made it so outrageous. The Gold Rush 1849 started it all, because interest greatly increased in transportation routes going into California. Congress commissioned a number of surveys into a proposed transcontinental railroad. There were four of these surveys authorized in 1853, and one of the routes being proposed was the thirty fifth parallel which would run from Forth Smith, Arkansas to Los Angeles, California. In the same year a Lieutenant by the name Amiel W. Whipple was the leader of the first expedition across the trail which would one day become Route 66. In 1857 there was an expedition over this route that used camels.
Things To See And Do Along Route 66 In Arizona
From the day the first mountain man starting carving out a trail west following the beaver, Arizona has been a terrific place to see. Route 66 has a history of love and sweat for over a hundred and fifty years. Your travels on this route will take you dangerously close to Two Guns at Canyon Diablo, now a ghost town but once arguably the most dangerous town in the west. Canyon Diablo was named by the early travelers of this route because it represented a major obstacle to them. The Grand Canyon offers a stunning Vista for anyone who stops, and the Painted Dessert is truly a sight to see. There is Indian country, which will delight and amaze visitors, as well as many famous places from the wild west. Arizona offers a large number of natural attractions, as well as beautiful and exciting towns and people. There are wide open spaces to be discovered and explored. Americans have always had a love affair with cars, and route 66 has help to combine this love of cars with a love for excitement and adventure and represents the openness of the west that first attracted the travelers and settlers.
There are many small towns and big cities to visit along route 66, and many of these originated more than one hundred years ago as stopping places for the wagon trains and travelers, so that they could receive water and any needed help as well as stock up on any supplies that may be needed. Flagstaff and Williams are two interesting cities and worth spending a couple of days at enjoying the local attractions and friendly people. These historic railroad towns near the the San Francisco Peaks are located high in the pines. When in Flagstaff be sure to visit the historic Museum Club Saloon on the Eastern edge of town on Rt. 66. Also be sure to stop at the trading posts and Native American establishments, which are very numerous along this exciting highway. There are also old towns that are famous throughout stories of the wagon trains, prospector’s and the wild west, such as the ghost town of Oatman, which are fascinating to walk through and explore. Route 66 is so much more than just a road, it is a large part of American history. Your journey across Rt. 66 in Arizona will take you past some of the most unique and interesting scenery in the country.
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