Our Favorite Flagstaff Runs (All hyperlinks have specific directions)

Pictures of some of these runs can be found at Running Places.com

Green indicates topo map is posted!

PLEASE TRAIL RUN SAFELY!!! Carry plenty of water, run with others, know your limits, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS tell someone where you are running and when you expect to return!!!! If you run with a dog, for you, your pet's safety, and for other runners, please use a leash, it is the law!

Paul Heinrich at the NAU Geospatial Research and Information Laboratory (GRAIL) is currently creating an application with maps of Flagstaff’s recreation trails. Check out this work in progress and contact the lab if you have any suggestions!

Buffalo Park: No better place to run than Flagstaff’s Buffalo Park.

Walnut Canyon Road/Arizona Trail (5-10 miles) From Flagstaff, take Country Club Drive (Country Club I-40 exit, heading south) to Oakmont Drive and turn left. Oakmont Drive will turn into Forest Road 303, follow FR 303 for 3.8 miles to the trailhead parking which is located on the right.

Sandy Canyon Trail/Fisher Point (about 8 miles). Drive southeast out of Flagstaff 6 miles on Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3) just past the second cattle guard turn north (left) to the trailhead. This run drops into Sandy Canyon and runs in the canyon bottom until the steep trail up to the top of Fisher Point at the head of Walnut Canyon.

 
Marshall Lake/Arizona Trail  This is an out and back run, about 10 miles round-trip.
 To get there, take Lake Mary Road to Forest Road 128. Follow 2.2 miles to the 
trailhead (click link above for more details!).

Sunset Trail (6 miles). This is one of the outstanding runs in Flagstaff and is part of the

Soulstice Mountain Trail Race. Begin at the Sunset Trailhead. This is a very steep run

climbing 1000 ft over the first 2 miles. Click here for 3d topo!

Rocky Ridge/Little Gnarly/Schultz Creek (9 miles). Some tough climbs, but very rewarding.

War Dog/Weatherford to Doyle Saddle (13 miles). This is the War Dog Race held in October. Run 3000 ft to the edge of the Volcano and marvel at the Inner Basin. Pick up your feet and let gravity bring you home. Start at the Schultz Tank Trailhead. Click here for 3d topo!

 
Waterline Road/Inner Basin (6-18 miles): A great short run to a tunnel that was 
drilled through a volcanic dyke or a long gradual climb to the Inner Basin. 
Go north on  HWY 180 past the Museum of Northern Arizona. 
Make a right on Schultz Creek Road and then follow it as it eventually bears
 left. The Schultz Tank Trailhead is about 4.5 miles past the last private 
home on Schultz Creek Road.

Kachina Trail/Weatherford (6-12 miles). Start at Snowbowl or the Schultz Tank Trailheads.

Spring Valley Ski Trails (6-10 miles): Follow the well marked cross country ski trails and run through some of the prettiest Aspen stands in Northern Arizona. Take the Parks exit 20 miles west of Flagstaff on I-40. Make a right at the top of the off ramp then left onto Route 66. Make a right onto Spring Valley Road (Parks Gas Station) and head north about 7 miles. The trailhead is on your left by a private home.

Bill Williams Mountain Trail (6-8 miles): This run starts at the Williams Ranger District office and climbs 2500 ft to the top of Bill Williams Mountain. Simply some of the best views of Northern Arizona from the top.

Kendrick Mountain Trail (9 miles Round Trip): 2500 ft climb to Northern Arizona’s best views of the San Francisco Peaks.

Soldier’s Trail (6 miles). This run starts at the back (northwest) parking lot west of the Racing Track. Fort Tuthill is located on the west side of the Flagstaff Airport exit. Follow the entrance road all the way to the northwest parking lot.

 
Urban Trail – Observatory Mesa (7-11 miles) This is a longer run and goes to the 
beautiful meadow by A-1 Mountain via the Urban Trail. The great satisfaction 
in running this 11 mile trail is that the hardest part is over in the first mile. 
The run begins on the west end of town by the Thorpe Park Softball fields. You
 can find the west extension of the Urban Trail across the street from the softball 
fields. Follow this trail as it quickly sucks the air out of your lungs during a
gradual ascent (concentrate on overtaking and humiliating mountain bikers who 
you can easily pass on this section). After about ¾ of a mile, you will be greeted 
by the base of the infamous hill from which Urban Trail Legends are made (you 
can put even more distance on those weary bikers at this point!). Take a deep 
breath as you climb ¼ mile straight up. Just when you thought you couldn’t suck 
in any more oxygen, the trail flattens and heads north along the edge of Observatory 
Mesa. Follow this gently rolling road until you hit the first gate. This marks the 
beginning of Forest Service Lands. Pass onto your public lands and stay straight 
(a left or right at this moment also makes for interesting runs, but will lead you 
astray from this one). The next 1.25 miles will take you through a forest thinning 
project designed to create a healthier Forest and reduce the threat of wildfires to 
Flagstaff. You will pass by two wildlife tanks (keep an eye out for elk, deer, bear,
 antelope and coyotes). About ½ mile past the second tank you will come to another
 intersection, but stay straight and you will go through a fence and begin a short 
climb. Stay on this road for about 1.25 miles and you will pass through the old 
A1 Mountain burn. This meadow provides spectacular views of the Peaks. You
 will then pass through another fence and make your first right. After about 1/3 
mile you will hit another intersection and stay right. (The next part of the run 
basically takes you clockwise around the meadow). Follow this road uphill and 
enjoy the spectacular views.You will top out near the base of A1 Mountain (an 
interesting steep climb to the left takes you to the radio tower and then onto the
 caldera of the cinder cone). Stay on the main road and you will shortly hit the 
pipeline road. Make a right and follow this fast slightly downhill stretch to the 
next fence (about a mile). Make a right at the fence and you will be on a rolling 
Forest Service road. Stay on this about 1 mile and you will be back to the junction 
just past the second tank. At this junction take a left and speed home the way you 
came,but stay in control as you fly down the Urban Trail and back to Thorpe Park!!!! 
From I-17, travel north onto Milton Road. Take Milton north and go under the 
railroad tracks. At the first stoplight make a left towards downtown. 
Then turn left on Cherry Street (third street),and follow to the end. Make a right
and you will see the softball complex and Bark Park. 
 
Schultz Creek Trail (7-8 miles). This run starts at the dirt pullout above the Schultz
 Creek Trailhead (just past the last private home on the left). From Flagstaff, go 
north on HWY 180 past the Museum of Northern Arizona. Make a right on Schultz
 Creek Road and then follow it as it eventually bears Left (about ¾ mile). This
 run starts at the dirt pullout above the Schultz Creek Trailhead (just past the last 
private home on the left). 
 
Oldham Steps (7-8 miles). This run starts at Buffalo Park. For those of you from 
out of town, travel north under railroad tracks on Milton Road
(main drag from 1-17). At the second stop light turn north on San Francisco St. 
Follow this north to Cedar Avenue – just past the hospital (about 1 mile). 
Then turn right onto Cedar and head east to the top of the hill in the distance. 
The Buffalo Park turn off is to your left by the USGS Buildings. 
 
Little Bear (10 miles). This run includes a long 3.5 mile 1200 ft climb up Little 
Bear to Sunset Trail Take Little Bear Trail to Upper Brookbank, over Dry Lake
 Hills and then descend Little Gnarly back to the Sunset Trailhead. From 
Flagstaff, go north on HWY 180 past the Museum of Northern Arizona. 
Make a right on Schultz Creek Road and then follow it as it eventually 
bears left. The Sunset Trailhead is about 4.5 miles past the last private 
home on Schultz Creek Road. 
 
Sandy Seep Trail (8 miles).  This is a beautiful run on the east side of Flagstaff. 
Take Highway 89 towards the Flagstaff Mall. The run starts at the Heart Trailhead. 
 
Abineau Canyon/Bismarck Lake (7 miles) Form Flagstaff, drive HWY 180 north 
to FS Road 151. Then drive ~1.5 - 2 miles east on F.S. 151 to 
the intersection of F.S. 418 which continues easterly.  Stay on F.S. 151 by 
taking a RIGHT at the intersection with F.S. 418.  Drive ~.8 – 1 mile
to the intersection of F.S. 418B, a left turn off F.S. 151, occurring where F.S. 151
 makes a sharp right bend through a swale.  Go left onto F.S. 418B
, and park at the gate where this short spur road is blocked off.  The run follows
 the old road grade initially.  It goes for miles, past an historic site
marker and spring, and into beautiful groves of aspens, pines, and firs.  
Numerous options can be taken on steeplechase-like courses, to either 
Bismark Lake or Abineau Canyon, and it’s downhill on the way back to 
the car.  Anything from a few miles to a half marathon or more are possibilities.  
There are out and back and loop options.  All runners must make sure they 
keep on eye out for each other and make sure all return to their cars before leaving!