10 Best Flagstaff Hiking Trails

Flagstaff is one of my favorite hiking towns in the United States. Often overshadowed by Sedona, Flagstaff sits at a much higher elevation and offers so many unique hiking opportunities. Keep reading for some of the best hikes in Flagstaff.

Flagstaff Hiking Trails

Are Flagstaff hiking trails open? Yes!

I first visited Flagstaff in 2021. Being from California and Boston, I had never really heard of Flagstaff until I was getting further down my proverbial bucket list. You may ask, how many hiking trails are in Flagstaff? A lot! When I moved to Phoenix for a few months, I knew that I had to visit both Sedona and Flagstaff.

The area of Flagstaff is characterized by the San Francisco Peaks, which are a couple miles north of Flagstaff. While I absolutely loved Sedona hiking trails and can see why Sedona hiking is so popular, Flagstaff is also an amazing hiking town. If you like hiking in places like Lake Tahoe and Lake Arrowhead, you will love Flagstaff hiking trails.

Flagstaff Loves Dogs

As an added bonus, Flagstaff is extremely dog-friendly and you will be able to hike with your dog on almost every trail.

Of all the hiking towns that we lived in, Flagstaff was probably the most dog-friendly, with a close tie to Boulder, Colorado. Almost all of the hikes here allow dogs, and almost all of the Flagstaff residents have dogs! We found it very accomomdating to hike with our dogs in Flagstaff, and also to find an Airbnb that allowed dogs during our stay.

Many Flagstaff Hiking Trails are kid-friendly

While there are some more strenuous trails in Flagstaff, overall the hiking is very relaxed here. The community tends have a lot of families with smaller kids, who mostly all love the outdoors. Maybe that’s not surprising, but I thought it was really interesting.

On your hikes, it is likely that you will see kids joining on the trails as well. The trails in Flagstaff generally have pretty good footing, and there are shady spots to stop for kids to take a break. We would often see lots of families and smaller children hiking.

When to Visit Flagstaff, Arizona

Flagstaff is 2 hours north of Phoenix. While Phoenix is known for having extremely hot summers and comfortable winters, the temperatures in Flagstaff are a bit different. This is mostly because the town of Flagstaff sits at 6,909 ft elevation, whereas Phoenix is only at 1000 ft!

Local Phoenix residents love to escape north to Flagstaff once the temperatures get too hot in Phoenix. This usually happens starting in the Spring.

There are a ton of great Flagstaff hiking trails, but the best time to go hiking in Flagstaff is Spring, Summer and Fall. The temperatures will be best from April to October, when it gets to at least 60 degrees.

One warning is that Flagstaff is prone to summer monsoons! You’ll get an average of 8 or 9 days of rain in July or August. The good news is these summer thunderstorms are usually short in duration and won’t ruin your entire hike.

How to Get to Flagstaff

Flagstaff has a local airport, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. However, there are very few direct flights from major cities. Instead, you will need to fly a smaller plane connecting from Phoenix International Airport.

Another option is to rent a car from Phoenix International Airport and drive 2 hours north from Phoenix to Flagstaff. Since you will absolutely need a car to get around to Flagstaff hiking trails, driving from Phoenix is my recommended option.

PS – looking for more hiking ideas in Arizona? Check out my Hiking Guide to Sedona!

Hiking Gear Suggestions

Hiking Boots / Shoes

Hiking boots are the most important gear to have when you are hiking. If you wear your normal running shoes or sandals, you can easily get blisters or accidentally trip because you don’t have enough traction on your shoes.

Hiking boots are a great option if you are a beginner hiker. It will help your feet and ankles be more stable on any rock scrambles. My favorite hiking boots are from Salomon. If you are a more advanced hiker, you might consider dropping hiking boots for something lighter like a trail runner. I like wearing Hoka’s or adidas.

Sun Protection

Always remember to have sun protection, even if you are hiking in the winter! I always bring a hat and layer on SPF. The sun is surprisingly hot in Flagstaff.

Water Storage

The Flagstaff hiking trails can be deceptively hot and dry, especially in the summer. Always pack more water and be thankful that you have enough left over at the end of your hike. My general rule of thumb is 1L of water per hour of hiking.

Summer Hiking Clothing

Lastly, summer hiking clothing will keep you cool. If I’m going on a real hike, I will never wear cotton because it’s just a horribly inefficient material. For more details on why that is, check my post on Essential Hiking Clothes!

10 Best Hikes in Flagstaff

It was pretty hard to choose my 10 favorite hiking trails in Flagstaff because there are so many good options. I narrowed it down to hikes that are pretty close to town, as well as hikes that require a bit more of a drive.

Flagstaff hiking trails, in my opinion, are more about the journey than the destination. Although there are some good destination-type hikes, the best part of hiking here is that almost everything is incredibly kid and dog friendly.

Without further ado, here are my 10 favorite Flagstaff hiking trails.

1. Buffalo Park Trail

2.2 miles | Flat | Dog Friendly

Buffalo Park Trail is the main trail in Buffalo Park. This is a park in the town of Flagstaff that is very popular with locals and visitors alike. Because it is dog friendly, it’s a great place to walk your dog. I saw a lot of families here with young kids as well.

When we lived in Flagstaff, we would go on this hike often with our dogs! It’s definitely a great go-to Flagstaff hiking trail.

2. Fatman’s Loop Trail

2.4 miles | 550 ft | Dog Friendly

Fatman’s Loop Trail is another one of those Flagstaff hiking trails that are close to town. It is located in Coconino National Forest, but the trailhead is really in town (it’s a few minutes from a Starbucks).

Although you may hear some traffic while hiking, it is still very peaceful. You get a little more elevation than Buffalo Park Trail on this hike, but it is still both dog and kid-friendly. We ran into a few families on our hike here.

There are many trails available from this trailhead like the Elden Lookout Trail below. Because of this, the parking lot can get very busy on the weekends. I recommend getting here early! 

3. Sandy’s Canyon Trail

3.0 miles | 300 ft | Dog Friendly

Sandy’s Canyon Trail is located on the Southeast side of town. You’ll have to drive on Route 3 for about 5 miles to get there. Fun fact – route 3 is also a popular spot for biking. I really enjoyed biking here!

This is one of the best hikes in Flagstaff for kids. It’s an easy there-and-back there that drops into a canyon and then comes back the same way you came. There isn’t as much of a beautiful view of the surrounding area, but there are some cool rock formations.

4. Inner Basin Trail

3.4 miles | 750 ft | Dog Friendly

Inner Basil Trail is also in Coconino National Forest, but the trailhead is on the east side of the lands. To get there, you will need to drive 45 minutes from the town of Flagstaff. This is also an alternative to the Locket Meadow Inner Basin Loop, which takes a loop around instead of going there-and-back with Inner Basin.

This area of Coconino National Forest is absolutely beautiful in the fall, when the leaves of aspens turn bright gold. Of all the Flagstaff hiking trails, I would definitely recommend this or Lockett Meadow below for a fall hike!

5. Red Mountain Trail

2.7 miles | 300 ft | Dog Friendly

Red Mountain Trail is about 25 miles north of Flagstaff in the Coconino National Forest. It is a very interesting U-shaped volcanic cinder cone that is 1,000 feet high.

Because it is a relatively easy hike, kids and dogs will love checking it out.

6. Mars Hill Trail

3.5 miles | 450 ft | Dog Friendly

Mars Hill Trail is another good Flagstaff hiking trail that leaves right from town. There are a lot of recreational opportunities here. The trailhead is even across the street from Thorpe Bark Park, a dog park.

I like hiking on Mars Hill Trail when I’m with the pups because the trails are super wide and there is a lot of space to roam around.

7. Elden Lookout Trail

6.3 miles | 2300 ft | Dog Friendly

Elden Lookout Trail leaves from the same trailhead as Fatman’s Loop Trail, mentioned above. It is a much longer hike at over 6 miles and 2300 elevation gain, making it perfect if you want a bigger half-day activity.

The view from the lookout trail is also beautiful. Definitely recommend this Flagstaff hiking trail!

8. West Fork of Oak Creek Trail

6.5 miles | 550 ft | Dog Friendly

West Fork of Oak Creek Trail sits halfway between Flagstaff and Sedona in the Oak Creek Canyon Natural Area. It is one of the most popular Flagstaff hiking trails, and it’s easy to see why!

With stream crossings, cool rock formations, and a mix of shade and sun along the canyon floor, this is definitely a hike to put on your day trip list.

Because West Fork of Oak Creek Trail is so popular, I recommend either starting your hike very early in the morning like right after sunrise – or coming on the weekday.

9. Kachina Trail

10.2 miles | 1500 ft | Dog Friendly

Kachina Trail is one of the longest hikes on this list. Although there is not much elevation, the total mileage tops out at 10.2 miles! 

If you are up for a longer hike, this is a great hike to do in the fall when the golden colors are bursting from the aspens on the trail.

You might also encounter some wildlife on this trail if you are lucky. Make sure to keep your dog on a leash!

10. Humphrey’s Peak

10.7 miles | 3400 ft | Dog Friendly

Humphrey’s Peak is located close to Kachina Trail but is the highest peak in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness and also all of Arizona! Climbing up to 12,000+ ft, there are beautiful views at the top of this peak.

It’s easy to see why people think this is one of the best Flagstaff hikes. On a clear day, you can even see the Grand Canyon which is crazy to think about. 

It is a very very rugged hike, especially when you include the elevation. Be cautious and listen to your body as you are hiking!

Bonus: Lava River Cave

I had to add the Lava River Cave even though it is more of a walk at 0.4 miles. It’s a lava rock tube that was formed 700,000 years ago. You can visit the Lava River Cave year-round. Make sure to wear warm layers as it gets cold inside the cave.

No dogs or pets are allowed in the Lava River Cave, unfortunately.

There are many other cool places in the Flagstaff area with volcanic rock formations. Unfortunately places like Sunset Crater Volcano are currently closed because of fire damage.

Other Flagstaff Recommendations

While you are in Flagstaff, there are some cute restaurants and cafes to stop by. There are more options than smaller outdoor towns like Cedar City, but don’t expect it to be like Phoenix!

Breakfast/Brunch

Breakfast and Brunch were the best Flagstaff had to offer in my opinion. In the center of town, you have:

• Tourist Home All Day Cafe: very popular breakfast spot with both indoor and outdoor options. The coffee is nice here
• Morning Glory Cafe: a vegetarian/vegan breakfast spot
• The Toasted Owl Cafe: a huge outdoor patio and more quirky decor
• Macy’s European Coffeehouse & Bakery: a popular spot for coffee and baked goods
• Biff’s Bagels: the best option for bagels in Flagstaff. Great for a quick, fast breakfast
• Local Juicery: another quick option for juices, smoothies, and acai bowls. It’s located in the same plaza as the Flagstaff Whole Foods

Lunch/Dinner

For restaurants, there were a few spots that we would visit over and over again. Unfortunately, most of the food options are American though:

• Shift Kitchen & Bar: really great for shared plates
• Josephine’s Modern American Bistro: higher-end American food
• Pizzicletta: really good Neapolitan-style pizzas!
• Kokiyo: one of the only good ‘real’ Asian options in Flagstaff. I shamelessly ordered from here 2-3 times a week.
• Hot Wok Restaurant: the Chinese food in Flagstaff is ok. I wouldn’t write home about it, but if you need something to get your fix, Hot Wok is the best option in the area

Non Hiking Activities in Flagstaff

Outdoor activities are definitely the main thing to do in Flagstaff. But if your feet are sore and you need a break, there are other things to do in the area as well!

• Watch a movie: The Harkins Theatres Flagstaff 16 is surprisingly pretty good!
• Visit art galleries: There are many art galleries in downtown Flagstaff including The Artists’ Gallery
• Go on a haunted tour: Did you know there are haunted tours in Flagstaff? Check out Freaky Foot Tours!
• See the stars: Check out the Lowell Observatory. They offer many tours and astronomy events.
• Drink a beer: Hiking and beer seem to always go together. Check out the Flagstaff brewery trail and grab a beer after your hike!
• Walnut Canyon National Monument: This doesn’t count as hiking for me, because it’s really just walking and sightseeing. You will be able to see really canyon walls and visit actual pueblos of the inhabitants who used to live at Walnut Canyon National Monument (not Walnut Canyon National Park!)
• Wupatki National Monument: Similarly, Wupatki National Monument is a cool historic area of a previously thriving Pueblo community. You will be able to walk around these 0.2 mile trails and see the interesting structures of the area.

Summary of Flagstaff Hiking Trails

Overall, there are so many amazing Flagstaff hiking trails to choose from. I hope this Top 10 list gave you a place to start, but there are of course ones that I left out. 

Flagstaff is an amazing hiking town and I can absolutely see why people live there. I found Flagstaff to be very family and dog-friendly as well, which is just an added bonus.

Have more questions like what it’s like to live in Flagstaff? Leave a comment below!

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