Flagstaff Fall Foliage Tour Made Simple

from flagstaffwebcam.com

Flagstaff Fall Foliage Tour Made Simple

Looking for beautiful fall foliage colors this year? Your timing is perfect! The Flagstaff and surrounding areas offer a variety of fall colors from late September to early October. Expect to see an abundance of red, orange and yellow leaves.

We recommend four different places for seeing the changing of colors; Hart Prairie Road, Lockett Meadow, Fern Mountain and The Arboretum at Flagstaff.

Hart Prairie Road is a two-hour tour that winds through unending aspen groves. The tour consists of 50 miles of paved and dirt roads. It is best to schedule more than two hours to really enjoy the colors. Plan a picnic or stop here to take in the smells and fresh crisp air. From the Flagstaff area, take US 180 north for about 10 miles to Forest Service Road 151, which is Hart Prairie Road. This road loops through the aspens and back to US 180. It is a simple and beautiful drive.

Lockett Meadow is located in the basin of the San Francisco Peaks. You can listen to the red, yellow and orange leaves fluttering in the wind and feel the brisk air on your face. The drive and hike should be considered a ½ day trip from Flagstaff. To get to Locket Meadow, take Hwy. 89 north for 17.1 miles. Turn left on Forest Road 552. Travel 1.2 miles down to the 18.3-mile marker, there you will find a sign for Locket Meadow. Turn right. Travel 3 miles to the 21.3-mile marker; this will be the entrance to Locket Meadow. The road is narrow and up hill, so be prepared. Locket Meadow has out houses but no running water. It is best to be prepared with food, wipes and water.

Our third stop on our self guided tour is Fern Mountain. Which is near our first stop. With stunning 360 views there is no better vantage point than Fern Mountain. Take Highway 180 north from Flagstaff about 14 miles to Forest Road 794 on the right. Go about two miles on FR 794 to a cattle guard and “Private Property” sign. Park and walk a half-mile through dense pines to a clearing ringed by aspen groves. Proceed along the path through the groves to Hart Prairie Road. The trailhead is just off the roadway. The trail is about a half mile. The trail is medium in terms of difficultly, it is steep, but short. The views are stunning! You will see 360 degrees of the Peaks, Hart Prairie, Kendrick Mountain and on a clear day the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Be sure to view our Leaf-O-Meter to determine the best time to come up and see this awesome view.

Be sure to visit The Arboretum of Flagstaff. They offer a wide variety of fall color species to view. Here is a list of the type of species to expect while visiting at the Arboretum.

Where to Stay?

Embassy Suites Flagstaff provides the perfect vantage point to stay in the Flagstaff while enjoying all the wonders of Fall in Flagstaff.

All guests enjoy:

• Free cooked to order breakfast daily
• Complimentary Evening Reception
• Two Room Suites
• Free Internet Access

Click Here to pick the perfect over night package for your

 Flagstaff Fall Foliage Tour

Discover "Life in the Extreme" at Flagstaff Festival of Science

from scifest.org

2013 Science Festival is Manifestation of Curiosity - Scientists explore ‘Life in the Extreme’  Click here for the PDF Passport Brochure FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – From the darkest oceans to deep space, into the frigid ice caps and across blistering deserts, the 2013 Flagstaff Festival of Science will explore Life in the Extreme, Sept. 20 – 29, 2013. Leading the free 10-day adventure is planetary explorer and Mars rover boss Professor Steve Squyres. With the most up-to-the-minute images and information from the nail-biting Mars rover missions and their extraordinary findings, this planetary geologist will set the pace as the Festival’s Shoemaker Keynote Presenter at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 20 in Northern Arizona University’s Ardrey Auditorium. Like a New York City taxi driver, Steve Squyres’ and his team have maneuvered Spirit and Opportunity rovers through treacherous conditions. From millions of miles away and for thousands of sols (Martian days), scientists and engineers have helped the Mars Exploration Rovers dodge paralyzing sand traps, weather unearthly cold and persevere through fierce red planet dust storms in search of ancient environments that may have harbored Life in the Extreme. Spirit and Opportunity led the way for their much larger and far more capable cousin, Curiosity that landed and began exploring Mars last summer. Ironically, curiosity is the reason Squyres became a planetary scientist and the latest rover, Curiosity, brings him to the forefront of space exploration today. “I’ve always wondered about how things work. That’s really what science is all about. The Mars rovers are helping us learn more about the origins of life!” The Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University, Squyres first realized his career was written in the stars when he was an undergraduate student there. "I went into the place where they kept the pictures that the Viking orbiter was sending back from Mars at that time, and I started flipping through those pictures. I came out of that room four hours later knowing exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of time.” Besides the robotic exploration of planetary surfaces, Squyres’ research includes the history of water on Mars; the possible existence and habitability of an ocean on one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa; the composition of icy satellites; and the tectonics of Venus.  Meantime, as Mars rovers continue to scoop up, sift and analyze Martian soil, the 2013 Flagstaff Festival of Science is preparing for an other worldly season with field trips, star parties, interactive exhibits, Science in the Park, science magic shows and presentations. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey will be inviting festival participants to travel along its 50-year journey of astrogeology. “Flagstaff has long held a critical role in our country’s successful space exploration program,” said USGS planetary geologist Dr. Kenneth Herkenhoff. “Our scientists map the moon, Mars and other objects in our solar system and helped the Apollo astronauts train for their historic missions on the kind of volcanic terrain they could expect on their moon walks,” said USGS emeritus scientist Dr. Larry Soderblom. “You can’t get a cup of coffee in Flagstaff without bumping into a scientist,” said National Public Radio ScienceFriday Host Ira Flato. The Festival will be featuring those world-class scientists, organizations and discoveries as lab doors and telescopes are opened for thousands during this free annual event. Support from businesses, organizations and individuals makes the award-winning Flagstaff Festival of Science possible as the nation’s longest running science festival. Supernova Friends of the Festival include the City of Flagstaff BBB tax revenues, Flagstaff Cultural Partners, Northern Arizona University, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, the Flagstaff Community Foundation, W. L. Gore & Associates, Science Foundation Arizona and the Stardust Foundation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where to Stay? Embassy Suites Flagstaff provides all Flagstaff Festival of Science lovers: Free cooked to order breakfast daily Complimentary Evening Reception Two Room Suite Free High Speed Internet Packages that include Bonus HHonor Points and more Click Here and start "Life in the Extreme" with an over night package at Embassy Suites Flagstaff

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The Newest Flagstaff Tradition - Wine in the Woods : AZ Style

Mark your calendar for The Arboretum at Flagstaff's newest annual event:

Wine in the Woods: AZ Style

A wine festival featuring all things local.  In partnership with Coconino County’s SEDI (Sustainable Economic Development Initiative), and showcasing local vineyards from the Verde Valley, this event will celebrate Arizona’s wine, food and music.

When?

Sep 15, 2013: 1 pm - 6 pm (Sun)

Where?

At 7,150 feet in elevation, The Arboretum at Flagstaff is a unique destination, specializing in plants native to the high elevation habitat of northern Arizona.  This year is the first year of the Wine in the Woods festival.


How to get there?

A shuttle to and from The Arboretum will be provided! Please park at Gore at Woody Springs (click here for directions).


How Much?

$25 in advance; $40 day- of (includes 10 tickets for wine and food tasting and a complimentary wine glass); additional tickets are available at the event.

Where to Stay ?

Embassy Suites Flagstaff joins in the Wine in the Woods Festival by offering all guests who wish to make the event an "overnight sensation" by staying over night:

• Free cooked to order breakfast
• Complimentary Evening Reception
• Two Room Suite
• Free High Speed Internet
• Packages that include Bonus HHonor Points, Gift Cards and more

Click Here to choose the Flagstaff overnight package perfect for your Wine in the Woods Weekend