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Route 66: Arizona

A red adobe building surrounded by green plants.
Painted Desert Inn in Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Photo courtesy of Rhys Martin

Miles: 350 (approx.)

For centuries, travelers and explorers have been following the 35th parallel through Arizona. From prehistoric trails to Beale’s Wagon Road, the railroad, the National Old Trails Road, and Route 66, the 35th parallel through Arizona has been a favored route for its mild climate and relatively level terrain. Passing through numerous tribal communities and railroad towns, it is also a route of stunning natural attractions such as the Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest, painted deserts, pine forests, and the Grand Canyon. Curio shops and exotic animal farms once flourished along the corridor during the Route 66 years.

Preservation

After the last segment of Route 66 in the nation was bypassed by the interstate in Williams, Arizona in 1984, a grassroots effort rallied to form the Arizona Route 66 Association to preserve and commemorate the route. By 1994 Arizona Route 66 was designated an Arizona Scenic Byway, and by 2009, it became an All American Road. The Bureau of Land Management also designated the 42-mile section of Route 66 through their lands between Kingman and Topock as a Backcountry Byway.

The National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program has also worked with more than 20 cost-share grant partners to assist properties including the Wigwam Motel and Joe and Aggie’s in Holbrook; the Hualapai Fueling Station in Peach Springs; and the Frontier Motel in Truxton.

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Last updated: December 3, 2021