Flagstaff’s nicknames are: City of Seven Wonders and Dark Sky City. Flagstaff is a very popular destination for tourists dating back to the time when local businessmen lobbied for Route 66 to pass through the city.
Flagstaff sits at about 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and is next to Mount Elden, just south of the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountain range in the state of Arizona.
Humphreys Peak, the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet (3,851 m), is about 10 miles (16 km) north of Flagstaff in Kachina Peaks Wilderness.
Flagstaff has a strong tourism sector, due to its proximity to Grand Canyon National Park, Oak Creek Canyon, the Arizona Snowbowl, Meteor Crater, and Historic Route 66. Flagstaff is home to Northern Arizona University.
Grand Canyon National Park is considered one of the Wonders of the World. The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.
The Grand Canyon National Park Act was finally signed by President Woodrow Wilson on February 26, 1919. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.
Arizona Snowbowl is an alpine ski resort with skiing operations starting 84 years ago in 1938 (as of 2022), located on the San Francisco Peaks just north of Flagstaff.