There is Much to See Where Two Worlds Collided

Flagstaff, at 7,000 feet elevation, is a good stopping-off place for those headed to the Grand Canyon. Accommodations are easy to get and are available in all price ranges.

Pluto is another story. The planet was discovered in 1930 at Lowell Observatory on the west side of Flagstaff. Although Pluto is shy and rarely can be seen through telescopes, visitors are escorted to the unheated dome where 25-year-old Clyde Tombaugh, a Midwestern farm boy, sat night after night looking for the elusive planet. After his remarkable discovery, he went on to get a college degree and later established the astronomy department at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.


Unfortunately, there are no public viewings of the mysterious Pluto. With its elliptical orbit and distance, it is a mere speck among the stars. The Rotunda Museum, however, has the photographic plates that proved Pluto's existence and you can witness how small it is and how incredible it is that Tombaugh found it. The observatory also has an exhibit hall with interactive displays of the planets and galaxies. Toss a penny in the curved black gravity well and watch it spiral to the bottom.

Now that you have experienced the depths of the earth and the heights of our galaxy, you must see where the two worlds collided. Just 40 miles east of Flagstaff is Meteor Crater Park where, about 50,000 years ago, a meteor about 150 feet in diameter and weighing several hundred thousand pounds crashed into the earth. This is not the largest meteor crater, but they say it is the "first proven and best preserved."

The crater is about seven miles off I-40. In addition to seeing the gigantic hole in the ground (nearly a mile across and over 2.5 miles in circumference), a visitors center has interactive exhibits, a film and both inside and outside areas for optimum crater viewing. Climb up to the Moon Mountain Observation Point for a wonderful panoramic view of the San Francisco Peaks, the crater and miles and miles beyond.

The majestic San Francisco Peaks, one of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo Nation, royally stand watch over Flagstaff. At most times of the year, the peaks are snowcapped.

Flagstaff has an appealing historic downtown area, good restaurants and plenty of sights to see. The old railroad station now serves as a visitors center.

The Riordan Mansion - an oversized duplex built in 1904 by architect Charles Whittlesey for the families of two Riordan brothers, who owned the largest logging company in the area - harkens back to an era of gracious living. A 1,000-square-foot common room (a typical size at that time) adjoins each side of the duplex. Many furnishings in the arts and crafts-style house are original, including a collection of Gustav Stickley furniture, five of which were designed by Harvey Ellis and are rare.

The Museum of Northern Arizona is in a gorgeous setting, surrounded by ponderosa pines. Focusing on the Colorado Plateau, the museum exhibits pottery, jewelry, turquoise, one of the largest collections of Navajo weavings in the world, baskets, paintings and fine arts, and prehistoric Southwestern ceramics.

Cooler in the summer than Phoenix, Flagstaff is a year-round destination. It is encircled by tall ponderosa pines, hiking trails and wilderness. Route 66 cuts directly through Flagstaff; Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments are a few miles east of town; the Arizona Historical Society Pioneer Museum features the logging industry and livestock raising; and The Arboretum at Flagstaff is a good place to enjoy a picnic lunch amid the plants and wildflowers and the weekend Birds of Prey show. Heritage Square has outdoor live entertainment in the summer and you can join the locals on the First Friday Art Walk in downtown.

Set in a large RV park is Black Bart's Steakhouse, Saloon, and Musical Review, which serves heaping helpings of good food (noted for oak-broiled steaks) and good fun. It is just what you would expect a place named Black Bart's to be - high ceilings, mounted animals staring at you from high on the walls, ample wood walls, a brick fireplace and even silk saloon girl outfits on the wall. Music students from Northern Arizona University wait tables and sing during the evening, making it not just a dinner but an enjoyable event for all ages.

Flagstaff is not just somewhere to drive through on the way to the Grand Canyon (or Pluto). It is a destination that is worth exploring on its own.

IF YOU GO

For more information: www.flagstaffarizona.org.

Kay Grant is a freelance travel writer.

© Copley News Service