Arizona Snowbowl

Flagstaff KOA

Flagstaff, AZ

August 13, 2025 

N Snowbowl Rd...such a beautiful scenic drive 

Arizona Snowbowl is an alpine ski resort, located in the San Francisco Peaks, sits at 9,500 feet above sea level.  It started its operations almost 90 years ago in 1938.  It was in 1938 that the US Forrest Service granted a permit for construction of a road and a ski lodge on the western slopes of the peaks. Today, Arizona Snobowl operates under a 777-acre special use permit that is renewed every 40 years. As the years passed, Snowbowl grew.  A new lodge,  expanded parking, a paved road, four new lifts, and 50 more acres of trails have been added.  

The patio and restaurant at Agassiz Lodge.  There is also a bar, a souvenir shop, a children's play area, and where you
catch the lift.

The paved road to Agassiz Lodge is only 9 miles, but it's a beauty! Wildlife, trees from pines to aspens, slow curves and ups and downs kept me camera ready. 

Arizona Gondola (where you have a gondola all to yourself) takes you on a 30 minute trip to 11,500 feet just shy of Agassiz Peak which is the second highest peak at 12,356 feet.

Arizona Snowbowl is located on the western slope of Mount Humphreys (the tallest point in our state). 

There is a short hike at the drop-off point.  Steps then a switchback and a climb lead to a "far as the ye can see" viewing area.  It isn't a hard hike and I was so grateful not to be bothered with altitude issues.  

The is an average of 260 inches of snowfall here a year.

The views were incredible! 

I was a wee bit disappointed the rest of the trail was closed, but having scrambled to the peak of Mt Crested Butte in July 2016, I was also relieved not to have the pressure to do so.  

I was curious and looked up the federally protected plant on the sign. Francisco Peaks ragwort is a dwarf alpine plant in the sunflower family that is found only on the talus slopes in the alpine zone on the SF Peaks.  It was listed on the threatened species list in 1983.  

We bought our tickets on line weeks before we arrived.  The earlier you get them, the cheaper they are and seniors and veterans and active military get extra discounts.  You can ride the gondola as many times as you want to on the date of your ticket. 

If you don't like gondolas, the scenic drive is a nice way to experience the San Francisco Mountains.  The lodge has a nice patio for sitting and a nice place for lunch.  The restaurant serves burgers and sandwiches with fries, and soup, salad, and wraps.  We had a burger and a chicken wrap and shared fries.  There is something special about having lunch at 9500 feet.  We people watched, perused the souvenir shop, and sipped hot chocolate...not because it was cold, just a bit chilly and windy, but because it's the thing to do at a ski lodge!   Before we knew it, it was time to head home to Lucy.

You can bring your own picnic too.  There are lots of places to sit !

The drive down the mountain is just as nice as the drive up the mountain.  We saw a herd of elk, two fawns, and a family of deer as we slowly made the twists and turns.

 

It was a really nice morning...some sun, lots of clouds, a few drops of rain, breezy and a little chilly.  I'll close with a few photos and until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS!