Holbrook Arizona

We left Cave Creek and travelled to Holbrook, Arizona, on Thursday morning.  Holbrook is about 220 miles northeast of Cave Creek.  We travelled I-17 north until hitting I-40 at Flagstaff.  Then east on I-40 to Holbrook. 

I-17 is a fairly scenic drive rising from 2100 feet at Cave Creek to over 7000 feet near Flagstaff.  Some snow was still present along shaded tree lines as we neared Flagstaff.  Humphries peak just north of the city was snow covered.

I-40 east of Flagstaff is downhill with a lot of nothing followed by more nothing.  Then more nothing after that.  The area is a high plateau with very dry low dry grasses.  A fire warning is out for the area due to the dryness.  Holbrook is at about 5100 feet and lies on the banks of the Little Colorado River.  A high risk of fire is also present here.  The weather here is much cooler than Cave Creek with highs in the expected in the lower 80s and lows in the mid 30s. 

We decided to stay here as the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Parks are nearby as well as other National Monuments.  Our plan is to stay a week (KOA has a buy 6 nights and receive the 7th night free policy) and then travel farther east.  The park like the area is dry and dusty.  The sites sit on a large gravelled lot with a few small trees.  Not great, but convenient.

Holbrook is the county seat for Arizona's Navajo County.  There doesn't appear to be any industry here except for tourism.  It sits on the old Route 66 and has many hotels, restaurants, tourist traps and gas stations.  Many of the businesses are closed down.  If it was not for the nearby National Parks, this town of  5100 people would probably disappear into the dust.