COCONINO COUNTY
County Offices
200 N. San Francisco Avenue
Flagstaff 928-679-7600
https://www.coconino.az.gov
Chamber of Commerce
101 W. Route 66
Flagstaff 928-774-4505
https://www.flagstaffchamber.com
Situated in the heart of northern Arizona at the southern gateway to the Colorado Plateau, Coconino County is the second largest county in the United States, covering a land area of 18,661 square miles.
Visitors from around the world are drawn to the region’s natural beauty and cultural diversity. Attractions include Grand Canyon National Park, Oak Creek Canyon, Sunset Crater National Monument, Lake Powell, and the Navajo, Hopi, Hualapai and Havasupai Indian Nations.12 percent of the land in Coconino County, or 2,326 square miles, is owned by individuals or corporations, the balance of the land is all Native American Tribal Land, National park, forest or monument.
Lifestyle
Surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful National Forests and monuments, this area excels in hiking trails and opportunities for world-class rock climbing. Antique shopping, fine art galleries, a ghost town that has transformed into an artist’s colony, the alpine city of Flagstaff, and the internationally famous resort and arts community of Sedona are just a few of the highlights in this spectacular swath of Arizona. Gracious Southwestern hospitality converges with ancient Native American lore, Old West historic sites and heritage, and contemporary amenities around every corner. More than 140,000 people now call this beautiful area their home, and the census continues to swell. New services and amenities have developed along with the growing population, enhancing the quality of life with cultural, educational, shopping, dining, and entertainment attractions.
Rapidly growing communities feature a wide variety of housing opportunities, from beautiful two-story family homes with Midwestern front porches in the heart of Flagstaff to sprawling ranches and contemporaries. New subdivisions, historic properties, upscale enclaves, rustic log homes, cozy cabins, and magnificent custom manors secluded by lush woods are just a few of the options in this developing area.
Recreational opportunities in and near this region are some of the finest in Arizona, ensuring four-season outdoor adventures against scenic backdrops. Boating and fishing enthusiasts will enjoy the lakes in this area including the massive Lake Powell, while the millions of acres of National Forest are filled with miles of trails. Hiking, bike touring, camping, off-roading, horseback riding, mountain biking, hot air balloon riding, cross-country skiing, sledding, downhill skiing and snowboarding are all close to home. Golfing and tennis combine with city-sponsored recreational programs and sports leagues to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for all ages. Regardless of the community you choose to call home, this large county is a jewel in Arizona’s diverse and spectacular landscape.
Services
The City of Flagstaff is the County’s economic, medical and transportation hub. Economic clusters include government, transportation, utilities, education, and leisure & hospitality. The central corridors of both Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff have been designated as Enterprise Zones. With intersecting interstates and BNSF railroads main east-west rail trunk line, Flagstaff is a major distribution center for many companies. Flagstaff is also well known for its achievements in the areas of astronomy, astrogeology and the science of genomics. It’s where scientists discovered Pluto, remotely explore Mars and the Moon, and make inroads to pathogen genomics and other bioscience breakthroughs. There is a strong employment base in the medical device industry as well as a growing R&D base in the biosciences, thanks to Northern Arizona University (NAU) and established local companies.
The County enjoys a comfortable distance from the fifth-largest city in the nation this panoramic county ensures a convenient lifestyle and state-of-the-art services. Approximately 100 miles from Metropolitan Phoenix and Arizona’s Valley of the Sun. Healthcare facilities and services are anchored by Flagstaff Medical Center and North County Healthcare. The community of Cottonwood in Yavapai County is home to the Verde Valley Medical Center, a hospital in the Northern Arizona Healthcare system based in Flagstaff. Nearly 100 beds and a technologically advanced campus serve residents in the many parts of the county including Sedona.
Several educational opportunities are available in the region whether in one of the K through 12 public or private schools or in one of colleges or universities in the area. Northern Arizona University based in Flagstaff partners with Yavapai Community College to provide opportunities for four-year undergraduate and even graduate programs. North Central University based in Prescott moves education into the digital age by offering 100 percent online distance-learning degree programs on every level including doctoral. Flagstaff is home to Northern Arizona University, while the city of Tempe in Metropolitan Phoenix features the sprawling main campus for Arizona State University. Auxiliary ASU campuses combine with a host of private colleges, universities, and institutes in the Valley of the Sun for virtually unlimited higher-education opportunities.
Flagstaff
City Offices
928-774-5281
https://www.flagstaff.az.gov
Chamber of Commerce
928-774-4505
https://www.flagstaffchamber.com
Flagstaff is a governmental, educational, transportation, cultural and commercial center. Government is one of the largest employment sectors. Tourism is also a large employer as the city sees over 5,000,000 visitors a year, who are either going to the Grand Canyon or visiting one of the many natural wonders in the area. In addition, the City houses Northern Arizona University and other scientific and high tech research and development industries. The city is home to more than 60,000 residents who enjoy an enviable quality of life in the high pine forests of northern Arizona.
The city offers its residents quality educational choices. The Flagstaff Unified School District #1 has 9 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 alternative schools, 5 magnet schools, and 3 high schools. In addition to the public school system, there are 10 charter schools run by private parties. For those seeking higher education, Coconino County Community College offers several associate degrees, certificate programs, continuing education, and special programs for small businesses. Flagstaff’s higher education options are greatly enhanced by Northern Arizona University. Established in 1899, NAU is one of Arizona’s three state universities. Enrollment at this highly rated University is more than 20,000 students (with more than 12,000 in the Flagstaff campus.) NAU students give flagstaff that funky college town feel that so often surrounds large universities.
The city offers an extensive array of medical facilities and resources in the areas of traditional, integrative and alternative healthcare. Flagstaff Medical Center is the Northern Arizona Regional referral center for trauma, cancer, rehabilitation, cardiac care, high-risk maternal/fetal, MRI/CT scan, and more. More than 148 physicians are on active staff at the hospital, representing 36 medical specialties.
Flagstaff serves as the cultural hub of Northern Arizona with arts and cultural activities designed to enhance the quality of life in the area. Throughout the year, there are art shows, festivals, live theater performances, and Native American arts and crafts exhibits to satisfy the most ardent enthusiast.
The Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra is a non-profit corporation dedicated to bringing world-class musical performances to their audiences, and to providing innovative programs in music education for youth across northern Arizona. A very popular attraction in the city is the Lowell Observatory, founded in 1894 by Boston mathematician Percival Lowell. Each year, about 70,000 people visit the Observatory to learn about astronomy by participating in multimedia programs, private and school programs, special events, and other educational activities. The Observatory offers daily-guided tours and evening programs.
For outdoor enthusiasts and those looking for historic beauty, Flagstaff offers residents and visitors (nearly 5 million a year,) easy access to destinations such as the Grand Canyon, Sunset Crater, Oak Creek Canyon, Meteor Crater, Walnut Canyon, Wupatki National Monument, and the San Francisco Peaks. The City is surrounded within and without by coniferous forests, which allow for an array of outdoor sports and camping and backpacking opportunities. Flagstaff has a 50-mile urban trail system and is surrounded by national forest land. Mountain biking is popular, and Flagstaff is a departure point for rafting trips on the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. Downhill skiers enjoy 32 runs down the San Francisco Peaks, just 14 miles from downtown Flagstaff.
This unique city in the mountains offers a lifestyle centered on being active in both nature and the community. Its residents enjoy a very high quality of life punctuated by extreme natural beauty and easy access to everything they need.
Page
City Offices
928-645-8861
https://cityofpage.org/
Chamber of commerce
928-645-2741
https://pagelakepowellchamberofcommerce.wpcomstaging.com/
Page is a small town in northern Arizona located on the southern shores of magnificent Lake Powell near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. The city is home to more than 7,000 year round residents. Unlike other cities in the area, Page was created in 1957 to house workers and their families during the construction of nearby Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Its 17-square-mile site was obtained in a land exchange with the Navajo Indian tribe. The city is perched atop Manson Mesa at an elevation of 4,300 feet above sea level and 600 feet (180 m) above Lake Powell. After the dam was completed in the 1960s, the city continued to grow steadily as more residents settled in the area. Because of the roads and the bridge built for use during construction, Page has become the gateway to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell, attracting more than 3 million visitors per year. Page is also the home of two of the largest electrical generation units in the western United States. Glen Canyon Dam has a 1,288,000 kilowatts capacity when fully online. The other power plant to the southeast is the Navajo Generating Station, a coal-fired steam plant with an output capability of 2,250,000 kilowatts.
Residents enjoy a life centered around the outdoor activities that draw so many visitors to the area. Much of the community economy is derived from the tourism to the many national parks and monuments in the region. Page is just a short drive from the North or South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks, Monument Valley and Canyon De Chelley. Annual events include golf tournaments on Lake Powell National Golf Course, bass fishing tournaments, mountain bike racing, rodeos, Native American dance performances and pow wows, art shows and an annual air show.
Residents will also find a full complement of city services, including the Page Unified School District which has two public elementary schools, Desert View Elementary School and Lake View Elementary School, plus the Page Middle School and Page High School. School enrollment is more than 3,000 students. Coconino Community College is an accredited two-year college. Vocational training is available from the Lake Powell Institute and at the Le Chee Chapter of the Navajo Nation. Medical facilities include an accredited hospital, medical and dental offices, and various adjunct medical services. The city also offers a broad range of community facilities including two museums, a senior citizen center, a library, a recreation center, a visitor center, a swimming pool, two golf courses, three parks, six lighted tennis courts, and several football, softball and baseball fields.
Much like other cities in Northern Arizona, Page offers its residents the type of lifestyle that is envied by those living in larger cities.
Sedona
City Offices
928-282-3113
https://www.sedonaaz.gov
Chamber of Commerce
928-204-1123
https://www.sedonachamber.com
Located in Arizona’s high desert under the southwestern rim of the vast Colorado Plateau, the city of Sedona is home to more than 11,000 residents. Those residents enjoy a mild four season climate with abundant sunshine and great temperatures. The annual average high and low temperatures are 74.7 and 45.7 degrees, offering a near perfect climate. Sedona, strategically situated at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon, is a unique place, it is characterized by massive red-rock formations, as well as the contrasting riparian areas of Oak Creek Canyon, the area surrounding this community is often considered as beautiful as many national parks. The city of Sedona is one of Arizona’s premier tourism, recreation, resort, retirement and art centers. It was incorporated in 1988. Historically, it was a rural ranching community located far off the beaten path, but its natural beauty became nationally known through the motion picture industry, with many western movies filmed in and around the city. Today, commercials and television shows still are filmed in the unsettled areas surrounding this city, which annually attracts more than 4 million tourists from around the world. The city which covers almost 19 square miles is split between Coconino and Yavapai counties, and only 51 percent of its land area is privately owned – the rest is part of the Coconino National Forest.
Sedona does offer its residents more than just natural beauty. Families will find the city has a high quality school district the Sedona-Oak Creek Joint Unified School District includes Sedona Red Rock High School, as well as West Sedona Elementary School and Big Park Elementary School, which is located in Village of Oak Creek. Also, numerous private elementary and college prep schools serve students in this area. Yavapai Community College has a campus in Sedona, and Coconino Community College also offers its curriculum to local students. Northern Arizona University is located in nearby Flagstaff. Healthcare is also well represented with Sedona Medical Center, an outpatient facility that specializes in primary healthcare, emergency services and cancer treatment. Northern Arizona Healthcare also provides additional services, including emergency search and rescue as well as Sedona Urgent Care. Residents will also find everything they need for their daily life as well as everything they need for their pleasure, including numerous restaurants, art galleries and every imaginable recreational activity. Those who choose to live in Sedona, enjoy a lifestyle that is second to none, in one of the country’s most spectacular settings.
Williams
City Offices
928-635-4451
https://www.williamsaz.gov
Chamber of Commerce
928-635-1418
https://experiencewilliams.com/
Williams is a quiet and quaint mountain town that has historic Route 66 as its Main Street. It is located just 30 miles west of Flagstaff. Its home to more than 3,000 residents, who enjoy an great quality of life. It is also the southern terminus of the Grand Canyon Railway, which takes visitors to Grand Canyon Village. And because of its location near the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Williams is a major tourist location and has many inns, motels and restaurants. Residents experience great weather, with cool summer temperatures, four seasons and thick pine forests at almost 7,000 ft of elevation. The Williams area offers an abundance of outdoor attractions including Sycamore Canyon Wilderness which boast the second largest canyon in Arizona and some of the most remote trails in the state. Outdoor enthusiasts can also enjoy fishing and camping at Cataract Lake, Kaibab Lake, Dog Town Lake and White Horse Lake. For those looking for a more relaxed activity, Williams Main Street is one the best preserved stretches of Route 66 left in America. The historic street is home to vintage neon on buildings that are preserved to their original character, several shops with Route 66 merchandise, restaurants that have the character of the Route 66 heyday of the 50’s, coffee shops, internet cafes, and fine dining. The city is also homes to year round Festivals that range from rodeos, car shows, mountain men fests, home town beauty pageants, and the Christmas season Polar Express.
For families, the city is served by the Williams Unified School District, with Williams Elementary, Williams Middle School, Williams High School and Heritage Elementary Charter School. The city also offers all of the services that residents should expect, including a Parks and Recreation Department that manages several community parks, a skate park and a municipal golf course. The city also has its own library.
For those looking for a quiet way of life that feels like a step back in time to a more family oriented way of life, where neighbors know each other and the community works together, Williams is a great place to call home.
