After a long, dreary landscape of hot desert and nothing else you climb to about 7,000 feet to the Eastern side of Flagstaff, Arizona and find the welcoming cool of the pine forest. This KOA Campground has been here since 1960’s and is determined to keep its camp atmosphere and not be turned into an RV Resort. It has all the clean accommodations you expect in KOA campgrounds and a wonderful family atmosphere similar to camping in National Parks.
The very large playground is the site of many squeals of fun and laughter. Kids revel in outdoor play when camping, often quite different than what they do at home. Flagstaff KOA is adjacent to Coconino National Forest, so you can go through the little gate to walk on the trails there or hike up the mountain. The high mountains behind the campground were still snow-capped in May and reached far above us at this 7,000 feet high KOA!
This KOA has hundreds of sites for rigs of all sizes, some KOA cabins, and large clean tent sites. There is no swimming pool, but the office has an array of souvenirs and some foods, beer, and other snacks, and the mall and points of interest for Flagstaff are just a short drive away.
KOA Kamp Kitchen is a little food truck located on site for your freshly prepared-to-order breakfast from early to mid-morning each day for an extra fee. Delicious! One of the unusual features of this KOA is the Environmental Impact Educational Park for kids and adults. There are signs telling many ways to help the environment by making very small changes in our daily habits. It is well worth reading all the information with your family and walking through the little garden here. Children may even be able to use this knowledge for school projects later.
We found Flagstaff KOA a comfortable, friendly, well-located site. It takes about 90 minutes to drive to the South side of the Grand Canyon, which is why most people stay here; others come just to find a cool, full shade respite from blistering summer heat and to kick back and have a wholesome, fun, camping experience. The smell of campfires and meat cooking while families gather around their own picnic tables at most sites imprints your memory with happy reveries. Plan to arrive early instead of peak check-in time in late afternoon because the driveway entrance is sometimes bumper to bumper and extends into the edge of highway traffic.
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