MindTheGap

I am planning a route from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon one day midweek in the middle of February. We will be staying in one of the lodges at the Grand Canyon and it would be good if we could make it there in plenty of time to see the sunset. We have a two-night stay at the Grand Canyon and so it's not essential if things don't work out exactly as planned for arrival by sunset.

I understand the driving time is likely to be in the region of 5 hours but I am considering which route to take (which may increase this). We have seen the Hoover Dam before and so it doesn't matter if we go another route. I expect we will leave Las Vegas by 11am but can make this a bit earlier if it helps.

My main questions are:
- Is it worth going via Oatman to get a flavour of an old Route 66 town? [if so, which route is best to Oatman?]
- Is it also worth talking the longer route on Route 66 between Kingman and Seligman instead of I-40.
- May I need to allow extra time for the journey in February due to weather (not expecting a forecast, just wondering about the typical conditions this time of year).
- Do you have any good ideas of a suitable places to stop for lunch and to break up the journey?

Thanks for any help.

utahtea

When we've done Oatman from Laughlin, Nevada we traveled across the Colorado River to Bullhead City and went south on Hwy 95 to Hwy 153 (Oatman road). This runs into the Old Historic Route 66. Make a left on the old route and Oatman isn't far. IMHO, the road between Oatman and Kingman over Sitgreaves Pass has the best flavor of what the old route use to be like. Narrow and windy! Scenic too!

http://www.doney.net/aroundaz/route6...reavespass.htm

I wasn't that impressed with the old route 66 between Kingman and Seligman. We didn't see the old store in Hackberry until it was to late to turn around. That would be the only interesting place that I saw to stop. Seligman was a kick, but you can exit off of I-40 to stop there.

Don't know what the current driving conditions are. We have been in the area in January and the roads were fine.

You will need to add at least two hours or more of just driving time if you want to do Oatman. Since you have two nights at the Grand Canyon, you can always see sunset the next evening if Oatman is important to you.

Utahtea

MindTheGap

Utahtea - thanks for your reply.

it sounds like it may definitely be worth fitting in Oatman and missing out the stretch of Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman by staying on the I-40 if we're short of time.

Later in the trip we will be passing through Winslow and Holbrook from Flagstaff - is this part of the road as interesting as the towns to the west of Flagstaff?

utahtea

Walnut Canyon National Monument is just off I-40 east of Flagstaff.

Haven't explored that much of route 66 between Flagstaff and Holbrook. Here's a website that looks very intereting. Just click on the secion of route 66 you want to know about.

http://www.historic66.com/arizona/

Utahtea

USNR

You might be interested in seeing the Meteor Crater east of Flagstaff. It's only a minute or so south of I-40. Really immense. Unique. Not to be negative, but what remains of 66 isn't much. Save your gas.