Arizona contains Route 66’s highest point, near Flagstaff.
The historic highway climbs through northern Arizona’s high country around Flagstaff, reaching an elevation of roughly 7,300 feet. This makes the Flagstaff area the highest point on the original Route 66 alignment and a striking contrast with the lower desert landscapes farther west.
Travelers sometimes associate Route 66’s highest terrain with New Mexico because the route also crosses elevated areas there, including the Continental Divide region. However, the commonly cited highest point of Route 66 is in Arizona near Flagstaff.
Flagstaff became an important Route 66 city because it served travelers crossing the Colorado Plateau and provided rail, lodging, fuel, and food services. Arizona’s surviving route also includes long rural stretches, the Petrified Forest corridor, and the historic Oatman Highway, giving the state several distinct landscapes along one road.