There are few things in Arizona that fail to impress, and that includes our small towns (among lots of other things). They are quiet, often sleepy little places that don’t get the credit they deserve. That’s why today we are going to highlight a few small towns that show just how cool they can be. Check out our picks for the coolest small towns in Arizona:
- Hackberry (Pop. 68)
Mobilus in Mobili/Flickr
Debs/Flickr This little town of almost 70 makes the “cool” list for its unique Route 66 general store. Instead of letting the closure of the Mother Road determine its fate, Hackberry’s old gas station turned quirky general store shows that life is really all about what you make it.
- Houck (Pop. 1,024)
Ias - intitially/Flickr This little town is known less for its name than for its one main attraction: a trading post and life-sized replica of Fort Courage from the 1965 sitcom F Troop. Despite being abandoned for quite some time, the fort is in pretty good shape and still makes a decent photo opportunity for tourists traveling along Interstate 40.
- Kohls Ranch (Pop. 46)
Alan English CPA/Flickr
Alan English CPA/Flickr Your chances of not knowing this tiny town are slim, but we’re sure there are some people out there not familiar with the name. It is also most famous for its Camp Tontozona, the ASU football team’s training camp, but it’s also a great little location to escape into the pines.
- Morristown (Pop. 227)
moominsean/Flickr
Gage Skidmore/Flickr There’s not too much happening in this small town, however, it was home to one famous kitty: Tardar Sauce, also known as Grumpy Cat.
- Summerhaven (Pop. 40)
Bill Morrow/Flickr This is one well-named town, because for many southern Arizonans, this truly is a haven from unbearable summer heat. The town is located in the Santa Catalinas on Mount Lemmon and with an average high of 76 degrees in June and July, this place makes for a wonderful escape.
- Topock (Pop. 10)
Arizona Traveler/Flickr
Thad Roan/Wikimedia Commons Bridges are pretty cool, and so are little, tiny towns where everyone will literally know your name because there’s less than a dozen of you. Cool.
- Tumacacori (Pop. 393)
Ken Lund/Flickr
John Menard/Flickr This little town has been featured here a couple of times before, but unless you really know your Spanish Mission or Indigenous history, chances are you probably don’t know much about this place. It is home to the Mission San José de Tumacácori, a famous ancient ruin that is now a national historical park.
- Yucca (Pop. 126)
Erske/Wikimedia Commons
Derek Bruff/Flickr This little town is found along Interstate 40, and it’s only a short distance from Topock. Yucca once had quite a life along Route 66. It, unfortunately, is one of the little towns that really suffered from the closure of the original road, but it’s still chugging along. One of the things that sets this town apart from many of the others is this crazy, golf ball-shaped house.
Once part of a mass development project that went belly-up shortly after construction began, this strange building was redesigned into a house.
Have you visited any of these tiny towns? What are your picks for the coolest small towns in Arizona? Be sure to let us know your thoughts!
Mobilus in Mobili/Flickr
Debs/Flickr
This little town of almost 70 makes the “cool” list for its unique Route 66 general store. Instead of letting the closure of the Mother Road determine its fate, Hackberry’s old gas station turned quirky general store shows that life is really all about what you make it.
Ias - intitially/Flickr
This little town is known less for its name than for its one main attraction: a trading post and life-sized replica of Fort Courage from the 1965 sitcom F Troop. Despite being abandoned for quite some time, the fort is in pretty good shape and still makes a decent photo opportunity for tourists traveling along Interstate 40.
Alan English CPA/Flickr
Your chances of not knowing this tiny town are slim, but we’re sure there are some people out there not familiar with the name. It is also most famous for its Camp Tontozona, the ASU football team’s training camp, but it’s also a great little location to escape into the pines.
moominsean/Flickr
Gage Skidmore/Flickr
There’s not too much happening in this small town, however, it was home to one famous kitty: Tardar Sauce, also known as Grumpy Cat.
Bill Morrow/Flickr
This is one well-named town, because for many southern Arizonans, this truly is a haven from unbearable summer heat. The town is located in the Santa Catalinas on Mount Lemmon and with an average high of 76 degrees in June and July, this place makes for a wonderful escape.
Arizona Traveler/Flickr
Thad Roan/Wikimedia Commons
Bridges are pretty cool, and so are little, tiny towns where everyone will literally know your name because there’s less than a dozen of you. Cool.
Ken Lund/Flickr
John Menard/Flickr
This little town has been featured here a couple of times before, but unless you really know your Spanish Mission or Indigenous history, chances are you probably don’t know much about this place. It is home to the Mission San José de Tumacácori, a famous ancient ruin that is now a national historical park.
Erske/Wikimedia Commons
Derek Bruff/Flickr
This little town is found along Interstate 40, and it’s only a short distance from Topock. Yucca once had quite a life along Route 66. It, unfortunately, is one of the little towns that really suffered from the closure of the original road, but it’s still chugging along. One of the things that sets this town apart from many of the others is this crazy, golf ball-shaped house.
Once part of a mass development project that went belly-up shortly after construction began, this strange building was redesigned into a house.
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Address: Hackberry, AZ 86411, USAAddress: Houck, AZ, USAAddress: Kohls Ranch, AZ 85541, USAAddress: Morristown, AZ, USAAddress: Summerhaven, AZ 85619, USAAddress: Topock, AZ 86436, USAAddress: Tumacacori-Carmen, AZ, USAAddress: Yucca, AZ 86438, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Coolest Small Towns in Arizona July 16, 2021 Tori Jane What are some of the best small towns in Arizona? Arizona is known, generally, for its desert landscape and its two largest cities: Phoenix and Tucson. There are, however, so many tiny little towns all over the state that don’t get the love they deserve (or, in some cases, they’re very, very loved). Some of the most beloved small towns in Arizona include Jerome, an old mining town turned art community perched precariously on the side of a mountain, and world-famous Sedona, known for its incredible red rocks and cliffs. Flagstaff is a small town with a big heart, and a great university to boot. Some towns you won’t see listed on just any list, however, include beautiful Sonoita and Elgin, both of which are wine country towns and located south of Tucson. Patagonia is an adorable little place, too, and we also really love Prescott and Pinetop. Where can I go on some day trips in Arizona? An easier question to answer would be “where shouldn’t I go on some day trips in Arizona”, and the answer to that one is we don’t know, maybe Tempe? Just kidding, Tempe is great (very vibrant!), and so is the rest of Arizona. You could go on a day trip to see some of the most amazing natural wonders the state has to offer, or you could visit a bunch of the ghost towns still lurking in the deserts. You could go on a foodie adventure, or you could do any one of these inexpensive road trips in Arizona that are fun without making you go broke. That’s always a good time. What are the best things to do in Arizona? Oh, Arizona: how do we love thee? Let us count the ways: see the Grand Canyon. Check out any of our incredible scenic drives, like the 89A south from Flagstaff to Sedona, and then the 179 from Sedona to the I-17. Take a dip at any of our amazing swimming holes (yes, we do have those! Go to Oak Creek Canyon and see!), or go rock-climbing in our world-famous mountains, mesas, and valleys. Try your hand at rockhounding, or browse any one of the awesome rock, mineral and gem shows that pass through the state several times a year. Go camping, go fishing, go hiking – no matter what you love to do, you’ll love it even more in Arizona.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Coolest Small Towns in Arizona
July 16, 2021
Tori Jane
What are some of the best small towns in Arizona? Arizona is known, generally, for its desert landscape and its two largest cities: Phoenix and Tucson. There are, however, so many tiny little towns all over the state that don’t get the love they deserve (or, in some cases, they’re very, very loved). Some of the most beloved small towns in Arizona include Jerome, an old mining town turned art community perched precariously on the side of a mountain, and world-famous Sedona, known for its incredible red rocks and cliffs. Flagstaff is a small town with a big heart, and a great university to boot. Some towns you won’t see listed on just any list, however, include beautiful Sonoita and Elgin, both of which are wine country towns and located south of Tucson. Patagonia is an adorable little place, too, and we also really love Prescott and Pinetop. Where can I go on some day trips in Arizona? An easier question to answer would be “where shouldn’t I go on some day trips in Arizona”, and the answer to that one is we don’t know, maybe Tempe? Just kidding, Tempe is great (very vibrant!), and so is the rest of Arizona. You could go on a day trip to see some of the most amazing natural wonders the state has to offer, or you could visit a bunch of the ghost towns still lurking in the deserts. You could go on a foodie adventure, or you could do any one of these inexpensive road trips in Arizona that are fun without making you go broke. That’s always a good time. What are the best things to do in Arizona? Oh, Arizona: how do we love thee? Let us count the ways: see the Grand Canyon. Check out any of our incredible scenic drives, like the 89A south from Flagstaff to Sedona, and then the 179 from Sedona to the I-17. Take a dip at any of our amazing swimming holes (yes, we do have those! Go to Oak Creek Canyon and see!), or go rock-climbing in our world-famous mountains, mesas, and valleys. Try your hand at rockhounding, or browse any one of the awesome rock, mineral and gem shows that pass through the state several times a year. Go camping, go fishing, go hiking – no matter what you love to do, you’ll love it even more in Arizona.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Arizona is known, generally, for its desert landscape and its two largest cities: Phoenix and Tucson. There are, however, so many tiny little towns all over the state that don’t get the love they deserve (or, in some cases, they’re very, very loved). Some of the most beloved small towns in Arizona include Jerome, an old mining town turned art community perched precariously on the side of a mountain, and world-famous Sedona, known for its incredible red rocks and cliffs. Flagstaff is a small town with a big heart, and a great university to boot. Some towns you won’t see listed on just any list, however, include beautiful Sonoita and Elgin, both of which are wine country towns and located south of Tucson. Patagonia is an adorable little place, too, and we also really love Prescott and Pinetop.
Where can I go on some day trips in Arizona?
An easier question to answer would be “where shouldn’t I go on some day trips in Arizona”, and the answer to that one is we don’t know, maybe Tempe? Just kidding, Tempe is great (very vibrant!), and so is the rest of Arizona. You could go on a day trip to see some of the most amazing natural wonders the state has to offer, or you could visit a bunch of the ghost towns still lurking in the deserts. You could go on a foodie adventure, or you could do any one of these inexpensive road trips in Arizona that are fun without making you go broke. That’s always a good time.
What are the best things to do in Arizona?
Oh, Arizona: how do we love thee? Let us count the ways: see the Grand Canyon. Check out any of our incredible scenic drives, like the 89A south from Flagstaff to Sedona, and then the 179 from Sedona to the I-17. Take a dip at any of our amazing swimming holes (yes, we do have those! Go to Oak Creek Canyon and see!), or go rock-climbing in our world-famous mountains, mesas, and valleys. Try your hand at rockhounding, or browse any one of the awesome rock, mineral and gem shows that pass through the state several times a year. Go camping, go fishing, go hiking – no matter what you love to do, you’ll love it even more in Arizona.
