After leaving Angel Fire, we headed to Arizona for a three-day stay at the Holbrook / Petrified Forest KOA Journey. Our plan was to explore a few Route 66 sights and spend some time in the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park.
The campground had a rustic feel, with several site options offering different levels of amenities. Weekend breakfast and dinner were available at the cutely named “Pancake Breakfast / Cowboy Cookout Area.”
Our site came with a private, fenced-in patio, a gas fireplace, rocking chairs, and an outdoor table and chairs. Seven-foot walls decorated with metal Route 66 signs gave us our own little roadside retreat. Rustic campground, upgraded patio—I could work with that!
Painted Desert Views & Petrified Logs
The Painted Desert stretches across northern Arizona, with colorful badlands layered in shades of red, pink, lavender, and gray. We explored the portion within Petrified Forest National Park, beginning with a stop at the Painted Desert Inn, a National Historic Landmark overlooking the landscape.
We picked up a few souvenirs for our peeps back home, then continued our drive through the park. Between the desert colors, the old rusty car marking Route 66’s passage through the park, and the petrified logs, there was plenty to keep us stopping for pictures.
The next afternoon, we spent some time doodling around Holbrook, checking out its Route 66 whimsy. The Wigwam Motel was an obvious photo stop, along with a few other roadside sights—including the dinosaurs. Apparently, sleeping in a wigwam and posing with prehistoric creatures are all part of the Holbrook experience!
My Turn Behind the Wheel of Jackson
With only about a two-and-a-half-hour drive to our next campground, Mark decided it was time for me to drive Jackson the whole way—campground to campground.
And I did!
Mark only questioned my driving skills loudly once, which I considered a surprisingly strong showing of restraint on his part. We arrived with Jackson, Cheeto, Timber, our marriage, and most of Mark’s nerves intact.
Williams & A Campground Built for Family Fun
Our next Route 66 home base was the Williams / Exit 167 / Circle Pines KOA Holiday.
With sites arranged around a large circle, this campground had plenty to keep families busy: a jumping pillow, go-kart track, wiggle train for the smallest campers, indoor swimming pool and hot tubs, a gem-mining station, and bicycle rentals. The adults had options, too, including side-by-side rentals.
During our stay, there was free popcorn on weekend evenings, along with breakfast and pizza options at the conveniently located Ponderosa Pines Café & Pizzeria from Thursday evening through Sunday morning.
For those traveling without an RV, the campground offered more than the usual Kamper Kabins—although those looked nice, too. Colorful tipis, glamping tents, and Conestoga wagons with air conditioning and solid wood doors offered some fun alternatives.
Timber, however, had his own opinion about the campground’s best amenity.
The dog park sat near the wiggle train, bicycle path, jumping pillow, and go-kart track. In other words: swarms of kiddles.
He was insistent that we spend plenty of time there so he could ham it up and collect pets through the fence. Why go back to the campsite when your fan club keeps walking by?
The Grand Canyon, According to Timber
For the kind of outing we wanted with Timber, the Grand Canyon’s South Rim turned out to be one of the most dog-friendly national park experiences we’ve had on this journey.
We loaded him into Cheeto and headed out for a walk along the Rim Trail, starting at Mather Point and making our way toward the El Tovar Hotel in Grand Canyon Village.
The canyon views were spectacular, but Timber was equally impressed by the number of people available to greet him.
We stopped for pets. We stopped for greetings. We stopped for treats. We stopped so he could convince yet another person that their Grand Canyon visit would be greatly improved by giving him some attention.
By the time we reached El Tovar—roughly two and a half miles from our starting point—more than an hour had passed. Then came the realization that we still had to walk all the way back to Cheeto.
After a water break, plenty of treats, and another round of greetings, we started the return trip. Naturally, Timber found a few more people who needed to pet him along the way.
Our out-and-back walk ended up being the main outing for the day. We got canyon views and a good stretch of the legs; Timber got a five-mile meet-and-greet. Everybody had their priorities.
Timber carrying his water bowl for sympathy points
Williams & Seligman: Plenty of Route 66 Personality
Of the three towns, Holbrook, Williams and Seligman, Williams won us over with more charm than Holbrook. Holbrook had its quirky photo stops, but Williams had more of that Route 66 character that makes you want to linger, while Seligman leaned heavily into the Disney-Pixar Cars theme and showcased the fictional come-to-life town of Radiator Springs.
Williams had colorful storefronts and lots of Route 66-themed dining, while Seligman had playful displays and cars with plenty of personality, making it easy to see why people enjoyed wandering around with a camera.
Rather than try to describe every bit of roadside whimsy, I’ll let the pictures do the talking!
Next Stop: Balloons!
From here, we’re heading to Albuquerque for a week of Balloon Fiesta fun. I probably won’t post again until after our stay, so the next update should trade Route 66 roadside characters for a sky full of color.
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