Ghost
The Original Flagstaff Ghost Tour
Phantom bellboys. An unsolved 1930s case that made our founder write a whole book.
Nightly at 7 PM, with a second 8 PM departure Fridays and Saturdays75 min1 mile
The Story
Neon Signs, the Green Book & an Unsolved Murder
Route 66 Turns 100. Most People Will Just Drive Past. Flagstaff is one of the few Arizona cities where Route 66 is still a working main street. Not a museum. Not a plaque on a bypassed stretch of highway. The road people take to work, to school, to the grocery store. And almost nobody knows what happened here. A French priest who believed roads were holy work. A Boston astronomer convinced there were Martians on the hill above town. A man from Chicago who came to die and ended up building a city. Their stories are written into every block of this road - if you know where to look. Your guide does. On this 90-minute guided walk, you'll cover both the original 1926 alignment and the 1934 reroute through downtown and the historic Southside. You'll pass neon signs born from a war between motels fighting for survival, the remains of an auto camp where family vacations became democratic, and a mural that ties a century of the Mother Road into one wall. There's an unsolved double murder from 1916. A boarding house built for Basque sheepherders. And a fifty-year gathering that drew 100,000 people to this road every Fourth of July. We don't spoil the stories here. That's what the walk is for. Freaky Foot Tours has five generations of Arizona roots, mother and son owned since 2015. This tour is made possible with partial funding provided by the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona.
What You'll Walk Away With:
- Stories you can't find on a plaque, a podcast, or a self-guided tour
- Iconic photo ops at neon signs, vintage motels, and Route 66 landmarks
- Both the 1926 and 1934 alignments of the Mother Road - most visitors never walk either
- A connection to the people, the history, and the road that shaped this town
Three Simple Steps to Join Us:
- Book Your Spot - reserve online in under 2 minutes
- Meet Your Guide - arrive at Heritage Square 15 minutes early
- Walk the Mother Road - comfortable shoes, water, and layers are all you need
Route 66's centennial only happens once. Walk it with the people who know its stories.
Timing your visit around the celebration itself? Our dated guide to Flagstaff's 2026 Route 66 centennial events tracks the Orpheum concert series, the Mother Road Classic Car Show and the November 11 anniversary.
Additional Information
- The tour meets at Heritage Square, 22 E Aspen Ave, at the flagpole; plan to arrive 15 minutes early to check in with your guide.
- Downtown Flagstaff runs on ParkFlag pay-by-plate kiosks. Sunday through Thursday, street spaces and city lots around the square are free after 5 PM; on Fridays and Saturdays, pay the ParkFlag kiosk through 8 PM. If tonight's start time is before 5 PM, budget for paid parking. Our guide to where to park in downtown Flagstaff covers it block by block.
- Wear comfortable shoes; this walking tour is 90 minutes long and about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) in length.
- Flagstaff sits at 7000 feet (2100 meters); we recommend bringing a water bottle to stay hydrated.
- Flagstaff has rapid weather changes and can be very cold even in the summer. Check the forecast before your tour and dress to your comfort. Locals love layers.
- Tours run rain, snow or starlight; if we ever cancel a departure, you get a full refund or a free rebooking, your choice.
- Full refund when you cancel 24 or more hours before the tour; no refund under 24 hours.
What To Expect
Heritage Square
The road started long before it had a number. Your guide will tell you just how long, and introduce the characters whose fingerprints are still on the ground beneath your feet.
Babbitt Brothers
A mercantile empire that stretched an entire block, with a passage below it so staff could cross between the store and the garage out of the snow (the Pioneer Museum curator's account is on our Flagstaff tunnels page). Trading posts that turned sacred culture into roadside commerce. And a very famous movie scene you might recognize.
Route 66 & Neon Signs
Step onto the Mother Road. The signs towering above you aren't just decorations, they're weapons from a war between motels fighting for every passing eyeball. Bring your camera.
Train Depot
This depot turns 100 this year. The family that built the town around it has a story that starts with a lumber mill and ends with a mansion designed by the architect of the Grand Canyon's El Tovar.
Motel DuBeau & The Green Book
One of Flagstaff's first motels, and a listing in a guidebook that told Americans where they could safely sleep based on the color of their skin.
Mike's Pike & Mars Hill
A road named for a man who came to heal. A hill where someone chased Martians. And the fight that determined where Highway 66 would run.
Mother Myth of Route 66 Mural
The grand finale. One wall. One century. And a fifty-year gathering on this road that most history books forgot.
Experience the Beauty of the Route 66
The Route 66 Centennial Walking Tour runs evenings from Heritage Square: 90 minutes, 1.3 miles, all ages, and departures cap at 28 guests. Start times change with the season, so confirm tonight's start time on the booking calendar before you head out. Adults $29, students $25, children $22. Full refund when you cancel 24 or more hours before the tour; no refund under 24 hours. Pick a date on the booking calendar, or call or text (928) 224-0518.
