Cruising Through Arizona on Route 66 with Katie Barthlow

Source: Thrillist

There are road trips, and then there is Route 66 through Arizona. This is the stretch of highway where neon signs still glow at night, diners still serve pie like it is 1955, and old motels feel frozen in time in the best possible way. Arizona’s section of the Mother Road is packed with desert landscapes, quirky roadside attractions, Hollywood history, and stories that helped shape America’s most famous highway.

If Route 66 were a movie, Arizona would absolutely steal the show.

Arizona’s Route 66: The Heart of the Mother Road

Source: Travel + Leisure

Arizona is home to one of the longest remaining uninterrupted stretches of original Route 66 in the country. While other states lost huge portions of the highway to interstates, Arizona managed to preserve long sections that still feel authentic today.

Driving through Arizona on Route 66 feels like entering another era. One moment you are cruising through red rock desert landscapes and the next you are pulling into a vintage gas station or passing a giant neon cowboy waving at traffic. It is nostalgic without feeling manufactured.

What makes Arizona special is the variety. Northern Arizona offers dramatic scenery that changes constantly. You can drive through pine forests near Flagstaff, pass through old mining towns, roll through wide-open desert, and stop in quirky roadside communities all in the same day.

This stretch also became legendary because Arizona fought hard to preserve the road. In many ways, the state became one of the biggest champions of keeping Route 66 alive after the interstate system bypassed many small towns.

A Preview of Our Interview with Katie Barthlow

Source: Crowdriff

Katie Barthlow serves as communications specialist at The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona and previously worked with the Kingman Center for the Arts before stepping into Arizona tourism and Route 66 promotion.

Our conversation with Katie dives deep into what makes Arizona’s Route 66 experience so unforgettable.

We talk about how Katie first became involved with Route 66 and what surprised her most after entering the world of highway preservation and tourism. We also discuss Arizona’s massive celebration for the upcoming Route 66 centennial and how the state has already kicked off festivities with galas, events, and community celebrations.

Of course, we had to ask about the towns that make Arizona iconic. Katie shares why Seligman continues to stand out as one of the most beloved destinations on the route, whether travelers are likely to encounter Oatman’s famous donkeys, and what makes Arizona’s stretch of Route 66 different from every other state.

We also get into roadside legends like the Wigwam Motels, the lasting popularity of “Take It Easy,” and whether anyone who lives near Winslow ever gets tired of hearing that song.

And finally, we ask the big question: what does the next 100 years of Route 66 look like?

Spoiler alert: Arizona has no plans of letting the magic fade anytime soon.

The Arizona Towns That Steal the Spotlight

Arizona’s Route 66 towns each have their own personality, and honestly, picking a favorite feels impossible.

Oatman, AZ. Source: Go Lake Havasu

Seligman

If Route 66 had a spiritual hometown, it might be Seligman. This small town became the center of the Route 66 preservation movement thanks to local business owners who refused to let the road disappear into history. Today, it is colorful, eccentric, and proudly retro.

Many people also recognize Seligman as one of the inspirations behind Radiator Springs in the Cars. Walk down the main street and you can absolutely see why.

Winslow

Yes, that Winslow.

Winslow embraced its connection to the Take It Easy lyric and turned it into a tourist destination with Standin’ on the Corner Park. Travelers constantly stop to snap photos beside the famous corner while Eagles music drifts through the air nearby.

Even if you have heard the song a thousand times, it somehow feels different when you are actually standing there.

Oatman

Then there is Oatman, the wild old mining town where donkeys casually roam the streets like they own the place. Because honestly, they kind of do.

The burros are descendants of animals left behind by miners decades ago, and today they are the town’s unofficial celebrities. Oatman feels like part ghost town, part Old West movie set, and part roadside fever dream.

Flagstaff and Kingman

Flagstaff brings mountain scenery, historic hotels, and cooler temperatures to the Route 66 experience, while Kingmanserves as one of the key gateways to Arizona’s Route 66 culture. Kingman has become a hub for preservation efforts, museums, and events celebrating the road’s legacy.

Angel Delgadillo: The Guardian Angel of Route 66

Source: Kingman Daily Miner

You cannot talk about Arizona Route 66 without talking about Angel Delgadillo.

Known as the “Guardian Angel of Route 66,” Angel was a barber in Seligman who watched Interstate 40 bypass his town in the late 1970s. Like many Route 66 communities, Seligman suddenly saw businesses empty out and tourism disappear almost overnight.

Instead of accepting defeat, Angel helped launch the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona in 1987. That movement sparked preservation efforts across the entire country and played a huge role in keeping Route 66 alive for future generations.

Today, Angel’s barbershop in Seligman is practically a Route 66 landmark. Travelers from around the world stop by to meet him, hear stories, and thank him for helping preserve one of America’s most iconic roads.

Without Angel Delgadillo, there is a very real chance Route 66 would not have the global popularity it enjoys today.

Fun and Weird Arizona Route 66 Facts

Arizona’s Route 66 is packed with stories, trivia, and roadside oddities. Here are a few favorites:

• Arizona contains some of the longest surviving original stretches of Route 66 anywhere in the United States.

• The famous Wigwam Motel in Holbrook lets guests sleep in concrete teepees that look straight out of a postcard from the 1950s.

• Oatman’s wild burros are protected and freely roam through town daily.

• The Route 66 shield painted on roads throughout Arizona has become one of the most photographed highway symbols in America.

• Seligman helped inspire Pixar’s Cars after filmmakers traveled Route 66 researching roadside Americana.

• Arizona’s stretch of the road passes near the Grand Canyon, making it one of the few places where one legendary American attraction intersects with another.