Homolovi Camp ‘n Ride – A Hidden Northern AZ Gem

Located in expansive grasslands at 4,900 feet elevation near Winslow, Arizona along I-40, Homolovi State Park preserves the 14th century ruins of the Anasazi people that thrived along the Little Colorado River.   A scenic campground with RV hookups ($25) makes a great base to explore this lightly visited park by bike.   Park roads provide inspiring vistas of the surrounding Colorado Plateau and the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff to the west.  The gentle grades and wide open viewscapes create a template for an enjoyable easy ride of 10-15 miles. Expansion cracks found at regular intervals of the pavement will be better suited to those with wider tires, until repairs are completed.  The two major sites are Homolovi I, about a mile ride from the campground, (followed by a 1/4-mile hike), and the more scenic Homolovi II, about 5 miles away followed by a short paved rideable trail to the sites.  The ruins are not as well preserved as others in the region.

Campground with spacious sites and panoramic vistas.

Little used park roads are perfect for scenic rides of up to 15 miles — better for fatter tires because of frequent stress fractures. Watch for snakes!

Kiva at Homolovi II ruins. Most of the ruins are now piles of rubble.

Sunset, looking west to San Francisco Peaks from campground.