Downtown Geology Tour

Through generous funding from Mountain Sports Flagstaff and 1% for the Planet, Willow Bend will once again be offering guided Downtown Geology Tours. These tours typically last 45 minutes to one hour and are based on local Flagstaff author Marie Jackson’s out-of-print book Stone Landmarks: Flagstaff’s Geology and Historic Building Stones. These tours are a unique opportunity for the community to explore downtown Flagstaff like never before, covering the ancient history of the various local stones used to build downtown’s iconic buildings, including Moenkopi Sandstone, Pumiceous Dacite, Kaibab Limestone, and Malapais Basalt. In addition, tours will highlight the progression in architectural style from Flagstaff’s founding into the twentieth century, discuss changing preferences for certain rock types, and provide an overview of relevant historic events. Tours are highly recommended for visitors and residents alike.