Flagstaff to Long Beach Road Trip Guide

As you drive out of Flagstaff, your first stop on this adventure has to Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams. This small facility just off Route 66 is perfect for sightseeing and photography. As you arrive in your RV, you can drive through sections of the park that are covered by ponderosa pine forests and get to see a wide range of North American animals within their natural habitats. If you decide to step out of your vehicle and take a walk through Fort Bearizona, you’ll even get to see more animals in zoo-type settings.

What’s more, you can have lunch in any of the designated picnic areas in the park or on any grassy section of the park. Moreover, you can buy food or beverages at the Bearizona Grille. When you are done for the day, feel free to spend the night at any of the private RV parks nearby before heading out the next morning.

This is the place for you to get out of your RV and stretch your legs. White Cliffs Wagon Trail, in Kingman, is a trail that runs for 2.4 miles as part of an old wagon route that was used in the late 1800s for bringing ore from the Stockton Hills Mines. So, as you explore the trail, you can be sure you’ll get to learn something about railroad history in the area.

The trail is lined with beautiful flowers that decorate its corridor, so you’ll enjoy your stroll. Activities on this trail include birdwatching, sightseeing, and of course, hiking. Visitors often take nature trips on the trail too. Open from dawn to dusk, you won’t need to worry about paying a fee to access the trail as it is free to the public. Ensure you come along with your camera.

Arrive at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge knowing that you’ll have the opportunity to engage in a host of recreational activities that will excite you. The Wildlife Refuge offers the chance for guests to choose from hunting, boating, fishing, wildlife viewing and photography, canoeing and kayaking.

If your interest is hunting, then you can go after waterfowl at Pintail Slough during the season. Boaters visit the Topock Gorge on the Colorado River to enjoy themselves on the clear blue waters. Anglers get the chance to fish for striped bass, catfish, and largemouth bass. If you’ve got your camera and are just interested in viewing the fauna that lives within the park, you can be sure you won’t run out of beautiful spots to take pictures of coyotes, foxes, and bobcats. More than 300 bird species are found here, just so you know.

Wrap up your visit with a good night's sleep at the campsites at Lake Havasu State Park.

It’s now time to go primitive and explore wilderness areas where you won’t use any mechanical equipment. You’ll be visiting colorful escarpments, canyons, mountains, and beautiful bajadas at Rodman Mountains Wilderness, all on foot (or on the back of a horse)!

This Bureau of Land Management property in Barstow features a long mesa that you’ll want to see. In addition, coming up close to at least one of the several natural tanks in the park is definitely something you want to cross off your to-do list here. This wilderness is home to raptors, golden eagles, and prairie falcons, so look out for them.

Remember vehicles are not allowed within the wilderness area, so have everything you’ll need for the adventure - like enough water. If you choose to spend the night, note that only primitive camping is available and no facilities are provided. Modern campgrounds are available at Mojave National Preserve.

The final stop as you approach Long Beach in California is the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, a beautiful facility sitting at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in Irwindale. The park features a small lake, meaning that you can enjoy both land-based and water-based activities here.

If you wish to have fun on the lake, then feel free to bring out your fishing gear; explore the water on non-motorized watercraft; or swim in the designated swim beach. Other things to do here include picnicking, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, and cycling. Park programs are available for adults and children too.

You can also visit the Nature Center which houses various protected flora and fauna, offering interpretive and educational tours to guests all year round. From here, you can set out for Long Beach to bring your journey to the perfect end.