The Drive Down 89A: Sedona to Flagstaff Through Oak Creek Canyon

There's a stretch of highway in Arizona that regularly appears on lists of the best scenic drives in the country. It makes people pull over, roll down the window, and forget where they were going.

Highway 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff is 28 miles of switchbacks, red rock walls, ponderosa pines, and the kind of views that make your passenger grab the door handle while whispering "oh my god" for the fourth time in ten minutes.

It's also the inspiration behind one of our collections. But we'll get to that.

The Road Itself

89A starts in the red rock country of Sedona and climbs north through Oak Creek Canyon, one of Arizona's most dramatic natural corridors. The canyon walls rise up on both sides, striped in layers of sandstone and limestone that glow orange and cream in the afternoon light. Oak Creek runs alongside the road, emerald green and cold enough to make you gasp if you wade in.

As you climb, the landscape transforms. Red rock gives way to pine forest. The temperature drops ten, sometimes fifteen degrees. By the time you reach Flagstaff, you're at 7,000 feet, surrounded by ponderosa pines, and the desert you left thirty minutes ago feels like a different planet.

That transition is the whole point. 89A doesn't just connect two towns. It connects two Arizonas.

Why This Drive Matters to W&WW

Weird & Wild West is based in Flagstaff, but our collections span the whole Northern Arizona corridor. Desert Disco channels the Sonoran Desert floor. Vortex Voyagers channels Sedona's mystical energy. And Cruisin' On 89a captures the drive itself: the journey as destination, the moment you round a corner and the view takes your breath away.

89A is also the literal road that connects our two strongest geographic markets. Flagstaff visitors and Sedona visitors are often the same people on the same trip. They drive 89A between the two, and somewhere in Oak Creek Canyon, between the red rocks and the pine trees, they understand why Arizona inspires the kind of art we make.

Driving 89A: What to Know

If you're planning the drive, a few things:

• Direction matters. Driving north (Sedona to Flagstaff) gives you the dramatic reveal: red rock desert slowly transforming into mountain forest. Driving south gives you the opposite reveal: emerging from the pines into sudden red rock panoramas. Both are worth doing. Pick whichever direction has the afternoon light.
• Pull over at Slide Rock. Slide Rock State Park, about halfway through the canyon, is a natural waterslide formation in Oak Creek. Even if you don't swim, the view from the parking area alone is worth the stop.
• The switchbacks are real. The upper section of 89A climbs through a series of tight switchbacks carved into the canyon wall. It's not dangerous if you're paying attention, but it's not the time to be scrolling through playlists. Eyes on the road. The views will still be there when you pull over.
• Winter can close it. Snow and ice can close the switchback section of 89A in winter. Check ADOT road conditions before you go between November and March.

Before or After the Drive

If you're starting or ending in Flagstaff, stop by The Underground at The Temple (2 E Aspen Ave). It's our physical shop in the basement of a 1917 Masonic Temple, steps from Route 66 in downtown Flagstaff. Grab a sticker, a tee, or just say hi to Shimmer.

If you're starting or ending in Sedona, check out the Vortex Voyagers and Cruisin' On 89a collections for designs rooted in the red rock and canyon corridor.

Either way, drive 89A at least once. It's one of the most beautiful roads in the country. And it's the kind of experience that deserves better than a bumper magnet.