For desert dwellers heading north to Flagstaff, the drive is a siren call, trading cacti for towering trees, arid heat for cool breezes and city sprawl for open wilderness.

That’s Flagstaff: community, conservation and the great outdoors.

At 7,000 feet elevation and surrounded by the world’s largest Ponderosa Pine forest, Flagstaff can thank this combination for the city’s cool temperatures. Even during Arizona’s hottest months, Flagstaff records temperatures 20 to 25 degrees cooler than Phoenix.

READ MORE: Why Arizona wine country is as unexpected as it is unforgettable

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The people that call Flagstaff home are very aware of the unique and precious environment they live in, especially given the juxtaposition of Arizona’s reputation for being dry, sandy a

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