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All the United States Arizona Flagstaff Twin Arrows Trading Post Ruins
AO Edited

Twin Arrows Trading Post Ruins

A pair of giant roadside arrows are all that remains of a former Route 66 trading post.

Flagstaff, Arizona

Added By
Eirik Gumeny
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August 2019   Atomic Redhead / Atlas Obscura User
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Twin Arrows- Traveling East on I-40   Roadtrip Adventurer / Atlas Obscura User
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August 2019   Atomic Redhead / Atlas Obscura User
Twin Arrows Trading Post   Don Graham on Flickr
8-17-21   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
August 2019   Atomic Redhead / Atlas Obscura User
A lot of toilet paper graffiti at the site, April 2021   MarilynR / Atlas Obscura User
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Twin Arrows Trading Post  
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Arrows’ condition in April 2021   MarilynR / Atlas Obscura User
Broken arrow March 2023   brendonstinson / Atlas Obscura User
Broken arrow March 2023   brendonstinson / Atlas Obscura User
Only one arrow 10/2022   brittaniethekid / Atlas Obscura User
Only one arrow 10/2022   brittaniethekid / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Like many an icon of Route 66, the Twin Arrows Trading Post has certainly seen better days. Situated on the side of I-40 in Arizona, the giant, yellow twin arrows still remain, standing out as a beacon to bored drivers, but the store and diner have fallen into disrepair.

Built-in the late 1940s as Canyon Padre Trading Post, the store soon changed its name to Twin Arrows, seemingly inspired by the nearby town of Two Guns. It was then that the iconic wooden arrows were built, planted in the parking lot to guide motorists to the trading post's doors. The post included a gas station, gift shop, and a Valentine's diner.

Unfortunately, the creation of a nearby interstate led to a swift decrease in road traffic and combined with the changing cultural tastes that were moving away from kitschy roadside attractions, the trading post fell into decline. Twin Arrows operated under different owners as best it could until 1995 when it was finally abandoned.

Currently, the land is owned by the state of Arizona, while the buildings are owned by the Hopi tribe, nestled off an exit across the interstate. In 2009, volunteers and the Hopi cleaned up the wooden arrows but the tribe has not made any other efforts toward restoration of the trading post or diner. The abandoned buildings have become a canvas for graffiti artists, adding to the site’s eerie charm. 

Update as of May 2022: One of the two arrows has been removed.

Related Tags

Route 66 Giant Roadside Attractions

Know Before You Go

This site is on Arizona State Trust Lands and requires a permit for access.

Community Contributors

Added By

Eirik Gumeny

Edited By

CoolCrab, salmson2a2, bethanyconnecticut, bluemiller...

  • CoolCrab
  • salmson2a2
  • bethanyconnecticut
  • bluemiller
  • gherardini
  • EricGrundhauser
  • brittaniethekid
  • Roadtrip Adventurer
  • zenman
  • Atomic Redhead
  • MarilynR
  • Darrell Powers
  • brendonstinson
  • rubinoclan
  • josephfboyd
  • TCubed

Published

August 21, 2015

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://cityofdust.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-best-little-stop-on-i-40-twin.html
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/115
  • https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/dms-decimal
  • Googlemaps
Twin Arrows Trading Post Ruins
I-40
Flagstaff, Arizona, 86004
United States
35.1611, -111.2793
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Canyon Diablo

Leupp, Arizona

miles away

Apache Death Cave

Winslow, Arizona

miles away

Two Guns

Winslow, Arizona

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Flagstaff

Flagstaff

Arizona

Places 22

Nearby Places

Canyon Diablo

Leupp, Arizona

miles away

Apache Death Cave

Winslow, Arizona

miles away

Two Guns

Winslow, Arizona

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Flagstaff

Flagstaff

Arizona

Places 22

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