What better time to embrace the outdoors than right now and even into the winter? Here are 6 tips for ensuring a wonderful hike through Flagstaff during the cooler seasons.

Tip 1: Stay Hydrated

Because Flagstaff is known for cool, snowy days, it can be easy to skimp on the water. But remember, Flagstaff is still the desert. The air is dry, and you'll lose moisture quicker than you'd think. Pack plenty of water.

Tip 2: Wear Layers

Before you leave your Flagstaff apartments, be sure to layer up with clothes you can easily remove and tie around your waist, if needed. Different people warm up at different rates. It's best to be prepared to lose some layers along the way.

Tip 3: Know Your Altitude Tolerance

If you just moved to Flagstaff from a place with lower elevation, you'll want to acclimate for a few weeks before undertaking a strenuous hike. Altitude sickness, shortness of breath and decreased circulation can all affect a newcomer to the area. 

Tip 4: Hike With Another

It's true. There is safety in numbers. Especially if you're planning to tackle an intense climb, don't go by yourself. If you slip and fall, there'd be no one to get you help. Keep safe.

Tip 5: Protect Yourself From Snow Sunburns

Many people don't consider the reflection of the sun off the snow when hiking. You can get sunburned on the underside of your nose and chin. Either use sunblock or cover any areas exposed to the sun's reflection. 

Tip 6: Wear Protective Eyewear

Snow Blindness is when your eyes are overexposed to the sun's rays. Because sunlight reflects off snow, you can't help but be overloaded. Wear solid eyewear to protect your vision. 

Flagstaff Apartments

When you're properly prepared for the elements, hiking in Flagstaff can be such fun! If you enjoy exploring the mountains and are looking for a great place to live, check us out at University Square. 

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The Canyons 

Taking a day-trip to the Grand Canyon is only the start of your canyon trips in the areas surrounding Flagstaff. You can also have an incredible experience at Walnut Canyon or Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. You will find beautiful pictures and great memories in all of these locations!

Coconino National Park 

Arizona is absolutely full of outside activities, and Coconino is one of the best. You can take this trip as you are going to the Grand Canyon, or it can be an incredible trip on its own. There is an endless amount of scenery and a curvy road for a great driving experience; not to mention, it's just a short drive from Flagstaff!

Wet Beaver Creek 

Indulge in your inner outdoorsman at Wet Beaver Creek. Fish, hunt and camp to your heart's content at the creek and in some of the surrounding areas. The weather is great for most of the year, so you can experience the wonder of nature year-round.

Lowell Observatory 

If you are looking for a way to connect to the stars, the Lowell Observatory will give you exactly what you need! You can look through a number of different telescopes and take an up-close look at Jupiter, Pluto and even neighboring galaxies, depending on when you go. They also have incredible constellation tours and an extremely knowledgeable staff. This is a perfect place for a first date or a family trip, so keep it in mind no matter where you are in life.

Your scenic Flagstaff apartment awaits you. Contact us to get started with a University Square residence!

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Here at University Square Apartments, we’re proud to be part of the Flagstaff community. For us, this means giving back when and where we can! One of our favorite local organizations to support is Hope Cottage!

Hope Cottage provides an invaluable resource for some of the most vulnerable members of the Flagstaff community. The beautiful and welcoming facility provides shelter, meals, clothing, and more for women and children who come to them for help. We love their goal of providing “assistance to heal from the inside out.”

Hope Cottage offers a number of volunteer opportunities to the Flagstaff community. Just a few ways you can help out include: helping to support a food drive, preparing meals, helping to maintain the facilities, serving as a mentor or teacher, distributing food boxes, and more! We look forward to having the opportunity to join with Hope Cottage in serving the people of Flagstaff!

To learn more about volunteer opportunities with Hope Cottage, visit their Volunteer Page! Join us in showing our Flagstaff neighbors that we do more than love to live here … we live to love here!

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Horror Movie Night

Download a couple of creepy films, either old classics or newer horror screamers and spend a weekend night clutching pillows to hide behind. Pop some popcorn and open some drinks and you'll be set to scream the night away.

Hiking

Now that you've settled into campus, why not spend a day exploring your new neighborhood? Lace on some walking shoes, grab a backpack and plan to spend the day finding out what your community has to offer.

Community Spooks

Check the local paper for fun community spooky activity. Who's got the scariest haunted house around? Are there haunted hay rides or haunted horse trails? Grab some friends and spend an evening scaring yourself with the local offerings.

Volunteer

Make yourself feel good by doing good! Look for local senior centers, food banks or other charitable organizations and offer your services a couple of weekends a month. You may end up building houses for the homeless or serving Thanksgiving dinner to a crowd of adorable kids. Whatever the group, you'll get a great feeling inside by helping those who need a helping hand.

Get Active!

Get active on campus to have fun while doing something meaningful. Is there a cause that means a lot to you? Whether it's helping with shelter dogs or advocating for a political party, doing something meaningful is one of the best ways to spend your free time.

We've got a vibrant and active community at University Square. Call our office to see how well you'd like living here.

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1. Slower Pace
When it is time to get acclimated to a new educational environment like college, there's a lot to things running through a new student's mind. They have to make decisions concerning their major, dorm life, teachers and advisors, and friends they'll make. It's nice to deal with that in a city that has a slower pace. It's a lot more overwhelming to deal with these decisions in a large metropolis like New York City than it is to deal with in a small town like Birmingham, Alabama. 

2. Cost of Living
This isn't necessarily the case for all small cities, but a lot of smaller cities are generally less expensive to live in than the larger ones. When the cost of living is generally cheaper in an area, this is definitely a bonus for the person who has a tight budget. College students are notorious for their tight budgets. Knowing this, it is important to consider how much further the money will stretch in a smaller city for necessities like toilet paper, toothpaste, and the occasional dining out for dinner. Choosing a smaller town might cause your wallet to thank you in the long run. 

3. Easier to Get Adjusted
Because of the slower pace and the lower cost of living, small towns are much easier to get adjusted to. Learning how to get around a small town isn't difficult, especially with a car and a GPS system. On the other hand, understanding large cities, one-way streets and parallel parking can be such a headache. Life is a lot easier and rules seem to be a little more lenient in smaller areas. During the college years, it's nice to experience a lighter load of stress. The only thing a college student should be stressed over is their schoolwork; not getting adjusted to a new city. Wait until after college or during a summer internship to do that. 

Overall, small town living has its own perks. Everyone should experience at one point during their lives. College is the time when many people experiment and try new things so this is the perfect time to try a small town and see how it works out for you.

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Beautiful, Must-See Locations

First off, if a person is entirely new to town, he or she has to make a trip over to the Grand Canyon. This is one of those top natural wonders in the world nobody should miss, if given the chance to see it. In fact, one of the best options is to sign up for the donkey ride down to the river below; that will definitely be a memory maker.

Second, Antelope Canyon and Glen Canyon both offer majestic day hiking around and in naturally made water ways that are carved into sandstone with an artistic flair. These are the places that many people buy posters of for their homes, but Flagstaff residents can visit them in person.

Third, the Wupatki National Monument is going to appeal to anyone with a historic or archeological flair in their background, containing ancient sites that are still standing today.

A fourth idea for a weekend road trip is to visit the Lowell Observatory; it is a big draw for those who like to see the night sky and enjoy astronomy. The location is one of the major astronomical observatories relied upon nationally for monitoring objects in space.

A fifth choice involves all the river-rafting options on the Colorado River, which does go through the Grand Canyon, depending on which tour one signs up for. These might involve a day trip or an overnight excursion with a camping and cookout option. Adventurers can stay one night or a few nights in the great outdoors. Everyone needs to be in somewhat good shape to carry their load, but it's a fun family event for the active types.

Finally, living in Flagstaff, Arizona, also means warm evening dining and relaxing. Lumberyard Brewing is a great location for a casual choice, with plenty of liquid inspiration and good grill food for the substantial eater types.

Contact us today to out more about living at University Square and what Flagstaff can offer.

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