There were two arrows. Now there is one.

Twin Arrows Trading Post sits just off I-40 at Exit 219 between Flagstaff and Winslow — a ghost of mid-century American roadside culture visible from the interstate, its single remaining yellow wooden arrow rising 25 feet from the cracked parking lot as the only vertical element left of what was once a complete operation. The second arrow — its twin — is gone as of at least early 2025, reportedly removed by vandals who have been steadily taking pieces of Route 66's roadside heritage for decades. What remains is deteriorating at its own pace in the high desert at 6,240 feet.

We stopped here on April 3, 2018 — part of our Day 2 Route 66 northern Arizona loop with Luca and my sister Natasha and her family, a day that also included Holbrook, Homolovi State Park, Two Guns, and Winslow. This stretch of old Route 66 between Flagstaff and Winslow is one of the most historically concentrated and visually compelling drives in Arizona — each stop adding another layer to the story of the Mother Road.

The History — Canyon Padre to Twin Arrows

Route 66 came to this part of Arizona in 1937 with a realignment that brought traffic through this stretch of high desert. The trading post opened in the late 1940s or early 1950s under the name Canyon Padre Trading Post — named for the nearby Padre Canyon Gorge — owned by a family called the Griffiths. In 1955 the Griffiths sold to William Harland Troxell and his wife Marjorie Jean. The new owners renamed it Twin Arrows Trading Post — apparently inspired by the nearby town of Two Guns — and erected the two iconic wooden arrows in the parking lot to attract motorists from the highway.

At its peak Twin Arrows was a complete roadside operation — gas station, gift shop, and a Valentine Diner. The Valentine Diner was a prefabricated mail-order concept popular in the 1950s — an entire diner delivered by rail and assembled on site, a turnkey solution for roadside entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on highway traffic. The Twin Arrows Valentine Diner served travelers for decades.

The construction of Interstate 40 through the area in the late 1970s redirected traffic away from the old Route 66 alignment. With the interstate came the beginning of the end for Twin Arrows and hundreds of other businesses that depended on the old highway's traffic. The trading post changed hands several times before finally closing in 1998. It has been abandoned ever since.

A Note on Ownership

The land is owned by the State of Arizona. The buildings and the famous arrows are owned by the Hopi Tribe. The lack of cleanup and restoration reflects the complexity of this ownership arrangement rather than any specific party's negligence.

Forrest Gump and Pop Culture

Twin Arrows appeared in a scene in the 1994 film Forrest Gump — a detail that connects this remote Arizona roadside ruin to one of the most popular American films of the late 20th century. The scene was filmed here during production. The site's photogenic decay has also made it a regular destination for Route 66 photographers and urban explorers.

The 100th Anniversary of Route 66 — 2026

The year of this writing — 2026 — marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66. The first stretch of the Mother Road opened in 1926. It was finally decommissioned in 1985 after the last segment was bypassed by the interstate system. The ruins at Twin Arrows are part of what that century looks like — a reminder that the road and everything built along it had a lifespan, and that lifespan is now a piece of American history worth documenting even as it continues to deteriorate.

What You Will Find

One 25-foot yellow wooden arrow rising from the cracked parking lot — the survivor of the original pair. The Valentine Diner — its prefabricated walls still standing, interior gutted and covered in graffiti. The gift shop building in similar condition. Gas pump islands still present, the pumps long gone. Large storage tanks visible behind the main structure. The entire site is a canvas for graffiti artists — some of it creative, most of it simply covering what was already there.

Concrete barriers partially block vehicle access from the frontage road. No Trespassing signs are posted. Visitors continue to come regardless — it is technically private property but the site sees regular visitor traffic. Enter at your own discretion, be aware of structural hazards, and watch for rattlesnakes in the desert scrub surrounding the buildings.

Our Visit — April 3, 2018

A stop on Day 2 of our northern Arizona loop — Luca, my sister Natasha, and her family. We explored the site, took in the graffiti, photographed the arrows and the diner. The kind of stop that takes 20–30 minutes and delivers a genuine sense of American roadside history in terminal decline. Worth stopping for on any drive between Flagstaff and Winslow — the single remaining arrow is visible from I-40 and the pull-off at Exit 219 is easy.

More Information:

• Concrete barriers partially block vehicle access — park on frontage road

• Structural hazards throughout — deteriorating buildings, unstable floors

• Rattlesnakes present in surrounding desert scrub — watch every step

• One arrow missing as of early 2025 — one arrow remains standing

• Land owned by State of Arizona — buildings owned by Hopi Tribe

• Appeared in Forrest Gump (1994) — filmed on location

• 2026 marks 100th anniversary of Route 66 — heightened historical significance

• Exit 219 off I-40 — Twin Arrows Road frontage road access

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