Hi,
I’m going to be in Flagstaff next week at some point. I’m working on East Coast times. I’ll be up early before the sun and looking to run. Thinking of trying out some of the dirt roads or maybe a local park. Do i have to worry about the wildlife when I’m running by myself in the dark? Or should I just stick with the city pads? Mountain lions? Snakes? I don’t have to worry about any of that stuff where I live so just trying to be smart
I don’t know about critters, but when we were there last summer my wife was on a gravel ride and found a dead body!
Bears for sure, mountain lions less so. Just make noise while you run so they can hear you coming and move away. I’ll clap my hands every now and then or yell out “hey bear!”.
The car trip to and from the trail is at least a 1,000 times more dangerous than bears, mountain lions and deer.
But worry about whatever you like!
Most people like to worry about animals, natural phenomena and people of different races/ethnicities!
I worry about stupid stuff also!!
So, who am I to criticize?
I do similar things when trail running/hiking/riding in the mountains of NM and CO. I even have a “bear bell†on my MTB.
Basically, no, don’t worry about it.
(born and raised in rural Flagstaff)
If I were you I’d run after finishing my EST workday. I’ve got trail running and riding kids that live n Flag and they’ve never indicated there is any wildlife to worry about.
I don’t know about critters, but when we were there last summer my wife was on a gravel ride and found a dead body!
So nothing to worry about then. If anything happens to you, eventually someone on a gravel bike will come by!
Can you run after East Coast work hours instead? Plenty of sunlight…
If so, go run out on Lake Mary Road. Endurance running and cycling paradise (other than the winds sometimes).
speaking as someone who’s lived in Flagstaff for the past 15 years and who runs/rides everywhere here - short answer, no. Longer answer - go to the Museum of Northern AZ on Fort Valley Rd. where there’s a screen that shows the radio-collared mountain lions that are all over the peaks. Then let’s talk. Lol.
Hi,
I’m going to be in Flagstaff next week at some point. I’m working on East Coast times. I’ll be up early before the sun and looking to run. Thinking of trying out some of the dirt roads or maybe a local park. Do i have to worry about the wildlife when I’m running by myself in the dark? Or should I just stick with the city pads? Mountain lions? Snakes? I don’t have to worry about any of that stuff where I live so just trying to be smart
Also from the east coast and been to Flagstaff a dozen or so times to visit. Seen my share of snakes at Buffalo Park and a larger cat (assume it was a mountain lion) several hundred meters away along one of the stepper parts of a Mt. Humphries hike. Generally speaking, though, you’re probably not going to see a lot. As others have said, I might switch to afternoon/evening workouts for your visit.
What is the best month of the year to visit Flagstaff? I have an old college friend there and have been meaning to make a trip.
I live in SoCal in an area with snakes, mountain lions, bears, coyotes and an occasional bobcat all being present.
I worry about the fellow humans way more than the wildlife.
Hi,
I’m going to be in Flagstaff next week at some point. I’m working on East Coast times. I’ll be up early before the sun and looking to run. Thinking of trying out some of the dirt roads or maybe a local park. Do i have to worry about the wildlife when I’m running by myself in the dark? Or should I just stick with the city pads? Mountain lions? Snakes? I don’t have to worry about any of that stuff where I live so just trying to be smart
Australia is always referenced as the place where everything can kill you…but we never have to worry about stuff like this 
where there’s a screen that shows the radio-collared mountain lions that are all over the peaks. Then let’s talk. Lol.
I initially read that as “radio-controlled mountain lions”…