McMillan Mesa
MacMillan Mesa is a unique part of Flagstaff that offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of Flagstaff and yet you never actually leave the city. It offers a vista that is little changed from the pre-settlement conditions such as Beale and his party might have experienced. It has miraculously escaped intrusion by buildings, highways and other encroachments of man. Many of Flagstaff’s citizens love it. The mesa can be enjoyed by walking the beautiful urban trails or by driving through via Cedar Avenue. Hundreds of people commute over the Mesa on a daily basis and are treated to untainted views of meadow land and pine forests. The backdrop of the San Francisco Peaks and Mount Eldon offers an unsurpassed view of both of these beloved mountains.
For me personally, MacMillan Mesa is a priceless gem that is unmatched in any other city. Where else can you find a beautiful undeveloped parkland in the center of a community? It allows Flagstaff to retain a bit of its early, more rural flavor and symbolizes a love of its people for the forests and meadows that drew many here in the first place. It's a place to go for peace and tranquility in a war torn era. The sound of the meadowlark's joyful song never fails to put a smile on my face. Mountain bluebirds sometimes flit along the trails. Deer are often seen at dawn or dusk. The occasional fox and coyote are seen crossing the area if you are lucky.
Unfortunately, MacMillan Mesa is probably the most endangered area of the city. Plans are being drawn for its eventual development, and so our town will lose an irreplaceable source of refuge and serenity. Buildings will replace trees and meadow and mar the view of our mountains. East and west Flagstaff will become a seamless urban landscape and we will forget what once was ours to cherish. But until the first earth is torn for foundations or pavement, we can experience and give thanks for the gift of this unmatched place of the heart.