Just off Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Winslow, the remains of Twin Arrows Trading Post, offer travelers a fleeting glimpse into the golden era of Route 66. What was once a bustling roadside stop for weary travelers is now a decaying yet photogenic relic of mid-20th-century Americana.
Originally opened in the late 1940s as the Canyon Padre Trading Post, this small business served food, gas, and souvenirs to the steady stream of Route 66 drivers. Its transformation into Twin Arrows in the 1950s came with new ownership, who installed two towering wooden arrows—made from telephone poles and painted red and yellow—that quickly became iconic roadside landmarks. These massive arrows, visible from a distance, were meant to lure motorists off the highway and into the trading post, where they’d find a gas station, a classic Valentine-style diner, a curio shop, and a sense of road-trip charm that defined the Mother Road.
Today, the site of Twin Arrows is a ghost town in every sense. The old trading post structures are now tagged with graffiti, slowly crumbling under the weight of time and weather. One of the original arrows has collapsed—likely from high desert winds—and the remaining structures are in advanced stages of decay.
Twin Arrows also earned a fleeting moment of fame in the movie Forrest Gump, where it appears during the scene where Forrest accidentally invents the smiley face logo while running across the country. That pop culture cameo, paired with its dramatic setting and unmistakable arrows, keeps Twin Arrows firmly rooted in the imagination of Route 66 lovers and urban explorers alike.
For anyone traveling the historic highway, a stop at Twin Arrows is a must. It’s a place where time stands still—a gritty yet beautiful reminder of the rise and fall of roadside America. Bring a camera, tread carefully, and let yourself be transported back to a time when two giant arrows could steer an entire generation of dreamers off the highway and into adventure.
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