Every good road trip needs to involve a stop at a kitschy, oddball, and often really fun roadside attraction. Flintstones Bedrock City in Williams, Arizona was that attraction for many travelers for the past 40 years.
First opened in 1973, the Flintstones-themed amusement park and RV campground has undergone many changes. What started as a bonafide family attraction for fans of the animated Stone Age series eventually became more rundown until the owner sold it earlier this year; the new owners plan on turning it into a raptor park.
Flintstones Bedrock City is located approximately 30-minutes from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It made for a nice stop on an otherwise desolate stretch of desert highway, even as it took on a more abandoned amusement park feel.
The park included giant statues of the animated characters, as well as homes of Fred and Wilma and Barney and Betty, a schoolhouse, and a small train. Another popular attraction in the park was a replica of the famous Brontosaurus Slide, that Fred slid down at the end of every day at the quarry. As with all amusement parks, there were exciting themed-dining options and gift shops.
Many of these building and statues still stand – albeit a bit dustier and more run down – but not for long. Owner Linda Speckels, now in her 70s and longing to retire, put the land up for sale a few years ago. She finally sold it in early 2019 to new owners who plan to turn the property into a raptor ranch, with the aim of educating visitors about wildlife and birds of prey. The new owners may keep some of the prehistoric bird statues, but most other Flintstones-inspired attractions will be torn down.
While visitors may no longer be able to get the full kitschy roadside experience, the “Raptor Ranch” may still make an interesting road trip diversion.