Saying Hello and Goodbye to Bedrock City

When I was a kid my best friend showed me pictures from her family’s trip to the Grand Canyon. Sure the canyon was nice and all but I was more interested in another place she visited, Bedrock City. I was a big Flintstones fan and couldn’t believe there was a park dedicated to the show but there was my friend sitting in Fred and Wilma’s car! I immediately wanted to go and a few decades later I finally made it. Just in time, too, because the park will soon close for good.

In 1972 Bedrock City was opened at the intersection of Highway 64 and 180 near Williams, AZ. This was the era of the family road trip and it was a prime location just 40 miles from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. i can only imagine how successful the park must have been back then and would have loved to see it in its heyday.

By the time I visited those days were long gone and the park was in a sort of post mortem period. The original owner retired and sold the property to a group that is planning to open a wildlife habitat called Raptor Ranch on the premises. They are currently in the midst of converting the grounds and in the interim are allowing visitors to come view the Flintstones themed structures before they’re retired for good.

When the park was sold certain character licensing ended so Fred, Barney, Betty, Wilma and Dino have left for greener pastures and only Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm remain.  They’ve been lovingly restored and offer a glimpse into how the entire park must have looked in its prime.

The remaining structures are in various states of decay. Missing pieces and filled with graffiti they form a sort of ghost town of a place that never really existed.

And like any ghost town worth its salt the structures are ripe for exploring. Partially filed with the remnants of Bedrock City it was like stepping into a world where everyone suddenly disappeared.

Well, almost everyone.

But in all seriousness I was so happy I finally made it to Bedrock City. I know it’s only a shadow of its former self but it was wonderful to finally achieve a childhood goal and I truly appreciate the current owners for extending the life of the park for as long as possible. I truly wish them the best of luck with Raptor Ranch and hope it endures as a roadside attraction for many years to come.