Houck, AZ

Houck is a small, quiet community in northeastern Arizona's Apache County, located along Interstate 40 on the Navajo Nation. Situated right on the historic Route 66 corridor about thirty miles west of Gallup, New Mexico, the area got its start in the 1870s when mail rider James D. Houck built a trading post and water stop along the Puerco River. Today, it offers wide-open high desert landscapes and a peaceful, rural setting.

ATTRKiddo27 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Daily life here is centered around a close-knit rural community. Families are served by the Sanders Unified School District, while the Native American Bahá'í Institute on Burntwater Road serves as a long-standing educational and spiritual gathering space. Route 66 nostalgia is still part of the local scenery, from vintage bridges to memories of classic roadside stops like Fort Courage. For major shopping, healthcare, and everyday conveniences, residents typically make the short drive east into Gallup.