10-Day Arizona Road Trip Itinerary With Scenic Stops
A 10-day road trip through the heart of Arizona, making memories at every stop with breathtaking scenery and historical destinations.
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Summary
- Arizona offers a diverse range of scenic attractions, including the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Petrified Forest National Park, and Lake Powell.
- The state is a photographer's dream, with stunning views and optimal lighting during the "golden hour" for captivating pictures.
- A 10-day road trip itinerary in Arizona covers popular destinations such as Tucson, Tombstone, Globe, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend, and the Grand Canyon, with optional stops in Sedona and Coconino National Forest.
America is truly a land of never-ending possibilities as far as epic road trips are concerned. Over the years, specific scenic routes have become popular for road trips across the country. However, travelers can always chart new courses on a map to serve their road trip aspirations, and each state has unique attractions and destinations that will attract road-trippers.
Arizona is not just another gorgeous state in the U.S.; it is the home state of the Grand Canyon, the Antelope Canyon, and many others. It is also where the Petrified Forests, Giant Cacti, and Lake Powell have attracted millions of visitors over the years.
This 10-day Arizona road trip itinerary with epic scenic stops hits all the highlights of the Grand Canyon State and will make you want to stop reading and start packing travel gear items for your next adventure.
All of Arizona is the ideal location to take mesmerizing pictures during the "golden hour" - 30 minutes before the sun touches the horizon and 30 minutes after. Once the sun drops below the horizon, the next 30 minutes is soft, beautiful light.
1 Day 1: Arrive In Tuscon - Check Out The Majestic Saguaro Cacti
Drive time from Tuscon to Saguaro National Park: 25 minutes
This Arizona road trip starts in Tuscon, which is a convenient airport to arrive at either from domestic or international departures.
Check out Tuscon and the many things to do in and around it. After reaching Saguaro National Park, home of Arizona's giant Cacti, visitors can choose one of two scenic drives, and both drives are open from 7 AM to sunset.
The Cactus Forest Drive (Saguaro East) is a scenic one-way paved loop road, while the Bajada Loop Drive (Saguaro West) is a graded dirt road suitable for low-clearance vehicles. On this drive, the 1/4 mile Signal Hill Trail is highly scenic for accessible rock art. Camping at Saguaro National Park is available year-round, but sites are first come, first served.
Many accommodation options near Saguaro National Park are available across the budget spectrum.
2 Day 2: Tuscon To Tombstone - Driving Into The Old West
Drive time: 2 hours 20 minutes (non-stop)
A detour to Sonoita and Elgin is a must-do on the way to Tombstone. The twin towns are home to outstanding vineyards with beautiful rolling hils and mountains as their backdrop! The Coronado National Forest, another short detour, is a dream for anyone seeking an escape into nature's grandeur. The small town of Sierra Vista is more than just a quick pitstop. Often dubbed the "Hummingbird Capital of the United States," it's an excellent place for bird-watching.
Day two of the road trip ends with reaching the most infamous town in the Wild West, Tombstone, where the Wild West history was made. The rustic red-yellow glow of Arizona enchants the scene to make this one of the most beautiful stops in the West.
3 Day 3: Tombstone To Globe - Cutting Through The Center Of Arizona
Drive time: 4 hours 25 minutes (non-stop)
Day three is a day spent on the road, driving through the heart of Arizona. The peak on Mount Lemmon sits at 9,171 feet, and visitors can drive up the 27 miles of the Sky Island Scenic Byway to enjoy unparalleled views of the Catalina Mountain range. The scenic drive begins at the outside edge of Tucson. Mount Lemmon features hiking, skiing, and rock climbing just an hour from Tucson. The ski hill offers an opportunity to ride the sky-ride for breathtaking vistas at 9,100 feet.
Some of the most spectacular mountain vistas in the Southwest surround the town of Globe in Arizona's magnificent Tonto National Forest. Its quaint downtown encompasses old-time charm with a historic courthouse, county jail, and stately churches.
4 Day 4: Globe To Petrified Forest National Park - Enter A 200 Million Years Old Ecosystem
Drive time: 2 hours 50 minutes (non-stop)
Leaving the town of Globe behind, the steep, winding drive through Salt River Canyon offers scenic views of the Sevenmile Mountains. Dramatic views of the Canyon exist at almost every point and turn while passing above, around, and beneath the Canyon's imposing cliffs. The drive goes past the ghost town of Seneca.
Petrified Forest National Park contains the world's largest deposits of petrified wood and essential fossils of plants and animals, including early dinosaurs. In its south, the Rainbow Forest is full of colorful petrified wood. It is home to the Rainbow Forest Museum, with its paleontology exhibits and many trail access points. The petroglyphs of Newspaper Rock and the ruined village of Puerco Pueblo are in the center of the park. The Painted Desert is in the north of the park.
Low speeds and attention to the road are essential actions on Salt River Canyon Drive because of multiple steep hairpin turns.
5 Day 5: Petrified Forest To Monument Valley - Witness An Iconic Symbol Of Southwestern USA
Drive time: 3 hours 10 minutes (non-stop)
After spending a few hours in the morning exploring the Petrified Forest further, the epic drive to Monument Valley starts with a stop at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. For nearly 5,000 years, people have lived in these canyons - longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on the Colorado Plateau. Its main features include Spider Rock, about 800 feet tall, and towering sandstone cliffs surrounding a verdant canyon. The entire area is filled with prehistoric rock art.
Monument Valley, an epic red-sand desert region on the Arizona-Utah border, is known for the towering sandstone buttes of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Whoever said, “Monument Valley is the place where God put the West.” couldn't have said it better. The park is accessed by the looping, 17-mile Valley Drive. The landscape at Monument Valley is overwhelming, not just by its beauty but also by its size. It's easily one of the most photographed points on Earth.
6 Day 6: Monument Valley To Lake Powell - A Scenic Road Trip Inside A Scenic Road Trip
Drive time: 2 hours 10 minutes (non-stop)
From a dry red desert to a lake that took 17 years to fill, road trips don't get any more scenic.
Roughly 115 miles into the drive, one of the most photographed places in the world-Antelope Canyon-is the next stop. The world's most expensive photo depicts the Antelope Canyon. Landscape Photographer Peter Lik sold his "Phantom" print to a private collector for $6.5 million. The natural beauty of the Canyon can be most aptly summarized as "jaw-dropping." There is no limit to the amount of time one can spend here, as every angle and ray of light changes the perspective of the Canyon. Antelope Canyon cannot be visited
Just 10 miles further lies Lake Powell. Visited by approximately two million people every year, Lake Powell is a paradise for boating, waterskiing, fishing, camping, hiking, and exploring the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. It is every adventurer's wild, wild west, one hundred eighty-six miles from end to end and nearly 2,000 miles of scenic shorelines with over 90 Canyons along its shores.
7 Day 7: Lake Powell To Horseshoe Bend - From A Lake Wonder To A River's Marvel
Drive time: 20 minutes (non-stop)
Although 20 minutes isn't typically classified as a road trip, this scenic destination is unmissable, unavoidable, and an absolute must-do on this ten-day road trip itinerary.
After catching the sunrise, head to the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook point, about 6 miles from the lake, to enjoy stunning views of the Colorado River. The dam intercepts the Colorado River at a height of 710 feet and a length of 1,560 feet and is the only source of water for the southwest United States!
Travelers can then travel southward to the horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River near Page, Arizona. It's a 1000-foot-deep cliff shaped like a horseshoe slowly carved out of the sandstone through centuries of erosion by the Colorado River. The Horseshoe Bend trail is a popular and easy hike; everyone should do it to get some unforgettable views of the Canyon. Don't miss the sunset at Horseshoe Bend; it's not one to be missed.
8 Day 8: Horseshoe Bend To Grand Canyon - Visiting A Six Million-Year-Old Story
Drive time: 2 hours 25 minutes (non-stop)
The frantic pace of any road trip comes to a grinding halt at the Grand Canyon. 5 million visitors from all over the world visit the Grand Canyon each year. From the fantastic caves and rock formations around the Canyon to the strangest things ever discovered inside, this absolute wonder of nature never ceases to amaze. For a nice introduction to the park, visitors can walk part of the well-defined, and mostly level Canyon Rim Trail. Start from the Visitor Center/Mather Point.
Everyone should try to catch the sunrise in Navajo. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the most popular, with the 70-foot-tall Desert View Watchtower coming very close to being as spectacular. Another epic vista overview is the Lipan Point. On the Desert View Drive, Grandview Point is what everyone comes to see. There is no better place for hiking enthusiasts to find the most epic hikes, even short ones. An iconic viewpoint, Mather Point is a grand location to catch the sunset near the Grand Canyon village. Mohave and Pima are excellent spots on Hermit Road that are less busy than Hopi Point. Plus, they also boast a view of the Colorado River.
9 Day 9: Grand Canyon - Another Day In Paradise
More than one day is needed to cover the scale and majesty of the scenic Grand Canyon
Seeing the sunrise and sunset in the Grand Canyon is a unique experience only a few are able to witness. The Mather Point is not only a fabulous place for sunsets; for some, it is the best location to witness a sunrise in the Grand Canyon. The only drawback about Mather Point is that everyone knows it is the best Grand Canyon sunrise spot – so visitors should get there early for the best vantage point. Anyone who missed the opportunity on the previous day should try to catch the sunrise in Navajo.
For hiking enthusiasts, Plateau Point on the Bright Angel Trail is a great place to watch the sunrise, as is Ooh Aah Point on the South Kaibab Trailhead. Half-day and all-day smooth water trips from Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River are a fantastic way to see the Canyon from the bottom up.
This trip offers a second opportunity to witness another sunset from another epic location to add to the fantastic photos from the Canyon. Cape Royal is another vantage point for getting amazing sunset photos.
10 Day 10: Grand Canyon To Phoenix - Head Home Via Williams
Drive time: 3 hours 35 minutes (non-stop)
Every good thing has to come to an end. But it isn't the end yet! Williams, a gateway to Grand Canyon National Park via the Grand Canyon Railway, lies sixty miles from the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Railway is a heritage railroad that has transported passengers to the Grand Canyon since 1901. The historic train makes a two-and-a-half-hour journey from Williams, Arizona, to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, offering breathtaking views of the desert landscape along the way.
Williams is also considered the best-preserved stretch of historic Route 66 from Santa Monica to Chicago. Williams is home to the Bearizona Wildlife Park, a unique destination in Arizona. The park has various animals, including bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Visitors can explore the park on foot, drive-thru in the comfort of their vehicle, or via the provided shuttle bus.
William's a great last stop on this epic road trip that ends in Phoenix, about 2 hours and 40 minutes of another scenic drive through a few more optional stops like Flagstaff, Sedona, and Coconino National Forest. Travelers have the option of driving via the desert town of Sedona and exploring that area if time permits. It is known for red-rock buttes, steep canyon walls, and pine forests.
Travelers who have been to the Grand Canyon earlier can stay one day in the Canyon instead of two and spend the last day in Sedona, which has much to offer.
