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It’s no secret that the Southwest United States is one of the most rugged, beautiful areas in the country with red rocks, historic canyons, and a vibrant population celebrating diverse Native American, Mexican, and Western cultures.

Not only that, but the Southwest makes for one of the best road trips in the US! In this travel guide, I’m sharing my Arizona to Utah road trip itinerary complete with where to stop, places to stay, and other useful travel tips.

I lived in Arizona for 4 years and certainly made my way across the Southwest, so I know this road trip itinerary will have you on the right path!

Before we dive into the specific itinerary, let’s tackle some FAQ’s.

How many days do you need to drive this Arizona to Utah route?

For this exact itinerary, you’ll need 12 days and here’s why. Arizona and Utah are some of the most densely beautiful states in the Southwest. There’s 8 national parks and many more national monuments and historic sites. The cities are culturally diverse and the landscapes are varied.

You need time to see this region properly, and honestly even 12 days is rushing through, allowing one day per national park.

However, if you’re short on time, I’ll share some recommended things to cut out. If you have more time, I’ll give my recommendations for other sights to see and more activities to fill your days.

What’s the best starting point?

There are two major airports in Arizona: Phoenix and Tucson. I have you starting in Phoenix and heading north. However, if you’re interested in exploring the southernmost part of Arizona, there’s lots do to near Tucson including the Tombstone ghost town and Saguaro National Park, so you’ll want to start there. It will add a full day, so take that into account when travel planning.

Is a rental car necessary?

If you are flying in, yes, you’ll definitely need a rental car. Because the Southwest spans multiple states, there isn’t public transportation that can reliably take you to all the stops on this itinerary.

When is the best time to travel Arizona to Utah and back?

With school schedules, it can be mighty tempting to do this itinerary during summer breaks. However, if possible, I encourage you to try this itinerary during spring or fall.

Summer not only brings crazy crowds, but also intense heat. The kind of heat that can make the trip unbearable and stop you from completing hikes…around 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more!

In winter, roads especially within the national parks may be closed making the journey more challenging.

Spring and fall have great weather, fewer crowds and are the perfect time to visit.
That said, if you are visiting in summer, be sure to pack accordingly. Check out my downloadable and printable summer packing list below (it’s free!).

What should you pack on this road trip?

Aside from road trip essentials, you’ll need lots of water, snacks, comfortable shoes or hiking boots, possibly a rain jacket (did you know Arizona gets monsoons in the summer?), and lots of sunscreen.

I’ve made this handy winter packing list that you can tweak accordingly. It’s free, just tell me where to send it!

How much does this AZ to UT itinerary cost?

Map of your Arizona to Utah road trip

Day 1: PHX to Montezuma Castle and Well to Sedona

On your first day, after flying into Phoenix, head north to Montezuma Castle and Well. These are actually in two separate locations, but part of one national historic site.

The Castle is closer to Phoenix, so head there first. Driving time is an hour and a half.

Montezuma Castle is a limestone cliff dwelling of the Sinagua culture. It’s over 800 years old and while you used to be able to climb up to it via ladders (in the 1950s), you can now only view it from the ground to preserve the structure.

This is a great first stop because you’ll be immersed in the unique Southwest culture, rocks, and plants all in one go!

There is a 1/3 mile loop trail to follow and signs to learn more about the Castle.

After, keep heading north a bit (about 20 minutes drive) to Montezuma Well. This is a natural well that was used for irrigation for the Sinagua People. It receives a natural 1.5 million gallons of warm water daily!

You can also walk the short 1/3 mile trail here past the well and into the back to see the irrigation ditches, that are still used.

Keep driving north to Sedona (only 35 minutes), where you’ll be stopping for tonight.

If you have time for a short afternoon activity, I recommend visiting Chapel of the Holy Cross. This church is embedded into the red rocks and is quite the sight. It’s free to visit and makes for a no-hiking-necessary activity.

For dinner, I recommend The Hudson or Hideaway House for some great food and gorgeous mountain views!

Recommended stay: Sky Ranch Lodge (mid-luxury at $260+ per night) or Sedona Village Lodge (budget at $90+ per night)

Day 2: Sedona exploration by day and Flagstaff by night

Good morning and hello Sedona in the day time!

For breakfast, try Casa Sedona Restaurant, specializing in brunch with a relaxing atmosphere.

Sedona is one of the best places to hike in Arizona! Red Rock State Park is one of the most popular spots (and for good reason, it’s beautiful!).

Eagles Nest Loop is a good choice if you’re looking for high reward, lower effort. It’s a 2.8 mile loop with ~300 ft elevation gain.

Another very popular hike is Cathedral Rock, which is a 1.2 mile roundtrip trail with panoramic views of Sedona.

There is a parking lot on Back O Beyond, that can get extremely full if you’re not there at the crack of dawn. If you can’t find parking Thursday through Sunday, there is a shuttle that drops hikers off at the trailhead that picks up at SR 179 Park and Ride.

One final recommendation is Slide Rock State Park. This is for my families or travelers who aren’t hikers or get hot easily.

Slide Rock State Park has a small trail that leads to a river that passes through the red rocks. People swim in the water often and there are even natural slides (hence the name)!

I recommend packing a lunch, if possible, so as not to disrupt your hiking day. There are plenty of grocery stores in Sedona so you can stock up accordingly.

For dinner, head to Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village, which also has a range of restaurants and eateries. El Rincon Mexican Restaurante features Arizona-style Mexican cuisine. Oak Creek Brewery is great for a post-hike meal and drink.

Don’t miss the sweet shops for dessert – Cream for ice cream or How Sweet It Is In Sedona for fudge!

At the end of your day, head to Flagstaff to crash for the night. Driving time is only 45 minutes. Tomorrow is Grand Canyon day!

Recommended stay: Bespoke Inn (mid-luxury at $200+ per night, but in a stellar location) or Little America (budget at $150+ per night)

Day 3: Grand Canyon

Good morning. Grab some coffee and breakfast in town. My local favorites are The Place and Northern Pines for their amazing cinnamon roll French toast!

Today is Grand Canyon day! Head to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim about an hour and a half from Flagstaff and explore the breathtaking views of the canyon. There are many overlooks, but a couple favorites include Mather Point and Yavapai Point. At Yavapai, there’s an Observation Station with educational exhibits to learn more about the canyon.

Hiking the canyon is possible, but it can be dangerous. 250 people are rescued each year, so do your research and trust your gut!

I recommend the Rim Trail which starts at the viewpoints in the Village and is one of the easiest hikes.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass bridge that takes you directly over the Grand Canyon! It is a separate ticketed experience, so keep that in mind.

Another memorable tour is seeing the Grand Canyon by helicopter or on a mule trip. Mule trips can sell out 15 months in advance and you need to be at least 9 years old, 57 inches tall, and less than 200 lbs.

If you’re looking for a unique way to experience the Grand Canyon, especially for families, take a ride on the historic Grand Canyon Railway, which leaves from Williams, Arizona (just 30 minutes from Flagstaff). The train ride is complete with old timey Western musicians and cowboy characters!

Inside the Visitor Center, there’s a grab-and-go café where you can purchase sandwiches for lunch. Alternatively, pack your lunch to save a bit.

When you’ve finished at the Grand Canyon, head back to Flagstaff for the night.

For dinner, I highly recommend Lumberyard for American fare and their craft beer (their cheese fries with ranch are my FAVORITE). NiMarco’s Pizza is also one of my favorites for their amazing pesto pizza.

At night, you may be tempted to hit the hay. However, Flagstaff is the first ever dark sky city so I urge you to drive to Buffalo Park or Lowell Observatory to stargaze! It’s unreal!

Recommended stay: same as Day 2 above!

Recommended read >> Guide to stargazing in Flagstaff

Day 4: Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Lake Powell or Grafton Ghost Town

Drive north from Flagstaff to Page, Arizona (driving time is just over 2 hours). Here, stop at Horseshoe Bend, a natural bend in the Colorado River. The trail is only ¾-mile long but it is unshaded for the entire way, so bring the proper gear and plenty of water. Horseshoe Bend is free to visit, so don’t miss it!

The other must-do in Page is Antelope Canyon. You’ll definitely want to secure these reservations ahead of time as they can sell out, especially during the most popular times of day (mid-day, when the sun is center in the sky).

Antelope Canyon is a narrow slot canyon that is illuminated by the sun and simply put, stunning. It is located on the Navajo Reservation, which is why you have to book a guided tour. But, they are truly amazing tour guides. They will drive you to and from the canyon, give a brief history pointing out important formations, and even take your photos, which is great because they know all the best angles!

When booking a tour you can take your pick between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, where each has stunning views but different formations to see.

Grab lunch in town. El Tapatio comes highly recommended on Google! I brought my own lunch, so I don’t have a personal recommendation, unfortunately.

At this point, there are a couple options for your itinerary. Either way, you’ll be ending the night at Zion National Park, which is just over 2 hours from Page.

You can either go kayaking at Lake Powell in Page or head straight to Springdale, Utah and then some to see the ghost town, called Grafton, outside of Zion.

Whatever you choose, make sure you end your day in Springdale, Utah, the closest town to Zion National Park. There are a few places to stay, but because this town is small and Zion is a very popular national park, you’ll want to book early!

For dinner, Bit and Spur Restaurant and Saloon is a good option for Southwestern food or Zion Pizza and Noodle Co for pizza, pasta, and an outdoor beer garden!

Recommended stay: Zion Canyon Lodge (budget at $150+ per night) or Driftwood Lodge (mid range at 250+ per night)

Day 5: Zion National Park

To start your day, grab breakfast in town from The Park House or pack some protein or granola bars.

Before we start on the day’s itinerary, be sure to pack a backpack with ample water, lunch, snacks, sunscreen, and all the other 10 hiking essentials.

A note on Zion National Park, most of the park is only accessible by tram, which you can access from the Visitor Center in Springdale.

It feels almost criminal that I’m only giving you one day in Zion National Park, but here are the activities I recommend.

Some of the United States’s best hikes are in Zion including Angels Landing and the Narrows, each of which have their challenges – Angels Landing is famously treacherous and the Narrows can flood so it can only be hiked during specific times and days. You need permits for each of these, so some proper planning is required.

For an easy, reliable hike, Emerald Pool Trail is my favorite. It offers amazing views of Zion with reprieves of water, either falling from cave-like overhangs or in actual pools. Water shoes are helpful here if you plan on swimming in the pools. You can get there via the tram at the Zion Lodge stop.

The other activity I recommend is driving the scenic road that passes through the park, Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. It will take you through tunnels where you pop out to magnificent views of the mountains.

This evening, feel free to stay in Springdale for one less accommodation booking. Or, drive to Brian Head, Utah, which sits between Zion and Bryce, for a cheaper lodging option tonight and good positioning for tomorrow.

Recommended stay: same options for Springdale, or Brian Head Lodge (budget at $50+ per night)

Day 6: Bryce Canyon National Park

Drive to Bryce Canyon this morning, which is 2 hours from Zion National Park or an hour and 45 minutes from Brian Head. Bryce Canyon National Park has only one road and no gas services, so be sure to fill up your tank before going in!

Bryce Canyon National Park is great because you can drive the one road and pull over frequently at the overlooks. A guided itinerary isn’t super necessary here, but if you want one, here’s a great one day Bryce itinerary.

If you want to hike, Queen’s Garden/Navajo Combination Loop is the most popular! It descends through the hoodoos on switchbacks and is just beautiful. You can start at Sunrise or Sunset Point.

I also highly recommend driving to some neighboring hikes just outside the bounds of the National Park. My favorite was Mossy Cave, which is a one-mile stroll through a canyon to a waterfall and small cave. This can be a great option if the summer crowds are getting to you in the park.

Drive 2 hours to Torrey, Utah, the closest city to Capitol Reef National Park, which is tomorrow’s activity!

Recommended stay: Red Sands Hotel (budget at $150+ per night) or Capitol Reef Resort (mid range at $225+ per night)

Day 7: Capitol Reef National Park and Moab

Capitol Reef National Park is known for its geologic features (yay science), including the Waterpocket Fold, which is a ~100-mile-long wrinkle in the earth’s crust. Cool, right?!

Some popular things to do include hiking Capitol Gorge, driving the Scenic Drive, an 8-mile drive, or driving Cathedral Valley loop. The loop drive is 58 miles and take the whole day to complete because of all the stops and side trips, so consider that in your planning process.

At the end of the day, drive approximately 2 hours toward Arches National Park to the city of Moab to crash for the night. Moab is a larger town and there are lots of accommodation options. I recommend staying here for 3 nights to explore this area over the next two full days.

For dinner, I recommend The Broken Oar for hearty American fare.

Recommended stay: Wingate by Wyndham (budget at $150+ per night) or Hoodoo Moab (mid-luxury at $250+ per night)

Day 8: Arches National Park

For breakfast in Moab, Moab Diner comes highly recommend and they serve breakfast all day, perfect for my late-risers.

Arches National Park is known for its (drumroll, please) arches. Ooh ahh. Okay, really, the arches are spectacular.

You’ll want to visit Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Double Arch, and Windows Section.

As of 2023, you’ll need to secure a reservation for Arches National Park in addition to your entry ticket (or America the Beautiful pass) if you are visiting from April 1 to October 31. To do so, you can call or follow the steps on Recreation.gov.

Timed entries are available from 7am to 4pm daily and are per vehicle. You don’t need a timed entry if you already have a permit for Devils Garden campground, backcountry camping, Fiery Furnace, Special Use, or if you arrive on foot or bike.

I recommend packing your lunch and even dinner to spend the most time in the park.

There’s one reason to stay in the park past nightfall and that’s because Arches National Park is one of the only dark sky parks, so stargazing is incredible here. The farther you go from the Moab city lights the better. Some recommended stargazing spots are Garden of Eden Viewpoint, Panorama Point, The Windows Section.

Since Moab is such a prominent town on this itinerary, I recommend staying here a second night.

Day 9: Canyonlands National Park and Dark Canyon Wilderness

Good morning! For breakfast, try Love Garden in Moab for breakfast burritos and sunrise paninis!

From Arches, head south on US-191 for only 30-45 minutes to Canyonlands National Park. Here, you’ll see incredible canyons, mesas, and buttes carved by the Colorado River.

There are several trails to explore including the Island in the Sky Trails which consist of many short trails around the mesa top. White Rim Overlook (1.8-miles) has views of the Colorado River, Monument Basin, and La Sal Mountains while Grand View Point (1.8-miles) is an out-and-back trail with panoramic views of the surrounding canyon and landscapes.

If you have time, check out Dark Canyon Wilderness, where you’ll get some stellar views without the national park crowds. It’s only 75 miles from Canyonlands National Park, but the drive can take up to 3.5 hours to travel between the parks and the main highway.

You can skip Dark Canyon Wilderness if you’re short on time or are looking for something to trim from this itinerary.

Again, I recommend keeping Moab as your base camp for these days, so continue wherever you’ve been staying tonight. Alternatively, camping is available inside and outside the national parks, so you can move around if you like.

Recommended read >> Essential travel apps to help you plan camping, road tripping, and more!

Day 10: Monument Valley and Four Corners

Located 3 hours southwest of Moab is Monument Valley.

Monument Valley is a must-see stop on your Arizona to Utah trip. With buttes that look like mittens, you can easily spend hours discovering this area. Make the drive to Monument Valley earlier in the morning so you can spend the majority of your morning here leaving some time in the afternoon for one more stop.

What makes this spot so unique is that the red rock towers of Monument Valley are made from sandstone at sit at up to 1000 feet tall!

Monument Valley is located on the Navajo Reservation and so access is limited and regulated. Entry is $8 and there is a Visitor Center with restrooms, shopping, and food offerings.

There are a couple things to do at Monument Valley so you can take your pick. From the Visitor Center, you get great views of the valley so be sure to stop by the observation deck.

There is a hiking trail called the Wildcat Trail, which is a 4-mile loop. You do need to sign in and out at the Visitor Center if participating in this hike. It will take you to more remote areas of Monument Valley with stunning views.

Monument Valley 17-mile loop is a scenic drive that you can take through the valley. However, during peak season (March-August), the wait times can be high. Instead, consider taking a guided tour via vehicle or horse.

Before departing the area, grab some food from the visitor center because our next stop is pretty isolated!

Continue to Four Corners, an hour and 45 minutes from Monument Valley, which is another spot on the Navajo Reservation. The entry fee is also $8 per person and National Park passes are not accepted. Before you visit, be sure to check their hours as they do change seasonally.

Four Corners is the one and only location where four state borders meet! You can stand in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico all at once – although you’ll need to get down on all fours!

The area itself is definitely a tourist attraction with not much else to do in the area. There are vendors selling beautiful native artwork and often they have a food vendor selling Navajo tacos or fry bread (my favorite!).

Four Corners is very isolated, so plan accordingly. Bring A LOT of water and fill up on gas before visiting.

This evening, I recommend making the trek to Holbrook, Arizona (3 hours away from Four Corners). It’s a small town with good restaurants, recognizable hotel chains like the La Quinta Inn (budget at $125+ per night), and will put you in a good position for tomorrow! For dinner, try Sombreritos Mexican Food or Mesa Italiana Restaurant.

Day 11: Petrified Forest National Park and Meteor Crater

It’s the final full day so let’s make the most of it! Grab some breakfast from your hotel, make your own, or try Camaleon Cafe in Holbrook.

Drive 20 minutes from Holbrook to Petrified Forest National Park. In my opinion this is one of the most underrated and slept on national parks, especially for Arizona!

Petrified Forest National Park has a 28-mile main road with many viewpoints along the way, where the road connects US-180 to I-40 and travels just north of I-40. You can drive it either direction, but here are some recommended things to do.

On the north end, visit the Painted Desert Visitor Center and Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark, both of which have exhibits relevant to the park highlighting the history, Route 66, and paleontology.

Drive Petrified Forest Road and stop along the way. Tiponi Point is one of the closest to the entrance of the park on the north end and will give you views of the “painted” nature of the park. Some other stops on the north side include Pintado Point, Whipple Point, and Lacey Point.

Be sure to see Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument in the park. This is an archeological site with over 650 petroglyphs created by ancestral Puebloan people between 650 and 2000 years ago!

The Tepees are also a must-see along the main road. They’re triangular painted rocks and are truly other-worldly.

While there are plenty of hiking trails in the park, the 0.4-mile loop, Giant Logs, is a classic because it takes you around some of the most colorful petrified logs in the park! You’ll also see some of the largest with Old Faithful at almost 10 feet wide!

The other to consider is Crystal Forest, which is a 0.75-mile loop, where the petrified logs have crystals inside the wood deposits.

For lunch, you can grab something from Holbrook or try the Painted Desert Diner in the park for a meal.

Next on your itinerary is a fun science site – Meteor Crater, Arizona. It is indeed the site of a meteor impact and is an hour from Petrified Forest National Park.

The crater is a 50,000-year-old meteorite crater that’s almost ¾-mile in diameter! Be sure to visit the interactive discovery center, explore all the lookouts, and watch the educational film to learn about the site.

Tickets cost $18 for adults and includes a guided rim tour!

The meat and potatoes of the trip is now over! However, depending on your timing of leaving whether by car or plane, you might want to spend one more night nearby before driving to Phoenix to end the trip.

I recommend driving the 45 minutes to Flagstaff and staying there. If you have the time, Flagstaff has some great things to do like Lowell Observatory, the lava tubes, hiking Humphrey’s Peak, exploring downtown, catching a show at The Orpheum Theater, hiking around Arizona Snowbowl, or stargazing at Buffalo Park.

Day 12: Return to Phoenix and Depart

Head south to Phoenix to spend the day there or kill some time before your flight if you have it.

In Phoenix, there’s lots to do. I highly recommend purchasing a Tonto Pass (the parking pass for Arizona’s recreational parks), and tubing at Salt River. Bring water shoes and marshmallows – people throw them at each other as they pass fellow tubers. You can rent tubes and arrange transportation at Salt River Tubing.

Also in Phoenix, the Heard Museum houses a great collection of American Indian art and the Desert Botanical Garden is perfect for families who want to spend the day outside.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Arizona to Utah road trip itinerary! I know it’s a lot but there’s truly so much wonderfulness to see in the Southwest, so I’m so glad you’re taking the time to explore it!

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Extra time?

If you have some spare days in your travel plans, I recommend dedicating a day to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It’s a popular stop in Utah just 25 minutes from Bryce Canyon and given our crunched timeline, I skipped over it.

Some of the best things to do there are Toadstools Trail, a 1.5-mile round-trip hike that takes you through toadstool-esque rock formations, Grosvenor Arch, a 0.1-mile “hike” to a natural arch, and Willis Creek Slot Canyon, a longer, but still easy hike at around 5-miles out-and-back, but inanely beautiful!

You can also drive Hole-in-the-Rock Road or Cottonwood Canyon Road for scenic drives!

Finally, if you have multiple days, you can make the drive down to Tucson. In this area you’ll find Saguaro National Park, a lively ghost town (Tombstone), and one of the most southern located small towns, Bisbee. A personal favorite of mine is Kartchner Caverns State Park!

Short on time?

Yeah, I know there’s a lot to see and you might not have 12 days. Some of the activities on this last can be trimmed down, so here’s what I recommend skipping if you must:

• Montezuma Castle and Well
• Dark Canyon Wilderness
• Four Corners
• Meteor Crater
• National Parks as you see fit

My Travel Essentials

• Travel Insurance – Going on an international trip? Don’t forget travel and medical insurance with SafetyWing.
• Travel Card – If you’re new to travel hacking, fear not! My favorite card for beginners gives you $750 in rewards when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus lounge access, 10x points on hotel bookings, and free TSA pre-check!
• Get Your Guide – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
• Booking.com – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com, the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
• Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
• Give the Gift of Travel – This is the perfect gift for travelers in your life! Tinggly allows you to gift experiences around the world, perfect for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries.
• Staycation Idea – Check out Resort Pass, which gives you day passes to resorts so you can use their pool, spa, and fitness center, a great staycation idea!

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