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Arizona: Phoenix to Sedona – Route Guide

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Cathedral Rock Sedona — Arizona: Phoenix to Sedona
Photo: Nikolai Gates Vetr · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Out of Phoenix's saguaro sprawl and up through territorial Prescott to Jerome, a mile-high ghost town clinging to its copper mountain, saloons still pouring, then the drop into Sedona's red-rock amphitheatre. Cathedral Rock at sunset explains the crystal shops; Slide Rock's natural waterslide explains the families. The desert doing theatre.

Arizona: Phoenix to Sedona is a 240 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 3–5 days; the plan below is the 4-day version for April, built from 248 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

3–5
days
240km
distance
4
Stops
248
curated stops

Plan your own version → 3-day plan · 4-day plan · 5-day plan · best time to go

The route

Phoenix→ 160 kmPrescott→ 35 kmJerome→ 45 kmSedona

What you'll see

Heard Museum
Appreciate Native American cultures and arts, including stunning Hopi Kachina dolls.
Phoenix
Museum of Indigenous People (formerly Smoki Museum of American Indian Art and Culture)
See rotating exhibits on regional Native American tribes and their rich culture.
Prescott
Jerome State Historic Park
Visit the Douglas Mansion, a museum showcasing the area's rich history.
Jerome
Palatki Heritage Site
Explore ancient cliff dwellings and pictographs in a serene forest setting.
Sedona
Arizona State Capitol Museum
Learn about Arizona's government through artifacts, technology, and hands-on activities.
Phoenix
Fort Whipple Museum
Explore historic military artifacts in a former officer's quarters.
Prescott
Mine Museum
Discover the history of mining in Jerome through engaging exhibits.
Jerome
Slide Rock State Park
Enjoy swimming in a creek and visiting this historic apple farm with a famous rock slide.
Sedona

Choose your length

3-day plan16 stops · 7.7 h transit5.3 stops/day · 2.6 h transit/daySee the full plan →4-day plan23 stops · 8.7 h transit5.8 stops/day · 2.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →5-day plan28 stops · 10.3 h transit5.6 stops/day · 2.1 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: March, April, May

Red-rock hiking in kind temperatures, Oak Creek swimming as it warms, and Jerome's cliff-hung saloons between — spring and fall are Arizona's gift seasons.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →