23 Epic Day Trips from Flagstaff That Belong on Your Arizona Bucket List
Flagstaff may be a small town by itself, but it’s surrounded by some of the most varied landscapes in the Southwest. During my van life stretch through the Southwest, it became one of my go-to bases, cooler than Phoenix, less chaotic than Sedona, and surrounded by landscapes that change fast with every hour you drive.
The real win is how many quick escapes are packed around it. I found myself constantly surprised by how much I could see in just a few hours without having to fully pack up camp. These are the best day trips from Flagstaff, all less than three hours away.
Easy Day Trips from Flagstaff: Less than 1 Hour
1. Flagstaff Extreme
Distance: 4 miles/~10 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Summer for cooler mountain air
Flagstaff Extreme is the highest adventure course in Arizona, sitting at 7,000 feet above sea level. Suspended bridges, rope swings, zip lines, and balancing elements spread across a dense ponderosa pine forest in Fort Tuthill County Park.
The aerial courses are tiered by difficulty, so you can build up to the black course if you’re bold. For an extra jolt of adrenaline, the zipline-only course sends you flying through the canopy. Kids have their own lower course, too.
2. Walnut Canyon National Monument
Distance: 8.5 miles/~15 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Fall for cooler hikes
Hundreds of years ago, the Sinagua people carved homes into the steep walls of Walnut Canyon. Some of those cliff dwellings still cling to the rock face, visible from trails that wind along the rim.
You can hike the Island Trail, a one-mile loop with stairs, views, and access to 25 cliff dwellings. Even if you’re not usually into history, the architectural precision and the canyon’s acoustics are impressive.
3. San Francisco Peaks / Arizona Snowbowl
Distance: 14 miles/~25 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Fall for golden aspens
The San Francisco Peaks include Arizona’s tallest mountain, Humphreys Peak, which towers at 12,633 feet. It’s the only alpine environment in the state, and it looks like it was plucked out of Colorado and dropped into northern Arizona.
Arizona Snowbowl draws skiers and snowboarders in winter, but the area is just as good in summer and fall. Ride the scenic gondola to over 11,000 feet and look across to the Grand Canyon on a clear day. Hikers can head up the Humphreys Trail or stick to the lower loops.
4. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Distance: 19 miles/~30 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Spring for mild temps
Sunset Crater last erupted about 1,000 years ago, and the lava flow still looks otherworldly. The Lava Flow Trail is the main attraction, short and easy but packed with volcanic debris, twisted trees, and views of the cinder cone itself. The contrast between the jet-black ground and the pine forest is striking.
You can’t hike the actual crater anymore, but you can get close enough to appreciate the scale. Interpretive signs explain how the eruption reshaped the landscape and impacted nearby Indigenous communities.
5. Williams & Grand Canyon Railway
Distance: 33 miles/~35 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Winter for Polar Express train
The Grand Canyon Railway has been running since 1901 and still departs daily from Williams. The 65-mile ride to the South Rim is narrated, scenic, and occasionally interrupted by costumed train robbers.
Williams itself feels like an old Route 66 postcard, with souvenir shops, old-school motels, and a kitschy Wild West vibe. If you’re short on time or just want to skip the car ride, the train is a solid way to get to the canyon.
6. Slide Rock State Park
Distance: 23 miles/~40 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Slide Rock: Summer for natural swimming holes
Slide Rock is one of the only places in Arizona where people willingly line up to sit in freezing cold water. The slick red rock acts like a natural waterslide, sending swimmers bouncing downstream with zero control.
Once a homestead and apple orchard, this amazing state park still keeps its historic charm with old wooden buildings and picnic areas shaded by fruit trees. But the main event is the creek.
7. Meteor Crater
Distance: 35 miles/~40 minutes
Type: Educational
Best Time to Go to Meteor Crater: Winter for smaller crowds
Meteor Crater is nearly a mile wide, 550 feet deep, and formed by an asteroid impact about 50,000 years ago. It’s one of the best-preserved craters on Earth and looks like it could double as a movie set for a moon landing.
The Visitors Center has NASA artifacts, impact simulations, and guided rim tours that help put the scale in perspective. It’s surprisingly engaging for something that’s essentially a big hole in the ground. The whole site is privately owned and well-maintained; however, the entry fee is a bit steep for what it offers.
8. Wupatki National Monument
Distance: 30.5 miles/~45 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Wupatki: Spring for less wind
Wupatki holds the remains of multiple pueblos built between 1100 and 1200 by the Ancestral Puebloans. One structure alone has over 100 rooms, rising from the red rock like it’s still inhabited.
You can wander through the main Wupatki Pueblo and several smaller ones nearby via short trails. What’s wild is how isolated it feels, like a secret outpost in the middle of nothing. There’s also a ball court and a blowhole that spits up bursts of air depending on underground pressure shifts. The loop drive connecting Wupatki and Sunset Crater makes it easy to hit both in a single afternoon.
9. Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive
Distance: 24.8 miles/~45 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Fall for leaf peeping
Arizona doesn’t do fall foliage like Vermont, but Oak Creek Canyon has bright gold aspens and fiery red maples that line the winding road.
The scenic route between Flagstaff and Sedona descends 4,500 feet and hugs cliffs, streams, and forests the whole way. Stop at the Overlook near the top for panoramic views, or pull off at any of the trailheads that snake down to the water. West Fork Trail is a local favorite, especially in cooler months.
10. Sedona
Distance: 29 miles/~50 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Sedona: Spring for best hiking weather
Sedona draws over three million visitors a year, and it went straight on my bucket list the moment I heard about it. This town has built a full identity around outdoor recreation, spas, ATVs, art galleries, and jeep tours to energy vortexes.
If you’re in it for hiking, trails like Devil’s Bridge and Cathedral Rock are worth it despite the one hour photo line. Uptown Sedona has walkable streets packed with shops and pop-up art markets, while you can snap photos at the Tlaquepaque Arts Village for hours. You can not miss a visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross or a sunset from Airport Mesa.
11. Montezuma Castle National Monument
Distance: 54 miles/~55 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Spring for blooming desert plants
Montezuma Castle isn’t a castle and has nothing to do with Montezuma. It’s a five-story cliff dwelling carved into a limestone wall, built by the Sinagua people around 900 years ago.
You can’t climb up to it, but the paved loop trail takes you close enough for a good look. The site is small and doesn’t take long to explore, which makes it a smart stop on your way to or from Sedona. When I visited, there were free ranger-led tours that shared more specific information on the destination.
Best Day Trips from Flagstaff: Less than 2 Hours
12. Tuzigoot & Dead Horse Ranch State Park
Distance: 67.5 miles/~1 hr 10 min
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Spring for blooming cottonwoods
Tuzigoot is a 110-room hilltop pueblo built by the Sinagua people over 900 years ago. It’s just outside Cottonwood, next door to a surprisingly green riparian corridor at Dead Horse Ranch State Park.
Start at Tuzigoot National Monument, where the stone walls of the pueblo still snake across the ridge. You can walk right through the ruins, including up to the rooftop for views over the Verde River valley. Then, drive or bike the short distance to Dead Horse Ranch, where cottonwood trees line the river, and trails wrap around lagoons.
13. Homolovi State Park
Distance: 64 miles/~1 hr 15 min
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Spring for wildflowers and cooler hikes
Homolovi means “Place of the Little Hills” in Hopi, and it’s home to several ancient pueblos that date back to between 1260 and 1400. It’s quieter than most other archaeological sites in Arizona.
Trails lead to low-slung ruins still partially buried in the earth, with broken pottery shards often scattered near your feet. The Visitor Center offers context on the Hopi connection to the land and how they view Homolovi as an ancestral homeland.
Stargazing is excellent out here thanks to the park’s remote location, and the nearby Little Colorado River adds unexpected greenery to the high desert terrain.
14. Blue Canyon near Tuba City
Distance: ~95 miles/~2 hrs
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Fall for soft light and dry roads
Blue Canyon isn’t marked on most maps, and reaching it requires a permit from the Hopi Tribe plus a guide. But if you can swing the logistics, the payoff is a valley filled with striped, surreal rock spires in shades of red, purple, and chalky white.
The formations look like drip sandcastles frozen in time. Unlike Antelope Canyon or Horseshoe Bend, there’s rarely a crowd. Erosion has carved wild, unpredictable shapes into the clay and sandstone. Photography here is off the charts, especially early or late in the day when the colors really pop.
15. Grand Canyon South Rim
Distance: 79 miles/~1 hr 30 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Grand Canyon: Winter for no lines and clear skies
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon draws over 5 million visitors a year, and there’s no version of a day trip list from Flagstaff where it doesn’t belong. Even if you’ve seen the photos, there’s nothing like the first time you look down over the canyon rim.
Drive up through Tusayan or take the train from Williams. Once you’re in the park, you’ve got options: hike part of Bright Angel Trail, bike the Rim Trail, or hop the shuttle bus to Desert View Watchtower. Sunrise and sunset are the headliners, but mid-morning hikes away from the crowds can be just as good. Don’t bother trying to see everything in a day. Pick one or two overlooks, walk a trail, and take your time.
16. Jerome
Distance: 66 miles/~1 hr 20 min
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Jerome: Fall for fewer crowds and cooler streets
Once a copper mining town and later a ghost town, Jerome is now filled with steep roads, offbeat art galleries, and buildings that feel like they haven’t moved since the 1920s.
Wander through old hotels, stop in for live glassblowing demos, or peer into the mine museum perched on the edge of the cliff. Ghost tours are a big deal here. The town’s elevation means cooler weather and big views across the Verde Valley.
17. Petrified Forest National Park
Distance: 109 miles/~1 hr 45 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Petrified Forest: Fall for low sun and better color
Petrified Forest is the only national park in the U.S. with a section of Route 66 running through it. The fossilized trees are over 200 million years old, turned to quartz, and glittering underfoot like stone jewels.
Start at the Painted Desert Visitor Center and work your way south through overlooks and trails. Blue Mesa is a standout, where pastel-colored hills feel more like badlands from another planet. The Crystal Forest trail loops through dense clusters of petrified logs that show off reds, yellows, and blues.
Flagstaff Day Trips: Around or Less than 3 Hours
18. Lake Powell and Page
Distance: 130 miles/~2 hr 30 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Page: Summer for boating and swimming
Lake Powell extends across the Arizona–Utah border with nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline, more than the entire West Coast of the United States. It’s an artificial lake where you can rent kayaks, jet skis, or houseboats right in Page and get out into the maze of side canyons that branch off from the main channel.
Lone Rock Beach is a popular place to park for the day, and Rainbow Bridge National Monument is an incredible sight only accessible by boat and a short hike. Horseshoe Bend and Glen Canyon Dam are both right outside town and easy to tack on.
19. Navajo National Monument
Distance: 138 miles/~2 hr 30 min
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Spring for mild weather
Navajo National Monument protects three ancient cliff dwellings tucked into remote canyons in the Navajo Nation. The best-known, Betatakin, is built into a massive alcove with walls that soar over 400 feet high.
You can take a short walk to a viewpoint or sign up for a free guided hike into the canyon, which is only available on select days. The museum and visitor center teach about people who once lived here and how they adapted to the arid environment.
20. Antelope Canyon
Distance: 130 miles/~2 hr 30 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Antelope Canyon: Spring for best light
Antelope Canyon might be the most photographed slot canyon in the world. The soft, swirling sandstone walls and overhead shafts of light have made it a global bucket list destination.
Upper and Lower Antelope are the two main sections, both only accessible with a Navajo guide. Upper is easier to walk through and known for the light beams, while Lower has ladders and tighter squeezes. Tours sell out fast, especially during mid-day when the light is best, so book ahead.
Despite the crowds, it’s still too incredible to be letdown. Combine it with Horseshoe Bend or Lake Powell for a full day of incredulous beauty.
21. Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Distance: 160 miles/~3 hr
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Fall for golden cottonwoods
Canyon de Chelly is still home to Navajo families who farm at the base of 1,000-foot cliffs. It’s one of the few national monuments located on tribal land that’s jointly managed with the National Park Service.
The South Rim Drive has the most overlooks, including Spider Rock, which towers 800 feet above the canyon floor. The White House Ruin Trail is the only hike you can do without a guide and leads to ancient cliff dwellings. For anything deeper into the canyon, you’ll need a Navajo-led tour.
22. Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument
Distance: 161 miles/~3 hr
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Fall for cooler hikes
Grand Staircase–Escalante covers nearly 1.9 million acres of wild terrain, slot canyons, arches, and sandstone cliffs. It’s not in Arizona, but it’s just over the border in southern Utah and is worth the long day drive from Flagstaff.
You’ll want to stop in Kanab or Big Water for maps and trail updates since many roads are unpaved. The Lower Calf Creek Falls hike is one of the best options for first-time visitors: a 6-mile round-trip hike that ends at a tall desert waterfall surrounded by shade and rock art. Other highlights include Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Gulch slot canyons for those up for tight squeezes.
23. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Distance: 175 miles/~3 hr 10 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Monument Valley: Spring for clear skies and cool temps
Monument Valley is one of the most iconic landscapes in the Southwest, known for the towering buttes that rise straight from the red desert floor. It’s been the backdrop for westerns, car commercials, and countless photo spreads.
The main 17-mile loop road through the valley is unpaved but manageable for most vehicles in good weather. Stops include the Mittens, Totem Pole, and John Ford Point. To get deeper into the park and see places off the main loop, you’ll need a Navajo guide.
The sunrises and sunsets here are some of the best anywhere in the region, turning the sandstone into a palette of oranges and reds that looks unreal.
Catherine, a seasoned travel writer, has lived in 4 different states and explored 36 states and 28 national parks. After spending two years embracing van life, she's now dedicated to sharing her vast knowledge of day trips across America. Catherine's other works has been referenced in major publications like MSN, Self, and TripSavvy.
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