24 Adventurous Day Trips from Sedona That Prove You’re Living in the Right Place
People come to Sedona for the red rocks, but once you’ve done the hikes, hit the vortexes, and had brunch with a view a few too many times, you start looking for what’s just outside the bubble. The surrounding region is one of the most varied in the country, with alpine forests, ancient ruins, mountain lakes, and desert canyons, all within reach for a quick reset.
During my van life years, Sedona became a base I returned to every time I was with someone who had said they hadn’t been there. But it was the short drives beyond town that really opened up the area for me.
These are the best day trips from Sedona, each less than three hours away and ranked by distance. If you live in the area or find yourself here longer than a weekend, this list solves the “where else can we go?” question without needing an overnight bag.
Easy Day Trips from Sedona: Less than 1 Hour
1. Cornville
Distance: 16 miles / ~25 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Cornville: Fall for changing cottonwoods
Cornville is where some of Arizona’s top vineyards quietly thrive in the high desert. Start with a walk near Oak Creek as it winds through open fields and tree-lined banks.
Page Springs Cellars and Javelina Leap are among the wineries that have put this town on the map, pouring Arizona varietals from tasting rooms that overlook the creek or back up to farms. Some travelers use this valley as a scenic rest stop. Others end up spending the whole afternoon on a patio with a glass in hand.
2. Oak Creek Canyon
Distance: 7.7 miles / ~30 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Fall for golden foliage
Oak Creek Canyon is often called a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon, though it’s much greener and a lot closer. It cuts a deep gorge through the Coconino National Forest, layering red rocks with forest canopies. The drive alone is enough of a reason to go.
This region between Sedona and Flagstaff packs in cliff walls, switchbacks, swimming spots, and scenic stops. West Fork Trail is one of the most loved hikes in Arizona, tracing an old forest trail through towering canyon walls and shallow stream crossings.
On weekends, it gets crowded fast, so weekday mornings are golden. If you’re headed uphill toward Flagstaff, pull over at Oak Creek Vista before the canyon ends.
3. Verde Canyon Railroad, Clarkdale
Distance: 19.8 miles / ~30 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Fall for the scenic foliage run
The Verde Canyon Railroad has been rolling through this river canyon for over a century. Originally built to haul copper, it now carries passengers through rugged terrain most people never see from the road. It’s one of the last scenic railways in Arizona.
The train departs from Clarkdale and moves through red rock cliffs, tunnels, and Sycamore Canyon wilderness with open-air cars and panoramic windows. Expect old trestle bridges and wide views of high desert cliffs. Commentary covers the history of mining towns and indigenous history along the way. The fall foliage rides are a favorite, but even in summer, the mix of rivers and deserts keeps things interesting.
4. Slide Rock State Park
Distance: 10.2 miles / ~35 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Slide Rock: Summer for swimming holes
Slide Rock started as an apple orchard in the early 1900s. Today, it’s known more for the natural water chute that turns part of Oak Creek into a waterslide. The state park is a favorite warm-weather hangout with families and road trippers.
The rocks are smooth and mossy, and the current picks up just enough speed to launch you down the sandstone. The swimming area is surrounded by canyon walls that rise up fast and catch the afternoon light. There are trails on both sides of the creek if you want to stay dry, and you can still walk through the historic orchard area.
5. Tuzigoot National Monument
Distance: 22.4 miles / ~35 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Tuzigoot: Spring for cooler hiking weather
Tuzigoot is a 110-room pueblo ruin perched on a ridge above the Verde River. Built by the Sinagua people around 1000 years ago, it’s one of the best-preserved hilltop ruins in the Southwest.
The walking trail loops around the excavated site and leads to the roof of the main building, where the view extends across Verde Valley. Along the way are interpretive signs that explain how the people here stored food, built structures, and used local materials. There’s a museum with pottery and artifacts found right on-site. This is a quick but rewarding stop if you’re already headed toward Clarkdale or Jerome.
6. Jerome
Distance: 24.1 miles / ~40 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Jerome: Spring for mild afternoons
At one point, Jerome was the fourth-largest city in Arizona and full of copper miners, bars, and rough characters. When the mines dried up, the population plummeted. Now it’s a hillside town full of artists and old buildings.
The drive up twists through hairpin curves until the town suddenly appears clinging to the mountain. You’ll find galleries, old saloons, haunted hotels, and more signs claiming to be haunted than you can count. Ghost tours are big here, but so are small art studios and local shops with things you don’t see anywhere else.
7. Verde Hot Springs
Distance: 56 miles / ~1 hour 45 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Spring for cooler hiking temps
Verde Hot Springs is what’s left of a 1920s hotel that once claimed to cure disease with hot mineral water. The hotel burned down long ago, but the pools remain, now covered in colorful graffiti and tucked along the Verde River.
The drive is rough, requiring a high-clearance vehicle and some planning, especially after rain. The trail starts near the Childs Power Plant site and involves a river crossing.
Once you reach the springs, the water is warm, the setting is wild, and the graffiti-covered concrete walls create an odd, colorful backdrop against the wilderness.
8. Montezuma Castle National Monument
Distance: 28.6 miles / ~40 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Montezuma Castle: Spring for shaded trails
Montezuma Castle is a five-story cliff dwelling built by the Sinagua people around 900 years ago. Despite the name, it has nothing to do with Montezuma or castles. It’s one of the most visited archaeological sites in Arizona.
The main structure is carved into a limestone cliff 90 feet above the valley floor. Visitors can’t climb into the rooms, but the walking loop offers plenty of views and photo angles. The surrounding area is shaded by trees with a paved path, making it one of the easier walks on this list. There’s a small museum and visitor center that explains how and why the cliff dwellings were made.
9. Flagstaff
Distance: 32.9 miles / ~50 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Flagstaff: Summer for cool mountain air
Flagstaff regularly sees snow while Sedona bakes. It’s a full shift in terrain and weather just under an hour away. Downtown Flagstaff is a mix of local shops, old neon, and train whistles. It’s an easy place to walk, with streets lined by breweries and outdoor gear stores.
Hikers head straight to the base of Humphreys Peak, the tallest point in the state. Lowell Observatory is another standout to stargaze at night.
Best Day Trips from Sedona: Less than 2 Hours
10. Williams & Grand Canyon Railway
Distance: 61 miles / 1 hr 15 min
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go: Fall for scenic train rides
The Grand Canyon Railway has been carrying passengers to the South Rim since 1901. Departing from Williams, the train recreates an old-school journey with restored cars and staged Wild West characters along the way. The ride is slow and full of views.
The historic depot in Williams sets the tone with live music and costumed actors before the train departs. Inside the train, you’ll get narration and big windows facing out to ponderosa pine forest and high desert plains.
Once you reach the Grand Canyon Village, there’s enough time to walk the South Rim trail or board the shuttle. It’s a full-day trip that splits the journey into two scenic halves.
11. Walnut Canyon National Monument
Distance: 40 miles / 1 hr 25 min
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Walnut Canyon: Spring for shaded hikes
Walnut Canyon holds dozens of cliff dwellings built into its limestone walls. These were the homes of the Sinagua people over 700 years ago. What makes this site special is how close you get to the actual rooms.
The Island Trail leads down into the canyon and loops past more than 20 dwellings carved directly into the rock face. It’s not a long trail, but it’s steep and stacked with switchbacks.
If you’re not hiking, the Rim Trail offers less effort with interpretive signs and canyon views. There’s also a visitor center with solid exhibits that cover daily life, tools, and why this location was chosen.
12. Watson Lake, Prescott
Distance: 66.5 miles / 1 hr 35 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Summer for kayaking and climbing
Watson Lake is known for its surreal granite boulders jutting up from bright blue water. It’s one of the most unusual-looking lakes in Arizona and draws climbers, paddlers, and photographers all year.
You can rent a kayak or paddleboard and drift between the massive rock formations, many of which look like stacked marbles. The Peavine Trail and Watson Lake Loop take you along the water’s edge with killer views at every turn.
There’s a small fee to park, but the lake feels surprisingly uncrowded most days. Prescott itself is just up the road if you want to pair nature time with historic downtown streets.
13. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Distance: 52.8 miles / 1 hr 30 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Spring for lava hikes without heat
Sunset Crater last erupted around 1085 and reshaped the landscape with black lava flows and volcanic cinder fields. Today, the terrain still feels otherworldly. You won’t find much vegetation, just dark earth and distant mountains.
The Lava Flow Trail circles the base of the crater through cooled lava and ash deposits. Interpretive signs explain how the eruption affected nearby communities and even changed migration patterns. The trail is easy to walk, but looping roads through the monument also pass through forests that contrast sharply with the barren crater zone.
14. Wupatki National Monument
Distance: 74 miles / 1 hr 35 min
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Wupatki: Fall for mild weather
Wupatki is home to the ruins of several ancient pueblos spread across high desert land north of Flagstaff. The largest structure, Wupatki Pueblo, once had over 100 rooms and served as a central meeting spot for trade and ceremony.
You can walk through the ruins and still see ball courts, gathering areas, and living quarters. There’s a short trail from the visitor center that gets you up close to the walls without any modern structures in sight. If you’re interested in pre-Columbian architecture, this is one of the best spots in the state.
Combine it with Sunset Crater nearby for a full loop through history and geology.
15. Sycamore Falls
Distance: 64.9 miles / 1 hr 40 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Spring for waterfall flow
Sycamore Falls is hidden in one of Arizona’s largest and least developed canyons. It only flows after rain or snowmelt. When it’s running, it pours off a 70-foot cliff into the canyon below.
The area is part of Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, a quieter cousin to Oak Creek and Red Rock Country. There’s a short hike from the trailhead to the falls and several other trails that wind along the rim. Check conditions before you go if you’re chasing the waterfall, but even when dry, the canyon walls and views are worth the trip.
16. Seligman, Route 66
Distance: 63 miles / 1 hr 45 min
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Seligman: Spring for road trip weather
Seligman claims to be the birthplace of Route 66’s revival and wears its retro credentials with pride. Neon signs, classic cars, and crazy roadside attractions are everywhere. If it looks like a movie set, that’s because it partly inspired one.
The town is dotted with old diners, souvenir shops, and murals dedicated to the highway’s heyday. Walk the main drag, and you’ll see relics from the golden age of road trips mixed with tributes to “Cars,” the Pixar film that drew from Seligman’s story.
17. Meteor Crater
Distance: 74.5 miles / 1 hr 50 min
Type: Educational
Best Time to Go to Meteor Crater: Winter for fewer crowds
Meteor Crater is the best-preserved impact site on Earth, created by a collision roughly 50,000 years ago. The crater is nearly a mile wide and more than 500 feet deep.
There’s a museum with interactive exhibits, a short film, and an observation deck that gives scale to the impact. Guided rim tours provide more context about the science and history, including Apollo astronaut training that took place here in the 1960s. It’s touristy, and the entrance is kind of high for what it is, but it’s not every day you get to see a giant hole in the ground.
Sedona Day Trips: Around or Less than 3 Hours
18. Grand Canyon South Rim
Distance: 117 miles / 2 hr 20 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Grand Canyon: Fall for fewer crowds
The Grand Canyon stretches 277 miles, but the South Rim is where most travelers go for that first jaw-drop moment. It’s open year-round and has the most facilities, lookouts, and accessible trails. Even if you’ve seen photos a hundred times, it’s still awe-inspiring when you finally see them in person.
Once inside the park, start with Mather Point or Yavapai Observation Station for wide-open views. The Rim Trail is mostly paved and runs along the canyon edge, with shuttle stops along the way. If you want to hike, South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point is a good option that doesn’t take up the whole day. Grand Canyon Village has exhibits, lodges, and some historic architecture like the El Tovar Hotel and Hopi House.
19. Grand Falls
Distance: 130 miles / 2 hr 30 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Grand Falls: Spring for snowmelt flow
Grand Falls, also called Chocolate Falls, roars to life when snowmelt or monsoon rains push the Little Colorado River over a 185-foot drop. It’s taller than Niagara Falls and looks like a wall of muddy coffee when it’s flowing.
The falls sit on Navajo land and require a drive over bumpy dirt roads. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended, especially after rain. When dry, the site is quiet and otherworldly, with jagged lava rock and wide desert views. When wet, it turns into one of Arizona’s most dramatic water shows. Check flow reports before heading out., but it is also now no longer open to the public.
20. Petrified Forest National Park
Distance: 140 miles / 2 hr 30 min
Type: Educational
Best Time to Go to Petrified Forest: Fall for cooler temps
This is the only national park where you can drive through a rainbow of fossilized logs and Triassic-era history in under an hour. Petrified Forest is packed with stone trees that fell over 200 million years ago, slowly turning into crystal.
The park road cuts through painted hills and colorful badlands, with pullouts and trails all along the way. Don’t miss Blue Mesa Trail, a short loop through bluish canyons and striped mounds.
At the southern entrance, Giant Logs Trail puts you face-to-face with the biggest fossilized trunks. The Painted Desert section on the north side shows off bands of red, orange, and lavender soil that change color with the sun.
21. Lower Salt River & Wild Horses
Distance: 137 miles / 2 hr 30 min
Type: Wildlife
Best Time to Go: Summer for tubing season
The Lower Salt River is one of the only places in the country where wild horses roam free along a floatable river. These horses aren’t fenced in or fed. They move in and out of the water, often just steps from kayakers or tubers.
The river runs through Tonto National Forest and is a summer favorite for tubing and paddling. Launch from points like Granite Reef or Coon Bluff early in the day to beat the heat and catch wildlife along the banks. Roadside pull-offs give decent chances of spotting herds at sunrise or dusk. Salt River horses have become a bit of a local legend, and seeing them splash into the water is a rare, very Arizona kind of moment.
22. Painted Desert
Distance: 139 miles / 2 hr 40 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Painted Desert: Winter for clearer skies
The Painted Desert runs across northern Arizona in waves of color. It’s not one single spot but a broad region of layered hills and mesas. The best stretch is inside Petrified Forest National Park.
You can catch views from several pullouts along the main park road. The colors shift from deep reds to soft lavenders and grays, especially at sunrise and sunset. While it’s mostly seen by car, there are short trails that get you closer to the rock formations and viewpoints like Tiponi and Tawa.
23. Antelope Canyon
Distance: 164 miles / 2 hr 50 min
Type: Artistic
Best Time to Go to Antelope Canyon: Spring for better light beams
Antelope Canyon is one of the most photographed slot canyons in the world, carved by flash floods and sculpted over time into narrow corridors of smooth sandstone. The light beams that cut through the top around midday are what made it famous.
You need a guided tour to access either Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon. Both slot canyons are located near Page on Navajo land. The upper part is easier to walk on and gets the light shafts. Lower is narrower and has stairs but fewer crowds. Tours are tightly scheduled and can sell out fast, so book ahead.. The walls glow orange and red, and every turn reveals another perfectly framed photo. It’s touristy, but I promise it lives up to the hype.
24. Lake Powell & Page
Distance: 161 miles / 2 hr 50 min
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go Page: Summer for boating and swimming
Lake Powell is one of the largest manmade lakes in the U.S., with over 1,900 miles of shoreline. It straddles Arizona and Utah, surrounded by canyons and red rock mesas. Page is the main hub for exploring the area.
Boat rentals and kayaks launch from Wahweap Marina, giving access to slot canyons and boondocking beaches. Lone Rock Beach is a popular swim spot with open camping along the shore.
Above the lake, Horseshoe Bend is just a short hike from the highway and gives a dramatic bend-in-the-river view that’s earned its fame. You can also kayak the river below if you have an extra day.
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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