Phoenix
Day trip from Phoenix to Sedona: how to get there and what to do
Yes, Sedona is worth a day trip from Phoenix if you leave by 7am and accept about 2 hours each way by car; you get 6–8 hours among the red rocks. Skip it as a day trip if you want long hikes, or take an organised tour if you would rather not drive. Staying overnight is better for sunrise and stargazing.
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GuidePhoenix
Key facts
- Drive time each waycheck
- About 2 h (roughly 185 km) via I-17 and AZ-179
- Best departure
- Leave Phoenix by 7am to clear Phoenix traffic and park before midday
- Time in Sedona
- 6–8 h on a day trip; 2 full days to add hikes and Oak Creek
- Car neededcheck
- Yes for trailheads and viewpoints; a free shuttle serves some lots
- Tour optioncheck
- Guided day tours from Phoenix run most days; book ahead in spring and autumn
- Parkingcheck
- Trailhead lots fill by mid-morning; a Red Rock Pass is required at many sites
- Stay overnight if
- You want sunrise light, dark skies or a Pink Jeep tour without a late drive back
Is it worth it
Sedona sits about 185 km north of Phoenix, at the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon, surrounded by red sandstone buttes. The drive is short enough that a day trip works: leave early, spend the middle of the day among the rocks, and be back in Phoenix for dinner.
The trade-off is time in the car against time on the ground. Two hours each way leaves roughly 6–8 hours in Sedona, which is enough for one short hike, a scenic drive and a meal. It is not enough for a long trail, a jeep tour and a sunset, so decide what you are there for before you leave.
This trip suits travellers based in Phoenix or Scottsdale with a free day and a car. It does not suit anyone who wants to hike Cathedral Rock or Doe Mountain properly, or who wants to see the rocks at first and last light — for that, stay a night or two.
- Good day trip: one easy trail, Airport Mesa or Chapel of the Holy Cross, lunch in Uptown, drive home before dark.
- Better as an overnight: long hikes, jeep tours, sunrise and sunset viewpoints, stargazing.
Getting there
Driving is the default. Take I-17 north from Phoenix to Camp Verde or the Village of Oak Creek exit, then AZ-179 into Sedona. Allow about 2 hours each way without stops; Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings add time on I-17.
There is no useful scheduled bus or train between Phoenix and Sedona. Organised day tours from Phoenix and Scottsdale cover the round trip and a few stops, which suits anyone who would rather not drive; they usually run as a full-day trip with an early start.
If you are coming from Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, pick up a rental car there rather than in the city — the airport road joins I-17 directly. Fill the tank before you leave the metro area; fuel is cheaper in Phoenix than in Sedona.
| Mode | Cost (2026 estimate) | Time each way | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-drive car | Fuel about US$25–35 return, plus rental if needed | About 2 h | Most flexible; parking is the main constraint |
| Guided day tour | About US$150–250 per person | About 2 h | Includes transport and some stops; book ahead |
| Bus or train | Not available | — | No direct scheduled service; check before relying on it |
| Private transfer | About US$200–350 per vehicle | About 2 h | Door to door; useful for groups |
| Fly | Not practical | — | No commercial airport in Sedona for this route |
Prices are 2026 estimates; confirm tour prices and any parking or pass fees before booking.
One-day plan
This plan assumes a car and a 7am departure from Phoenix. Times are rough and shift with traffic and how long you linger.
If you would rather not drive, a guided tour replaces the driving legs and usually includes a viewpoint stop, Uptown Sedona and sometimes a jeep segment.
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | Leave Phoenix; coffee and breakfast on the road |
| 09:00 | Arrive Sedona; drive AZ-179 through the Village of Oak Creek for the first red-rock views |
| 09:30 | Short trail such as Bell Rock Pathway or Airport Mesa loop |
| 11:30 | Chapel of the Holy Cross or a viewpoint stop |
| 13:00 | Lunch in Uptown Sedona or West Sedona |
| 14:30 | Scenic drive up Oak Creek Canyon on AZ-89A, or a jeep tour |
| 16:30 | Last viewpoint and a walk in Uptown |
| 17:30 | Drive back to Phoenix; arrive about 19:30 |
Costs
A self-drive day trip is the cheapest option: fuel is the main cost, plus any parking or trailhead pass. Tours cost more per person but remove the driving and parking problem.
Add food and any activity fees. Jeep tours, wine tastings and spa visits in Sedona are priced separately and are the easiest way for a day trip to get expensive.
| Item | 2026 estimate |
|---|---|
| Fuel, Phoenix return | US$25–35 |
| Red Rock Pass (where required) | About US$5 per day, US$15 per week (check) |
| Guided day tour | US$150–250 per person |
| Lunch, casual | US$15–25 per person |
| Jeep tour | US$75–150 per person (check) |
| Total, self-drive day | About US$60–100 for two people |
Estimates only; confirm current pass and tour prices locally.
Stay overnight?
Stay if you want the light. Sedona's rocks look best in the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, and both are hard to catch on a day trip from Phoenix. An overnight also lets you add a longer hike, a jeep tour and an evening in Uptown without a two-hour drive home in the dark.
Go back the same day if you have one free day, a car and modest ambitions: a short trail, a viewpoint and lunch is a fair return for four hours of driving. If you are already heading north towards Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon, stop in Sedona on the way rather than doubling back.
Book lodging ahead for spring and autumn weekends, when Sedona fills up. Phoenix hotels are usually cheaper, so a day trip can also be the budget choice.
- Day trip: one trail, one viewpoint, lunch, home before dark.
- Overnight: sunrise and sunset viewpoints, longer hikes, jeep tour, stargazing.
Map
Sedona is roughly 185 km north of central Phoenix. The main approach is I-17 north, then AZ-179 from the Village of Oak Creek or AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon from Flagstaff.
Coordinates below are approximate and mark the Sedona area rather than a single address.
Questions people ask
Is Sedona worth a day trip from Phoenix?
Yes, if you leave early and accept about 2 hours each way. You get 6–8 hours for one short hike, a viewpoint and lunch. Stay overnight instead if you want long trails, sunrise light or a jeep tour without a late drive.
How do I get from Phoenix to Sedona?
Drive: I-17 north then AZ-179, about 2 hours each way. There is no useful scheduled bus or train. Guided day tours from Phoenix and Scottsdale cover the round trip, and private transfers suit groups. A car is needed for trailheads.
How long should I spend in Sedona?
A day trip gives 6–8 hours on the ground, enough for one easy trail, a viewpoint stop and a meal. Two full days let you add longer hikes, Oak Creek Canyon and a jeep tour. Three days covers the area comfortably.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialArizona Office of Tourism
- officialVisit Sedona
- officialArizona Department of Transportation
- secondaryWikivoyage – Sedona
- secondaryWikivoyage – Phoenix