Denver to Phoenix road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

The best road trip stops on the Denver to Phoenix drive are Moab, Monument Valley and Sedona. The distance from Denver to Phoenix is 865 miles, with a 12h50m driving time.

Planning a Denver to Phoenix road trip itinerary

The Denver to Phoenix drive connects the capitals of Colorado and Arizona.

Top Denver experiences include Rocky Mountain National Park day tours, downtown Denver food tours and chilling guided ghost walks around the Cheeseman Park cemetery.

Also worth considering are whiskey and history tours, guided mountain hikes and craft beer tours.

Memorable Denver accommodation options include the charming Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast and the strikingly stylish Ramble.

A stay in Phoenix is at its best when you explore the surrounding Sonoran Desert. That might be in a hot air balloon flight, on an ATV tour or on a guided sunset hiking adventure. You can also do day tours along the Apache Trail.

For other Phoenix experiences, try a downtown food tour, a street art tour or a spooky nighttime ghost walk.

Attractions that you might wish to buy advance include cell phone-friendly tickets for include Phoenix Zoo, the Sea Life aquarium or a drunk Shakespeare performance.

For Phoenix accommodation options with a bit of character, try the art-splashed Foundre or the resort-like Raintree at Phoenix South Mountain Preserve.

Denver to Phoenix distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Denver to Phoenix is 865 miles. You can expect a driving time of around 12 hours and 50 minutes. The quickest route is usually the one that crosses the Rockies on the I-70, then works its way down through Utah.

The best stops to add to a Denver to Phoenix road trip itinerary are Moab, Monument Valley and Sedona.

Best stops between Denver and Phoenix: Moab, Utah

All-action Moab offers 4×4 adventures in Arches National Park, rafting on the Colorado River, half day trips into the rugged ranges of Canyonlands National Park and e-bike petroglyph tours. For other Moab experiences, try drive-your-own-Jeep tours, canyoneering adventures and paddleboarding on the Colorado.

Of the Moab accommodation options, the Moab Resort offers style and panache and the Inca Inn is a solid, affordable motel.

Before reaching Moab, there are several excellent potential stops in the Rocky Mountains. Read the guide to the Denver to Moab drive for more suggestions.

Denver to Phoenix drive: Monument Valley

You’ll recognise Monument Valley from countless movies, including Easy Rider and Forrest Gump. It’s a genuinely spectacular collection of buttes that rise steeply out of the desert.

Monument Valley spreads across the Utah-Arizona border, and is part of Navajo Nation land. The 17-mile Valley Drive shows off the best spots, but it is on a rough dirt road. It is just about manageable in a conventional vehicle, but a high clearance SUV or 4×4 is strongly recommended.

If not wanting to risk the wrath of the hire car company, Monument Valley tours are available. You can go in an open-air vehicle with a Navajo guide, on a two hour horseback tour or on a photography-friendly sunset tour.

Denver to Phoenix road trip attractions: Sedona, Arizona

Desert town Sedona sits in an inspirational setting amid red rock buttes, canyons and forest. It’s no wonder so many artists choose to live there. Fantastic spots around Sedona include Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte and Red Rock Crossing.

The surrounding desert trails and state parks are magnificent for hiking and biking. You can also explore on a scenic helicopter flight, outback Jeep tour, guided ATV adventure or e-biking at Cathedral Rock.

Other Sedona experiences include Verde Valley wine tours, Jeep tours of the mystical Sedona vortexes, glassblowing workshops and nighttime stargazing sessions.

For great Sedona accommodation that makes the most of the views, try the Sky Ranch Lodge or Amara Resort.

For more ideas of where to stop, visit the guide to the Sedona to Phoenix drive.

Street art in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo by Rueben Juarez/ Unsplash.

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Denver to Phoenix road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Planning a Denver to Phoenix road trip itinerary

Denver to Phoenix distance and driving time

Best stops between Denver and Phoenix: Moab, Utah

Denver to Phoenix drive: Monument Valley

Denver to Phoenix road trip attractions: Sedona, Arizona

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