Mesa to Flagstaff road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

The best road trip stops on the Mesa to Flagstaff drive are the Agua Fria National Monument, Camp Verge and Sedona. The distance from Mesa to Flagstaff is 161 miles, with a 2h23m driving time.

Planning a Mesa to Flagstaff road trip itinerary

The Mesa to Flagstaff drive connects two of the biggest cities in Arizona.

Mesa is the third-biggest city in Arizona. You’ll find the Arizona Museum of Natural History here, as well as the Mesa Arts Center.

For fun in the sun, you can always take to the slides of the Golfland Sunsplash water park. Or, for hiking and outdoor activities in the Sonoran Desert, head for Usery Mountain Regional Park.

Top Mesa accommodation options with a pool include the Azure and the Delta.

Flagstaff AZ is largely known as a gateway to the Grand Canyon. You can take a Grand Canyon day tour from here, but you can also do a day trip to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

Other Flagstaff experiences include haunted pub crawls, e-bike tours and an adventure course of wobbly bridges, ropes and ziplines. Stargazing enthusiasts can also take a tour of the Lowell Observatory and the Walnut Canyon National Monument is just to the east of the city. The latter is home to several ancient cliff dwellings.

Good Flagstaff accommodation options include the utterly charming Little America, and the great value Elev8.

Mesa to Flagstaff distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Mesa to Flagstaff is 161 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 23 minutes. The quickest route is up the I-17.

The best stops to add to a Mesa to Flagstaff road trip itinerary are the Agua Fria National Monument, Camp Verge and Sedona.

Mesa to Flagstaff drive: Agua Fria National Monument

The Agua Fria National Monument is primarily of interest for it’s architectural record. Hundreds of Native American pueblo structures, built between 1250 and 1450, have been found here. The Pueblo La Plata section is the best bet for visitors wanting to know more.

There’s also an extensive haul of petroglyphs between the dormant volcano and two mesas that provide the monument’s visual appeal. It’s a good spot for hiking and wildlife-viewing.

Best stops between Mesa and Flagstaff: Camp Verde, Arizona

Camp Verde is an all-action kind of place. Great Camp Verde activities include tackling the Verde River in an inflatable kayak, horseback-riding through the mountains and off-road Jeep tours.

Top attractions include the Out of Africa Wildlife Park – where you can also take on a zipline course – and the Verde Valley Archaeology Center. The latter looks at the life of the Native Sinagua people.

Great Camp Verde accommodation options include the Cliff Castle Casino Hotel and the Fort Verde Suites.

Mesa to Flagstaff 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.