Sedona to Grand Canyon drive: Best stops, distance & time
The best road trip stops on the Sedona to Grand Canyon drive are Flagstaff, Williams and Red Butte. The distance from Sedona to the Grand Canyon by car is 114 miles, with a 2h5m driving time.
Planning a Sedona to Grand Canyon road trip itinerary
The Sedona to Grand Canyon drive takes you from arguably the most attractive town in Arizona to the state’s biggest tourist attraction.
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.
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.
The most visited section of the Grand Canyon is on the South Rim by Grand Canyon Village. This is where you’ll find the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, which shows a 20 minute orientation film every half hour.
Most of the walking trails are also here, with the 12 mile, mostly paved Rim Trail being the most popular option. Free shuttle buses run along the route, so you can just do parts of it. The 0.7 mile stretch between Mather Point and the Yavapai Observation Station is the obvious taster.
The National Parks Service website has details of the tougher walks into the canyon.
Grand Canyon experiences departing from Grand Canyon Village include jeep tours.
Sedona to Grand Canyon distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Sedona to the Grand Canyon is 114 miles. You can expect a driving time of around two hours and five minutes. The quickest route is up the AZ-89a, then along the I-40 and AZ-64.
The best stops to add to a Sedona to Grand Canyon road trip itinerary are Flagstaff, Williams and Red Butte.
Sedona to Grand Canyon road trip attractions: Flagstaff AZ
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.
Sedona AZ to Grand Canyon drive: Williams AZ
Williams AZ is one of the main gateways to the Grand Canyon National Park. The Grand Canyon Railway leaves from here.
Otherwise, this is a Route 66 town with a decent selection of road trip kitsch. The main highlight is the Bearizona Wildlife Park, where you can view North American animals such as bison, black bears and Arctic wolves from your vehicle on a drive-through route.
Good Williams accommodation options include the Lodge on Route 66 and the La Quinta.
Best stops between Sedona AZ and the Grand Canyon: Red Butte
Inside the Kaibab National Forest, Red Butte stands out above the Coconino Plateau. The trail to the 7,326ft summit is relatively short at about 1.25 miles one way, but the last section of the hike in particular is steep. It’s a well-marked trail, but keep an eye out for rattlesnakes while walking it – they are known to hang out here.
More Sedona road trips
Albuquerque to Sedona | Denver to Sedona | Mesa AZ to Sedona | Phoenix to Sedona | Prescott to Sedona | Sedona to Santa Fe | Scottsdale to Sedona | Tucson to Sedona | Williams AZ to Sedona AZ.
More Grand Canyon (South Rim) road trips
Albuquerque to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Flagstaff to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Mesa to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Phoenix to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Scottsdale to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Tucson to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Williams AZ to Grand Canyon (South Rim).