Tucson to Flagstaff road trip: Drive time, distance & best stops

The best road trip stops on the Tucson to Flagstaff drive are Phoenix, Camp Verde and Sedona. The distance from Tucson to Flagstaff by car is 256 miles, with a 3h47m driving time.

Planning a Tucson to Flagstaff road trip itinerary

The Tucson to Flagstaff drive takes you from southern Arizona to a staple of Route 66.

Tucson is often used as a base for exploring the Sonoran Desert. But it’s a proper city with an arty streak, a Spanish-tinged history and excellent Mexican food.

Top Tucson experiences include exploring the city’s many murals, taking a self-guided audio tour through Saguaro National Park and canyoneering at Mt Lemmon.

There are also several good bike tours you can do in and around Tucson. Choose from a history-focused ride through the city, e-biking in Saguaro National Park and taco-tasting on two wheels.

For resort-style accommodation in Tucson, take a look at the impressive Casino Del Sol Resort. To stay downtown, within walking distance of several restaurants, try the Leo Kent Hotel.

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.

Tucson to Flagstaff distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Tucson to Flagstaff is 256 miles. You can expect a driving time of around three hours and 47 minutes. The quickest route is generally along the I-10 and I-17.

The best stops to add to a Tucson to Flagstaff road trip itinerary are Phoenix, Camp Verde and Sedona.

For more suggestions, see the guides to the Tucson to Phoenix drive and Phoenix to Flagstaff drive.

Best stops between Tucson and Flagstaff: Phoenix, Arizona

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.

Tucson to Flagstaff drive: 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.

Tucson 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.

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.