During this pandemic I’ve been thinking back on past photo travel adventures and processing some older photos. A trip that was very fond in our hearts was the Phoenix to Grand Canyon road trip. If you’ve never traveled to Arizona, this road trip is a great way to see some fantastic scenery. Since a lot of people will probably not be traveling internationally this summer, we thought we would share this road trip from the past. Now I must say that living in Canada we could have driven to Arizona to start our road trip, but in our case, we flew to Phoenix, AZ to start our trip. And that’s where we’d like to pick it up.

If you were to drive straight from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon, the distance is about 229 miles or about a 4-hour non-stop drive without traffic. However, you would be missing a lot of great landscape scenery if you don’t stop to take it in. So, the best way to see this grand landscape is to break it up and stay at least a night or two at each of the following locations which we will highlight. After we landed in Phoenix, we grabbed a car rental and headed to Jerome, AZ for our first stop.

Jerome, AZ

Jerome is about two hours north of Phoenix, and the drive passes through some of central Arizona’s most striking landscapes filled with massive Saguaro cactus that flank the highway. As you drive north you go through some amazing changes in elevation and scenery. Jerome is a little town nestled on the side of a steep hill overlooking the Verde Valley. Sedona was only 2 hours away, so we spent about 4 hours here. It’s a gorgeous place, with some beautiful landscapes, a little bit of weirdness, and not too many people. Built in 1916 by a mining magnate, Jerome was one of many old copper mining towns in Arizona. Like many of the mining towns in AZ, Jerome fell on hard times and the mine closed in the 1950s. After walking around town for a while, I really wanted to visit the Gold King Mine and Ghost Town, just outside of Jerome. If you like photographing old cars and trucks, this is your place. The property is filled with over 180 vintage cars, trucks & motorcycles, including Studebaker’s and Harley’s. There is mining equipment, historic buildings and a Stamp Mill that was used for crushing the ore. An endless range of things to photograph. I would definitely come back here again.

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Montezuma’s Castle was only a 45-minute drive from Jerome as we headed towards Sedona. Montezuma Castle is considered one of Arizona’s best-preserved cliff dwellings, built somewhere between 1100 and 1350 A.D. by the Sinagua Indians. This historic five-story Native American dwelling is carved out of an ancient limestone cliff with twenty rooms. Quite impressive. There are some nice trails to explore here and a museum with artifacts. Preserving Montezuma Castle was no easy task. The first restoration effort took place in 1933 to repair damage caused by looters. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt declared Montezuma Castle and its surrounding 840 acres one of America’s first National Monuments, guaranteeing its ongoing protection.

Sedona, Arizona

Montezuma’s Castle to Sedona was about a 45-minute drive. Set in the middle of beautiful red rock mountains, buttes, and canyons, Sedona is one of Arizona’s most beautiful destinations. Many people come to hike Sedona’s vortexes. The iconic rock formations are believed to be the source of some special energy centers of the world. People travel from all across the globe to experience the mysterious cosmic forces that are said to emanate from the red rocks. Make sure you get up to the Airport Mesa to explore one of the vortexes and if you get there by sunset, the view from the top is incredible. Sedona is also a designated Dark Sky Community. So, if you are into night time photography, you’ll be blown away. There is so much to see and do in Sedona and the whole place has a special hippy type vibe to it. We took a guided Pink Jeep Scenic Rim tour that took us up Schnebly Hill Road to enjoy breathless views, cliffs and rock formations. It was a bumpy and rugged ride, so you need to be able to withstand a lot of bumps. The photography from the top was incredible. Besides driving around to take in the sites, make sure you take a visit to Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. There is an outdoor market featuring art galleries, craft shops, cobblestone paths & decorative arches. Great photo opportunities, besides shopping.

Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive

When driving from Sedona to Flagstone, take the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic drive. The 30-mile drive from Sedona to Flagstaff is a wonderful scenic trip that has many stops and photo opportunities along the way. Rand-McNally named Highway 89’s Top 5 Most Scenic Drives in America. Its panoramic road takes you through Oak Creek Canyon and offers breathtaking views as the road climbs upwards towards Flagstaff. Slide Rock State Park is a popular water recreation spot in the summer and you can swim in the crystal-clear Oak Creek. The drive’s famous switchbacks begin 14 miles in, just after you cross Pumphouse Wash. If you are like me, you’ll be stopping every 2 minutes to take another photo. Whatever you choose to do along the way, the scenic drive from Sedona  to Flagstaff is sure to be a memorable one.

Flagstaff – Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

The City of Flagstaff is comprised of just over 64 square miles nestled at the base of the San Francisco Peaks. It is surrounded by one of the largest pine forests on Earth. At nearly 7,000 feet, Flagstaff is also one of the highest elevation cities in the United States. We’ve never really spent much time in the city as we liked to take in Sunset Crater on the way to the Grand Canyon. Located in the south part of the San Francisco Volcanic Field, Flagstaff’s horizon is layered with volcanoes. There is Humphrey’s Peak, Mount Elden and Sunset Crater just to name a few. They have all been dormant with Sunset Crater last erupting nearly 1,000 years ago and is now protected as a national monument. Hiking around the volcano on a land covered by black cinders, you witness nature returning to the area and starting to grow again. The mile-long Lava Flow Trail offers a close-up view of different geological features of the lava bed surrounding Sunset Crater. It starts with a flight of metal stairs, but past it, you’ll find it an easy hike in the lava field.

Grand Canyon National Park

I still remember the first time arriving to the edge of the Grand Canyon south rim. I stood besides another person who had just arrived and they said “now I know what the word awesome means”, and they were right. Once you stand close to the edge of the rim you can’t help but be blown away by its sheer beauty and size. The Grand Canyon South Rim is the most popular area not only for its beautiful views, but for its abundance of visitor services and family-oriented activities. At 7,000′ above sea level, The Grand Canyon is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. On the first visit, we took the South Rim airplane tour. It was truly memorable as we flew through the canyon walls, feeling the turbulence shake us to and fro. The next time we took a hike partially down following the Hermit Trail. The Hermit Trail is a steep descent into a dramatic side canyon taking you to the Colorado River with dizzying drop-offs and stunning views. There are many ways to approach the best scenic viewpoints around the canyon. So do your homework and you won’t be disappointed.

Iconic Phoenix

Finally, the day had come and we needed to head back to Phoenix to catch our flight the next day. Phoenix is known for its outstanding hotel resorts, with elaborate pools and desert gardens and lots of golf courses. Yet there were enough photo worthy spots to explore. Camelback Mountain is a unique Arizona landmark that can be seen from across the Valley. Pinnacle Peak Park (located in the suburb of Scottsdale) is a great place to explore. It features a moderate out-and-back trail with a total distance of 3.5 miles through the pristine Sonoran Desert environment. The Desert Botanical Garden is a 140-acre botanical garden located in Papago park which provides lot of photo opportunities.

Conclusion

So, if you are interested in photo travel adventure, like we are, then you are going to love these places. Until next time, stay safe and stay healthy.

Cheers!     Peter & Susan

Ps – We hope you enjoyed our “Ultimate Phoenix to Grand Canyon Road Trip” and will stay in touch with us.

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