Driving Distance From Phoenix to National Parks

A driving tour of the Southwest from Phoenix to Bryce Canyon and the other southern Utah national parks takes you through some of the most breathtaking desert and red-rock country in the world. With at least 25 national parks, monuments, and recreation areas within a 500-mile radius of the city, you can plan an itinerary from one to 10 days with stops at some of the country's most iconic landscapes, including the Grand Canyon, Montezuma Castle, and Monument Valley.

Some of them you can reach on a day trip from Phoenix, while others require at least one overnight, either en route or at the destination. Arizona may bring to mind heat, but as you gain altitude on the way to Sedona, Flagstaff, and the Grand Canyon, you can experience cool to cold temperatures, especially at night and in the winter. Use these distances and approximate driving times, which take into account the fastest and most straightforward routes with normal traffic, to start planning your tour.

Driving Distance From Phoenix to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreation Areas

Destination	Driving Distance (in miles)	Approximate Drive Time	Notes
Arches National Park, Utah	472 miles	7.5 hours	Located in eastern Utah, next to Canyonlands National Park.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah	425 miles	7 hours	Located in southwestern Utah, not far from Zion National Park.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona	294 miles	5 hours	Located in northeastern Arizona, north of Petrified Forest National Park.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah	459 miles	7.5 hours	Located in eastern Utah, next to Arches National Park.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona	55 miles	1 hour	Just southeast of Phoenix, an easy half-day trip.
Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona	232 miles	3.5 hours	Located in southeast Arizona, near Fort Bowie National Historic Site.
Coronado National Memorial, Arizona	281 miles	4.5 hours	Located near the southeastern border of Arizona and Mexico.
Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Arizona	232 miles	3.5 hours	Located in southeast Arizona, near Chiricahua National Monument
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah	289 miles	4.5 hours	Located in southern Utah
Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim), Arizona	231 miles	3.5 to 4 hours	Located in northern Arizona.
Hohokam Pina National Monument, Arizona	38 miles	.5 to 1 hour	In Chandler, Arizona, close to Phoenix. An easy day trip.
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Arizona	272 miles	4.5 hours	In northeastern Arizona, not far from Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
Joshua Tree National Park, California	246 miles	3.5–4 hours	Due east of Phoenix in southern California.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area (Boulder City, NV visitor center), Utah/Arizona	262 miles	4.5 hours	Located in southern Utah/northwestern Arizona, not far from Las Vegas.
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona	102 miles	1.5 hours	In central Arizona, north of Phoenix, on the way to the Grand Canyon.
Navajo National Monument, Arizona	282 miles	4.5 hours	Located in northeastern Arizona. Could be explored on the way to or from Canyonlands and Arches National Parks.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona	127 miles	2 hours	Located in southern Arizona.
Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona	212 miles	3.5 hours	Located on I-40 in northeastern Arizona.
Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona	352 miles	5.5 hours	Located in northern Arizona.
Saguaro National Park, Arizona	110 miles	2 hours	Located in southern Arizona, next to Tucson.
Tonto National Monument, Arizona	107 miles	2 hours	Located east of Phoenix.
Tumacacori National Historical Park, Arizona	161 miles	2–2.5 hours	On I-19, south of Tucson in southern Arizona and near the border with Nogales, Mexico.
Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona	108 miles	2 hours	Located in central Arizona, west of Sedona.
Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona	160 miles	2.5 hours	Located in central Arizona, north of Phoenix near Flagstaff.
Wupatki National Monument, Arizona	188 miles	3 hours	Located in northern Arizona, near Flagstaff.
Zion National Park, Utah	414 miles	7.5 hours	An awesome park in southern Utah, often enjoyed on the same trip along with Bryce Canyon National Park.