Southwest Road Trip Itinerary: 8-day itinerary & map
Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Page and Sedona
This Arizona-centred loop links red-rock country's big names: Sedona's buttes, the Grand Canyon's South Rim, Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation, and the slot canyons around Page. It's a week of long, empty desert roads with major sights at the end of each.
When to go: March–May and September–November. The South Rim can be snowy in winter, and summer brings heat and monsoon storms.
Map loads when you scroll here…
Route line and mileage from OSRM over OpenStreetMap roads. Open this route in the planner to change the stops.
Day-by-day Southwest Grand Circle itinerary
- Start
Phoenix
Head north on I-17 and stop at Montezuma Castle.
Pass through - 116 mi · about 2 h 18 min from Phoenix
Sedona
Cathedral Rock, the Oak Creek Canyon drive and the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
2 nights here - 114 mi · about 2 h 36 min from Sedona
Grand Canyon Village
Walk the Rim Trail and take the Hermit Road shuttle. Drive Desert View Drive east at sunset.
2 nights here - 181 mi · about 4 h from Grand Canyon Village
Monument Valley
Take the 17-mile Valley Drive, and stay for the East and West Mitten Buttes at sunrise.
1 night here - 126 mi · about 2 h 42 min from Monument Valley
Page
Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon with a Navajo guide, and Lake Powell.
2 nights here - 134 mi · about 2 h 48 min from Page
Flagstaff
Return via Wupatki and Sunset Crater, then take I-17 back to Phoenix.
End of the trip
Before you drive
- Antelope Canyon is on Navajo land and can only be visited with a licensed Navajo guide. Book ahead.
- Monument Valley's Valley Drive is run by the Navajo Nation and has its own fee and hours.
- Arizona (outside the Navajo Nation) doesn't observe daylight saving time, so clocks can shift as you cross boundaries in summer.
Fuel for this trip
At 28 mpg and $3.50/gal, 670 miles costs about:
$84
Price is a placeholder. Enter what you're seeing locally. Full gas cost calculator
Southwest Grand Circle FAQ
How long does the Southwest Grand Circle road trip take?
This itinerary takes 8 days and covers about 670 miles, or roughly 15 hours of driving without traffic or stops. You can drive it faster, but the nights listed leave time for the sights.
When is the best time for a Southwest Grand Circle road trip?
March–May and September–November. The South Rim can be snowy in winter, and summer brings heat and monsoon storms. Check official road status before you go.
What is the longest driving day?
Grand Canyon Village to Monument Valley: about 181 miles, or 4 h of driving before stops. Leave early that day.
Where should I stay overnight?
The overnight bases in this plan are Sedona, Grand Canyon Village, Monument Valley, Page.
