Jerome & Prescott Day Trip from Phoenix
A mining town clinging to a mountainside, then Victorian Prescott
A one-day drive from Phoenix to Jerome & Prescott — 222 mi round trip, about 4h 6m behind the wheel, with stops, timings and where to eat already worked out.
A mining town clinging to a mountainside, then Victorian Prescott. It's a day out of Phoenix: 249 mi of driving in total, about 4h 56m behind the wheel, and the rest of the day on your feet.
The plan below is paced so the driving doesn't eat the day: leave after breakfast, be back for the evening. Every stop can be swapped for one of three alternatives if it isn't your kind of thing.
You climb from desert flats to a cliffside copper town, lunching above the valley before trading saloon streets for the long descent home.
A quick detour off I-17 before continuing toward Jerome.
Montezuma Castle National Monument · Camp Verde
A well-preserved 5-story cliff dwelling tucked into a limestone alcove, an easy roadside stop off I-17.
💡 Short paved loop trail, under 30 minutes, no climbing involved.
Montezuma Castle Rd, Camp Verde
Jerome State Historic Park · Jerome
Set in the old Douglas Mansion, this museum tells the story of Jerome's copper boom with sweeping views over the Verde Valley.
💡 Small entry fee; the mansion's veranda has one of the best valley views in town.
100 Douglas Rd, Jerome
From the museum it's a short uphill walk to the former hospital building for lunch with a view.
Asylum Restaurant · Jerome
Housed in the old hospital atop the hill, with a terrace overlooking the whole Verde Valley — the meal worth remembering today.
💡 Book ahead for a window or terrace table around midday.
200 Hill St, Jerome
After lunch, wander back down into the heart of the historic district.
Jerome Historic District · Jerome
A former copper boomtown clinging to Cleopatra Hill, now full of galleries, saloons and creaky staircases with panoramic views.
💡 Park once near Main Street — the town is walkable but steep in places.
557 Main St, Jerome
On the way out of town, the highway curves past this well-known viewpoint.
Jerome C. Daniel Overlook above the Hollywood Bowl · Los Angeles
A pull-off on Highway 89A giving a classic panorama of Jerome clinging to the hillside above the valley.
💡 Best light in late afternoon before heading back.
7036 Mulholland Dr, Los Angeles
- Fill the tank in Phoenix — fuel stops are sparse between Cottonwood and Jerome.
- Main Street parking in Jerome fills fast midday — arrive before noon if possible.
- I-17 through the Verde Valley has long grades; check brakes before the descent.
- Reserve The Asylum ahead, especially for terrace seating at lunch.
- Tuzigoot National Monument+6 mi
Hilltop Sinagua pueblo ruins with wide Verde Valley views, an easy 15-minute detour off the route.
- Out of Africa Wildlife Park+5 mi
A drive-through and walking safari park near Camp Verde, a fun stop for animal lovers en route.
- Clarkdale's Verde Canyon Railroad depot+7 mi
Even without riding the train, the depot and canyon views are worth a quick stop near Jerome.
Make this trip your own
Plan your own road trip →This route was drafted with AI. Please double-check roads, opening hours and local conditions before you go.
Made with Roadanza
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Work it out for this route →Questions, answered
- How far is Sedona from Phoenix?
- About two hours by car, roughly 190 km up I-17 and then east. It is the single most popular day trip from the city, which means the trailhead car parks fill by mid-morning at weekends: arriving before eight makes the difference between parking and circling.
- Can you visit the Grand Canyon in a day from Phoenix?
- The South Rim is about three and a half hours each way, so it is a long day: eleven or twelve hours door to door with only two or three hours at the rim. It works if the drive is part of the plan; it is far better as an overnight in Flagstaff or Tusayan.
- When is the best time for day trips from Phoenix?
- October to April. Winter is the region's high season for a reason: clear, dry days in the low twenties. From June to September, restrict yourself to the high country: Flagstaff, the Mogollon Rim, or to water, and start at dawn.
- Which of these works in summer?
- The high-elevation ones: Flagstaff at 2,100 m and the Mogollon Rim are usually fifteen to twenty degrees cooler than the valley. Canyon Lake works too if you're on the water rather than beside it. Saguaro country and the low desert are for the cooler months.
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