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: 222 mi of driving in total, about 4h 6m 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.
Highway 179
World-famous red rock formations line this stretch of AZ-89A on the way to Jerome — no detour needed, it's directly on route.
💡 Pull-offs like Bell Rock Vista fill up fast — go early morning.
AZ-179, Sedona
Jerome State Historic Park
Preserved mansion and mining museum telling the story of this former copper boomtown perched on Cleopatra Hill.
💡 Small museum — 30-45 minutes is plenty.
100 Douglas Rd, Jerome
Jerome Historic District
Wander the vertigo-inducing streets of this artsy former ghost town clinging to the mountainside with galleries and old saloons.
💡 Park once near the top and walk downhill — it's a steep town.
557 Main St, Jerome
Asylum Restaurant
Upscale dining inside the old Jerome Grand Hotel (former hospital) with panoramic Verde Valley views.
💡 Reserve a window table in advance for the valley view.
200 Hill St, Jerome
Jerome State Historic Park
Sweeping views over the Verde Valley toward Sedona's red rocks before heading back.
💡 Best light is late afternoon before the drive home.
100 Douglas Rd, Jerome
- Jerome's streets are narrow and steep — a compact car is easier than a large SUV.
- Fill up on gas before Jerome; prices are higher in town.
- Weekends get crowded — arrive by mid-morning to find parking.
- No overnight needed since this is a single-day round trip from Phoenix.
- Tuzigoot National Monument+6 mi
Ancient Sinagua pueblo ruins with valley views, just a few minutes off AZ-89A near Clarkdale.
- Montezuma Castle National Monument+9 mi
Well-preserved 12th-century cliff dwelling, an easy stop just off I-17 en route to Jerome.
- Verde Canyon Railroad (Clarkdale)+7 mi
Scenic train ride through a red-rock canyon inaccessible by road — a popular half-day add-on near Jerome.
- Out of Africa Wildlife Park (Camp Verde)+5 mi
Well-regarded wildlife park with big cat encounters, a fun stop just off I-17 on the way up or back.
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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