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35 Comments

1. What a wonderful and comprehensive post. Thank you so much, very helpful

   1. Hi Joan…I’m so glad! Thank you for taking the time to post a comment.

2. This is awesome! I have a week with my 13-year old daughter and was thinking of Denver to Scottsdale. What happens if you head northeast from Sedona instead of northwest towards Zion? Are there interesting things to do between Sedona and Durango? Was thinking we would do Mesa Verde.

   1. Hi Jessica…glad you enjoyed the post. Yes, Mesa Verde is wonderful. There is a fantastic place to stay in between Durango and Mesa Verde called Blue Lake Ranch, here is an article and video on the place. Let me know if I can answer some additional questions, I’ve road tripped all over this area. https://mikesroadtrip.com/blue-lake-ranch

3. Hello,
   I am from Nashville, TN and will be taking a road trip from Nashville to Arizona. I want to show my son the Grand Canyon but while we are here we would like to see some other stuff. We will have
   around 15 days. Places I would also like to visit are Antelope Canyon, Havasu Falls, Mesa Verde and so many more. We are having trouble deciding and forming a travel plan also I really didn’t realize that reservations were required and how far in advance they were needed. Can you offer any help or advice. We are going the 1st of June.

   Thank you,

   Lori Kennedy

   1. Hi Lori, thanks for stopping by. Wow, that sounds like a great trip! One place you will likely not get to see is Havasu, it requires an 11 mile hike. There is a helicopter than will take you to the small village, but from there it is a 2 mile hike in deep sand. And, in June it will be quite warm. You can make reservations online for Antelope Canyon, not sure you have to reserve that far in advance, a week or two should be fine. I would probably recommend the Lower Antelope tour, but both are great. Mesa Verde does not require reservations, however some of the tours do. You can buy tickets at the Visitor’s Center. Not sure if you can buy those in advance or not. What other questions can I answer?

4. I really enjoyed experiencing this road trip through your writing!
   We are road trpping between Phoenix and Denver this summer (two adults with a 12 and 10-year-old). Current anticipated stops are Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, and Colorado Springs. Are there particular tours or tour companies you would recommend for each of these stops? Currently have reservations for 3 nights at Yavapai Lodge in Grand Canyan and 2 nights at Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde. Any other places to stay or stops along the way you would recommend? Thanks!!

   1. Hi Amy! Oh, I’m so glad. Wow, sounds like an amazing trip you have planned. There are so many places to see on that trip from Phoenix to Denver, many different routes. That is great that you have reservations to stay at the Yavapai Lodge…although I would have recommended staying at the North Rim. There are far fewer people and it’s only open a few months out of the year. Regarding tour operators…with respect to Antelope Canyon, you can choose between upper or lower. I think lower edges out just a bit and you can drive right to it rather than going with a tour operator and driving there. The lower Antelope Canyon can be accessed near Horseshoe Bend. You have to go with a guide and there are two operators, but you can pick either one that has availability. It’s best to try and go around noon as the light will be shining into the canyon. When you’re at Mesa Verde, don’t miss taking some of the Ranger guided tours. You can get tickets at the Visitor’s Center. They are affordable, but sell out quickly. Hope you have a fantastic trip. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers, Mike

5. Mike—what hotels do you recommend on the north rim? Thanks!

   1. I think there is only the lodge.

6. Hello Mike. I read your article on your epic road trip from Phoenix to Denver and I am feeling much more hopeful about doing things differently this summer. We typically drive to Southern California every summer to escape the Phoenix heat. My husband wants to switch things up a bit and visit someplace different. I looked up some rentals in Moab that look nice. I would prefer no more than a days drive with some relief from the oppressing July temperatures. Great views are also a plus. We usually rent a house or condo through vrbo to allow for an additional bathroom..two adults and two teenagers. Any destination suggestions? Thanks for any assistance you can offer.

   1. Hi Candy, thanks so much for stopping by. While Moab is amazing, I don’t think there would be much reprieve from the summer heat of Phoenix. A little during the day, a bit more at night. Have you considered southern Colorado? If you’re looking at long term rental, that might be a better option than Moab. And, it will be cool. Durango is quite nice and you could do a lot of day trips from there. It’s only about an 8-9 hour drive (depending on how many stops you make). Santa Fe or Taos, New Mexico might be a night area as well. Let me know if any of those places interest you and I would be happy to provide more info. Cheers, Mike

7. Amazing stuff to read and it was very helpful for all the travelers out there. Keep posting.

   1. Glad you enjoyed it.

8. Mike, thanks for posting this.
   We are UK based and planning for late May into June 2020.
   Currently we plan to fly into Phoenix and return from Denver so this description is really very helpful indeed. We do want to go to monument valley in particular however.
   I may have missed it but I don’t see daily mileages?
   Given the long flights we’ll likely take a close to three week trip, allowing some time to see the cities at either end (Scottsdale over Phoenix?).
   We are reasonably fit 50somethings and particularly enjoy road cycling – any recommendations grateful to receive.
   I’m guessing reasonably warm temperatures and not too crowded at that time of year.
   Once again great article.

   1. Hi David! Thanks so much for stopping by. Oh, you’re going to have such a great time. Because there are a few different routes one can take on this road trip, I did not add the miles. I might want to take another look because that is a good suggestion. Most of the trip I have broken up so there is not more than a few hours worth of driving per day to get to your next destination. That said, with stops, you could easily spend all day driving to your next destination. January through April is peak season in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tuscon. May can be quite pleasant some years, while others it can be quite hot already 100F/38C+. Coming from the UK, I would not recommend hiking or biking this time of year in the Phoenix area. I would save that for some of the higher altitude zones, either in Sedona, Flagstaff or Utah. If you enjoy hiking, don’t miss the Narrows in Zion…one of my all time favorite hikes. Let me know if I can answer any other questions. Happy to help. Cheers, Mike

9. Hi Mike, I (with spouse) will have 4 days to go from Phoenix to Denver. Your amazing trip is for those who have more time. any suggestions? We prefer non freeway. Tried to visit bryce a few weeks ago amidst the blizzard and record breaking winds, so that didn’t work out. This trip will give us better weather, I think. We aren’t very energetic and I’m coming off a year filled with health issues. Thanks so much.

10. How gorgeous are the pictures you shared in this article! Arizona has always been a state that my family and I would like to visit. The way you described your trip helped us to choose Arizona as our next family trip. https://williamsaz.gov/

    1. So glad you enjoyed. Thank you for stopping by and I’m so happy to be of help. All the best, Mike

11. Great post Mike!

    I’d like to add Cien Agaves as a great place to eat in Old Town Scottsdale.

    I agree with you about Highway 128. It doesn’t get a lot of mention as most people take the other route. I thought it was paved the whole way though and you mention dirt roads…

    I know you couldn’t do everything, but missing Monument Valley on a southwest trip is sacrilegious! You also missed Moke Dugway which is near the valley. I’ll forgive you because you can’t do everything!

    You didn’t mention it, but hopefully you took Highway 12 from Bryce to Moab instead of going straight north to the I70! It’s a much more scenic route IMHO.

    You probably took 89 from Page to Zion – that’s the most direct route – but I like 89A a lot better. And you can catch a glimpse of California Condors when you go that way.

    Another amazing road is 95 through the Hite area.

    I could go on forever, and you probably have seen even more than me. Just such an amazing area. I prefer the less travelled routes. They are, to me, more impressive than crowded, commercialized Grand Canyon (unless you hike or ride down into the canyon). There are so many parts of Arizona, Utah, and Colorado that people don’t bother going to because they aren’t commercialized and that makes for some awesome experiences. You can imagine it’s the 1800’s – I doubt much has changed.

    Anyway, thanks for the great write-up!

    1. Hey Michael…thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and suggestions, much appreciated. Yes, Hwy 12 is amazing! Hope you’ll stop by again soon. Cheers, Mike

12. What a fantastic road trip this sounds like. My wife and I are going to do a similar trip and this post was very helpful, thank you.

    1. Thank you so much. Please stop by and share what you ended up doing/seeing.

13. Hi Mike – great post, lots of good info. I am planning on taking my kids up to Ft. Collins, and slowly working our way back to Phoenix (making multiple stops at different locations along the way). I would love to take one route up, and a different one back. Do you have any suggestions?

    1. Hey Ann Marie, thanks for stopping by. You could either follow the route as indicated in this post, or, divert a little and go through Monument Valley instead of through Page/Lake Powell, Zion etc. Coming back you could go down I-25 through Pueblo, then maybe get off the Interstate and find something interesting to the west a bit. Maybe make your way to Pagossa Springs, Chama, and Santa Fe, then head west toward Phoenix. Or, you could skip Pagossa and go to Antonito, Taos, then Santa Fe and head west toward Phoenix. There are many different routes, each has some incredible places to see. I just love Taos and Santa Fe. Ugh, not sure what else to add, but if you have any specific questions, I’m happy to help. Which ever way you end up going, you’ll see some amazing parts of the country. Cheers, Mike

14. Wow! What’s a wonderful post I like this information. Thanks for sharing such kind this information..

    1. Glad you like it. If you want a link on our site, here are the rates and information: https://mikesroadtrip.com/sponsored-posts/

15. Hi just wanted to leave an appreciation comment, as I was looking for some cool Travel stuff to read. I really enjoyed reading your blog. Keep up the good work. Thanks will look forward to more.

    1. Thanks for stopping by. If you’re interested in sponsored posts or links, visit: https://mikesroadtrip.com/sponsored-posts/

16. Hi Mike
    Wonderful post. Everything I was looking for. We will drive from Denver to Phoenix between 28 November and 15 December. Obviously we expect it to be cold most of the time (we’re from the Scotland so fairly hardy) but can you reassure me that we will be able to hike with the right degree of clothing? What sort of vehicle would you suggest we hire? Thanks.

    1. Hi Jan, so glad to hear that. That time of year you are likely to see snow, so it would be ideal to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, although those can be expensive to rent. At the very least, it might be best to have a front-wheel drive vehicle. You should have no problems hiking anywhere, although some roads with less traffic could be closed for the season. Once you get to Phoenix, you should have wonderful weather and much more mild. Lots of great hikes right in town or in the surrounding areas. If you’re in really good shape, Camelback Mountain is great. Squaw Peak (aka Piestewa Peak) is also another great hike right in the city. In the outskirts, there are many wonderful trails in the Superstition Mountains. Hope that helps, let me know if I can answer any other questions.

17. Wow, what a great review and article, so helpful, thank you! We are hoping to make this trip in mid June (10 – 18) with two kids (14/11) flying into Phoenix and out of Denver. Won’t have the amount of time you had so wondering if you can help us narrow down what we should not miss and what is able to be skipped (of course, want to see it all!). Would like to hit the following: Sedona, Grand Canyon, Page/Lake Powell, Zion and/or Bryce, Arches and/or Canyonlands. Not looking to really do too much city stuff with Colorado, more outdoor/hiking if possible. Thank you so much!

    1. Hi Alicia, oh, I’m so glad to hear it. Thanks for reading and stopping by. I’m on deadline for an assignment, so let me give it some thought and I’ll email you. Cheers, Mike

18. Fantastic guide/article. My wife and I are going to follow this same route you did. Thanks for all the information. John

    1. That’s wonderful. Hope you both have a great road trip.