Sedona is close enough to Phoenix for a day trip and far enough that the drive matters. Figure on about two hours and roughly 115 miles from the Valley, with two very different routes to choose from.

Route one: I-17 to SR-179

The usual approach is I-17 north to the Sedona exit, then SR-179 south for the last stretch through the Village of Oak Creek and into Sedona. It is the shorter line into town and the one with the red-rock views, but SR-179 through the Village is a two-lane road with roundabouts, and it slows dramatically on busy weekends.

Route two: Camp Verde and SR-89A

The alternate drops off I-17 at Camp Verde, runs west through the Verde Valley on SR-260 to Cottonwood, then north on SR-89A. It is a few miles longer and passes through Cottonwood, Clarkdale and the Jerome turnoff rather than the red-rock corridor, which makes it the better choice when SR-179 is backed up or when your trip includes a stop in the Verde Valley towns.

When the corridor is busiest

Sedona traffic builds Friday afternoon through the weekend and eases midweek. If your plans are flexible, a Tuesday or Wednesday arrival feels like a different town. Holiday weekends and peak spring hiking season are the heaviest of all, so build slack into any timed reservation at the other end.

Getting to Sedona without driving

Sedona has no commercial airport of its own, so nearly everyone arrives through Phoenix Sky Harbor and covers the last leg by road. A Sedona shuttle works the I-17 and SR-179 corridor, and the Verde Valley towns on the alternate route each have their own pages: Camp Verde shuttle, Cottonwood shuttle, Clarkdale shuttle and Jerome shuttle. If you are also comparing the Flagstaff or Grand Canyon legs, the Flagstaff shuttle and Grand Canyon shuttle pages lay out those drives.

Frequently asked questions