This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2017. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
There are few road trips that feel quite as epic as the American Southwest.
I still remember driving through those vast desert landscapes, where seemingly endless highways cut between towering red-rock formations and some of the most spectacular national parks in the US. My husband and I travelled through the region as part of a huge road trip in 2017, just before we moved home to Australia after spending two years living in the US.
Our original trip started in Denver and finished in Los Angeles, taking us through Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Nevada along the way. It was an incredible adventure — but having now travelled around the Southwest on multiple trips, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend following our exact route.
Instead, I’ve put together the 10-day American Southwest road trip that I’d suggest for first-time visitors. Starting and finishing in Las Vegas, this loop takes in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks before continuing through Page, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
If you’re dreaming of red-rock canyons, desert highways and ridiculously scenic drives, here’s my recommended 10-day American Southwest road trip itinerary from Las Vegas.
Quick summary:
This 10-day American Southwest road trip starts and finishes in Las Vegas, travelling through Zion, Bryce Canyon, Page, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon and Sedona. I’ve included a day-by-day driving route, where to stay, and practical tips based on my own travels through the region.
Recommended hotels:
🏨 Las Vegas: Palms Place – Off-Strip hotel with easy access to the main Las Vegas sights.
🏨 Zion: SpringHill Suites Springdale – Comfortable hotel just outside Zion National Park.
🏨 Bryce Canyon: Best Western Plus – Ideally located for exploring Bryce Canyon NP.
🏨 Page: Wingate by Wyndham – Convenient base for Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
🏨 Monument Valley: Goulding’s Lodge – Scenic desert lodge in the heart of the Wild West.
🏨 Grand Canyon: El Tovar Hotel – Historic lodge in an unbeatable location on the South Rim.
🏨 Sedona: Cedars Resort – Central Sedona hotel surrounded by red-rock scenery.
10-day American Southwest road trip itinerary
This itinerary follows a loop from Las Vegas through southern Utah and northern Arizona before returning via Sedona. You’ll cover a fair amount of ground over the 10 days, but most of the drives between destinations are relatively manageable.
The full route is: Las Vegas → Zion National Park → Bryce Canyon → Page → Monument Valley → Grand Canyon South Rim → Sedona → Las Vegas
I’d recommend renting a car in Las Vegas for the entire road trip. Having your own vehicle gives you much more flexibility for national park viewpoints, trailheads and scenic stops, and returning the car to the same city also keeps the rental logistics fairly simple.
Day 1: Arrive in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the ideal place to begin an American Southwest road trip. It has a major airport with plenty of rental car options, and from the city you can quickly leave the neon lights behind and head towards the desert landscapes of Utah and Arizona.
I’d keep your first day fairly relaxed, especially if you’ve flown a long way to get here. Check into your hotel, wander along the Las Vegas Strip, and perhaps head somewhere with a view around sunset when the city starts lighting up. If you arrive early enough, you could visit somewhere like the Neon Museum or explore Downtown Las Vegas and Fremont Street.
👉 Read more: Fun things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling
I’ve visited Las Vegas a few times over the years, and I always have a good time there. It’s loud, chaotic and completely over-the-top, but that’s exactly what makes it such a fun place to visit. Even if casinos aren’t your thing, there are loads of other interesting things to do in Vegas, so it’s worth giving yourself some time to enjoy the city before setting off on your road trip.
Where to stay in Las Vegas
🏨 I’ve stayed at Palms Place, just west of the Las Vegas Strip, and found it to be a good base for the city. I liked being slightly removed from the craziness of the Strip while still being close enough to easily access the main sights. The apartment-style rooms are also handy at the beginning of a longer road trip when you might appreciate having a little more space.
Day 2: Las Vegas to Zion National Park
Driving time: 3 hrs
It’s time to leave the bright lights of Las Vegas behind and properly begin your Southwest road trip! The drive to Zion National Park takes around 2.5–3 hours, crossing through a corner of Arizona before entering southern Utah.
I’d recommend leaving Vegas reasonably early so that you have most of the afternoon to spend in Zion. Keep in mind that Utah is an hour ahead of Nevada for much of the year, so you may lose an hour along the way depending on when you’re travelling.
For your first afternoon, I’d keep things fairly easy. Ride the park shuttle through Zion Canyon, stop at some of the viewpoints and perhaps tackle one of the shorter trails. This will give you a good introduction to the park before doing a longer hike the following morning.
Where to stay near Zion National Park
I’d recommend staying in Springdale, immediately outside the entrance to Zion National Park. It’s the most convenient base for this itinerary, with restaurants and access to the park within easy reach.
🏨 SpringHill Suites by Marriott Springdale would be my pick for the night. Its location in Springdale makes it a convenient base for maximising your limited time at Zion before continuing to Bryce Canyon the following day.
Day 3: Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park
Driving time: 2 hrs
Get an early start and spend the morning exploring more of Zion National Park before continuing to Bryce Canyon later in the day.
When I visited Zion, I only had a day in the park, so I did a loop combining the Emerald Pools Trail with the Kayenta Trail — a gorgeous, relatively easy way to experience Zion Canyon.
The trail followed the river beneath towering sandstone cliffs, passing behind a small waterfall at the Emerald Pools before continuing along the Kayenta Trail. One of my favourite parts was the elevated view across the valley, with the Virgin River winding between Zion’s enormous red-rock cliffs.
If you’re after something more adventurous, you could instead tackle one of Zion’s famous hikes such as The Narrows or Angels Landing. Both require more preparation, so check current conditions and permit requirements before your visit.
In the afternoon, make the roughly two-hour drive to Bryce Canyon. There’s no need to squeeze in more sightseeing when you arrive — check into your hotel and save Bryce for the following morning.
Where to stay near Bryce Canyon
🏨 I’d stay as close to Bryce Canyon National Park as possible so that you can get an early start the following day. Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel is conveniently located just outside the national park, making it a practical choice for this one-night stop.
Day 4: Bryce Canyon to Page
Driving time: 2.5 hrs
Start the morning at Bryce Canyon National Park, where thousands of orange and pink hoodoos fill the huge natural amphitheatre below the canyon rim.
Bryce Canyon was one of my favourite landscapes in Utah. When I visited, I did a short hike that descended from the rim and wound between the hoodoos, which I believe was the Navajo Loop Trail. Seeing these bizarre rock formations from above is impressive, but walking right amongst them gives you a completely different perspective.
After your hike, stop at a few viewpoints along the rim before continuing south towards Page. The drive takes around 2.5–3 hours, so aim to arrive with enough time to visit Horseshoe Bend in the late afternoon.
Horseshoe Bend is where the Colorado River makes an enormous horseshoe-shaped curve through the sandstone canyon below. I visited on my 2017 Southwest road trip, and that dramatic view over the river is still one of the classic sights around Page.
Where to stay in Page
Page is the most convenient place to stay for visiting both Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, with plenty of accommodation and restaurants in town.
🏨 Wingate by Wyndham Page Lake Powell would be my pick for this itinerary. It’s a practical base for one night, with easy access to the attractions around Page before your Antelope Canyon tour the following morning.
Day 5: Page to Monument Valley
Driving time: 2 hrs
Start the morning with a tour of Antelope Canyon, one of the most spectacular natural attractions around Page. The narrow slot canyon is famous for its swirling sandstone walls, which glow in shades of orange and red as sunlight filters down from above.
Antelope Canyon can only be visited on a guided tour, so you’ll need to book ahead and arrive at your designated time. I’ve put together a separate guide on how to visit Antelope Canyon with more information on choosing a tour and what to expect.
👉 Read more: How to visit Antelope Canyon: What to know before you go
After your tour, continue east towards Monument Valley, around two hours from Page. This was a destination I’d wanted to visit for years before finally making it there on my 2017 road trip, and the landscape absolutely lived up to my expectations. Those enormous sandstone buttes rising from the desert floor really do look as impressive in person as they do in photos.
Allow some time in the afternoon to explore Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, then stay overnight so that you can experience the desert around sunset and sunrise. I stayed in a glamping tent when I visited and loved waking up surrounded by the Monument Valley landscape.
👉 Read more: How to visit Monument Valley: Best things to do in the Wild West
Where to stay in Monument Valley
🏨 If I were planning this trip today, I’d look at Goulding’s Lodge. I haven’t personally stayed there, but its location surrounded by the red-rock landscape makes it a particularly appealing option for an overnight stop at Monument Valley.
Day 6: Monument Valley to Grand Canyon South Rim
Driving time: 3 hrs
If you’re up for an early start, catch the sunrise over Monument Valley before driving towards the Grand Canyon South Rim. The journey takes around three hours, and you’ll enter the national park from the east via the Desert View entrance.
This is actually my favourite way to approach the Grand Canyon. Desert View Drive follows the South Rim for around 25 miles towards Grand Canyon Village, with numerous viewpoints where you can stop along the way. Rather than rushing through, I’d make the scenic drive the main activity for the afternoon.
I’ve visited the Grand Canyon a few times now, and it still blows me away every time. Take your time at the viewpoints, then finish the day around Grand Canyon Village where you can watch the colours change across the canyon towards sunset.
Where to stay at the Grand Canyon
🏨 If your budget allows, El Tovar Hotel would be my pick for this itinerary. I haven’t personally stayed there, but the historic hotel sits right on the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village, which is a pretty unbeatable location for making the most of two days here.
Day 7: Grand Canyon Village
With a full day at the Grand Canyon, you can explore the area around Grand Canyon Village at a much more relaxed pace.
I’d spend some time walking the Rim Trail, which follows the edge of the canyon and connects numerous viewpoints. You could also use the park shuttle to explore more of the South Rim without having to worry about parking.
If you’re keen to hike below the rim, you could walk a section of the Bright Angel Trail before turning around — just remember that the climb back up is considerably harder than the walk down!
Another experience I’d recommend is a Grand Canyon helicopter tour. I did one on my visit and absolutely loved seeing the canyon from the air. It’s difficult to appreciate just how enormous the Grand Canyon is from the rim, and flying above it gives you a completely different perspective on the scale of the landscape. It’s definitely a splurge, but a very memorable one.
Spend a second night at the Grand Canyon, giving you another opportunity to catch sunset or sunrise without having to drive anywhere afterwards.
👉 Read more: Grand Canyon in one day: The ultimate South Rim itinerary
Day 8: Grand Canyon to Sedona
Driving time: 2.5 hrs
After one last look at the Grand Canyon, drive south towards Sedona. The journey takes around two hours, with the scenery changing from high-elevation forest to the dramatic red-rock formations surrounding Sedona.
🛻 When I visited Sedona, we headed out on an Off-Road Jeep Tour along the red dirt tracks surrounding the town. Our guides were some authentic cowboy types who were an absolute blast, telling us about the local plants and wildlife as well as Sedona’s history while we bounced our way through the landscape.
The tour also took us to some fantastic viewpoints overlooking Sedona’s red-rock formations and the surrounding forest. I thought it was a very cool way to experience the scenery, especially when you only have a short amount of time in town, so I’d recommend booking a Jeep tour for the afternoon.
Afterwards, spend the evening exploring Sedona or find somewhere scenic to watch the late-afternoon light over the red rocks.
Where to stay in Sedona
🏨 For a one-night stop, I’d stay somewhere central rather than booking an expensive resort on the outskirts of town. Cedars Resort would be my pick for this itinerary. Its central Sedona location makes it convenient for Jeep tours, restaurants and exploring the town, while still putting you in a good position to get back on the road the following morning.
Day 9: Sedona to Las Vegas
Driving time: 4.5 hrs
It’s time to complete the loop and drive back to Las Vegas. The journey from Sedona takes around 4.5 hours, so I’d leave reasonably early and allow most of the day for the drive.
Once you’re back in Vegas, return the rental car and enjoy one final evening in the city. After more than a week of national parks, hiking and desert landscapes, finishing the road trip with a nice meal and a fun night in Vegas sounds pretty good to me!
If you didn’t get much time to explore the city at the beginning of the trip, this is also your chance to squeeze in a few more Las Vegas activities before you leave.
Day 10: Las Vegas and departure
The final day is deliberately left fairly open. Depending on your flight time, you could head straight to the airport or use your last few hours to have breakfast, wander the Strip or fit in one final Vegas attraction.
I like having this buffer at the end of the itinerary rather than driving all the way from Sedona on the same day as your flight. It makes the end of the road trip much less stressful and gives you some flexibility if you encounter delays along the way.
How much driving is involved in this Southwest road trip?
This itinerary covers a lot of ground, but one of the things I like about this route is that most of the individual drives aren’t particularly long. You’ll generally spend around 2–3 hours travelling between destinations, with the longer drive from Sedona back to Las Vegas saved for the end of the trip.
You’ll definitely need a rental car. I’d pick one up in Las Vegas and return it to the same location, which keeps things simple and avoids the potential one-way fees that come with dropping a car in another city.
You don’t need anything particularly adventurous for the route itself — a regular rental car should be fine for travelling between the national parks and towns. If you’re planning any off-road activities, such as exploring the backcountry around Sedona, I’d book a dedicated tour rather than taking a rental car somewhere it isn’t supposed to go.
Best time for an American Southwest road trip
Spring and autumn are generally the most comfortable times for a road trip through the American Southwest. Temperatures are usually milder for hiking and sightseeing, and you’ll avoid some of the intense summer heat found in lower-elevation destinations such as Las Vegas and Page.
The tricky thing about this itinerary is the huge variation in elevation. Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon can be surprisingly cold while the desert areas are warm, so pack layers even if the forecast looks sunny.
Summer is possible, but you’ll need to plan outdoor activities around the heat and expect popular national parks to be busy. Winter can bring snow and icy conditions to higher elevations, which may affect hiking trails and driving.
National park passes and entry fees
This road trip visits several US national parks, so it’s worth comparing individual entrance fees with the America the Beautiful annual pass before you leave. The pass covers entrance fees at participating federal recreation sites and can work out cheaper when you’re visiting multiple national parks on the same trip.
Keep in mind that not everything on this itinerary is covered by the national parks pass. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park and Antelope Canyon are on Navajo Nation land and have their own admission or tour fees, which you’ll need to budget for separately.
American Southwest road trip FAQs
Is 10 days enough for an American Southwest road trip?
Yes! Ten days gives you enough time to see some of the Southwest’s biggest highlights without spending every day behind the wheel. This itinerary is fairly active, though, so if you prefer slower travel, you could easily stretch the same route over two weeks.
Where should you start an American Southwest road trip?
I think Las Vegas is an ideal starting point for this route. It’s well connected by flights, has plenty of rental car options, and puts you within a few hours’ drive of Zion National Park. You can also return to the same city at the end of the trip.
Do you need a 4WD for this road trip?
No. A regular rental car should be suitable for the main roads used throughout this itinerary. For any off-road experiences, such as exploring the desert around Sedona, I’d book a tour with a suitable vehicle instead.
Can you do this Southwest road trip in reverse?
Absolutely. You could travel from Las Vegas to Sedona first and complete the entire loop in reverse. I’d choose the direction that works best with accommodation availability, Antelope Canyon tour times and any other activities you want to book in advance.
How far in advance should you book this road trip?
I’d book accommodation near the national parks as early as you can, particularly if you’re travelling during popular periods. Antelope Canyon tours and any activities requiring reservations or permits are also worth organising well before your trip.
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