The ultimate Arizona itinerary for visiting three national parks in three days!
Arizona is home to three of the 63 national parks in the United States: the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and Saguaro National Parks and each of them is spectacularly different and incredible in their own right.
If you only have a long weekend, it IS possible to visit all three national parks in three days.
But is your goal to see them or to experience them? It’s entirely up to you and what you enjoy doing.
If your desire is to drive and enjoy the view from the car, done -no problem. You can drive through all three parks in just a matter of a few hours.
If you enjoy hiking and camping and want to get a first-hand experience inside the parks, then that’s certainly doable as well, but you will want to allow for more time.
For us, over the past several years (because of school and work schedules) we’ve had limited vacation time and so we end up trying to cram in as much as possible.
If that’s you, then here’s how to ‘cram’ Arizona’s three national parks into three days.
You may need to allow a travel day on either end, but if you’re lucky enough to have more than three days to spend in the area, I’ll give you some ideas on what to do with your extra days too!
So without further ado, here’s my ultimate Arizona itinerary!
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Day 1 – Saguaro National Park
For the shortest drive time between parks, you might want to base yourself in Phoenix and start your trip from there.
Phoenix is more centrally located to all three parks, but Las Vegas and McCarran International is another option and only about four hours from the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
Saguaro National Park
Just a two hour drive southeast of Phoenix, you’ll find Tucson and the first stop of our ultimate Arizona itinerary, Saguaro National Park.
Named for the giant saguaro cactus, the area was dedicated as a national monument in 1933 by President Hoover. In 1994, its designation was changed and the area was made a national park.
The saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert and can grow up to 70′ tall, weigh 8 tons, and live to be 200 years old. The cactus is a late bloomer as it doesn’t begin producing flowers until its 35th year, and its first arm begins developing somewhere between 50 and 75 years of age.
Many native species call the area home including bobcats, jack rabbits, coyotes, javelina, and black bear, desert tortoise, 6 different species of rattlesnakes, scorpions, Gila monsters, great-horned owls, road-runners, red-tailed hawks, and hummingbirds just to name a few. So keep your eyes out and your camera ready!
Saguaro National Park is divided into two separate areas by the city of Tucson: the Rincon Mountain District to the east and the Tucson Mountain District to the west.
Rincon Mountain District
The Rincon Mountain District is known for its mountain views, numerous hiking trails and is the only section where backpacking is allowed.
The park is open from 5:00am-8:00pm in the summers and closes at 6:00pm during the winter months.
Tucson Mountain District
The Tucson Mountain District is the more popular of the two sections and where you’ll find the most saguaro cacti.
The park is open from sunrise to sunset year round and the Visitor Center is open daily from 9am-5pm.
What to see and do
If you have just one day allocated for Saguaro National Park, I recommend visiting the Tucson Mountain District.
The Bajada Loop Drive is your best option for seeing the area. The unpaved road is six miles long with several pull-outs and picnic areas and most people complete it within 2 hours.
There are no restaurants or food stores in the park so be sure to pack a lunch!
If you want to check out the hiking trails for both districts, the national park website here contains information that should get you started.
Where to stay
I recommend driving the two hours back to Phoenix and staying in Mesa.
The Hyatt Place Phoenix/Mesa is a great hotel option with breakfast included. From there, it’s a three and a half hour drive to the Petrified Forest National Park.
Day 2 – Petrified Forest National Park
The next destination on our ultimate Arizona itinerary is the Petrified Forest National Park. This 221,000 acres park is a unique archeological site that allows visitors to experience the diversity that is Arizona.
Beginning as a national monument in 1906, the Petrified Forest became designated a national park in 1962 and contains over 1200 archeological sites.
Within its boundaries visitors may see pronghorn, bobcats and coyotes, snakes, lizards and deer mice that call the area home.
Interesting Fact: The Petrified Forest National Park is the only national park with a section of the old Route 66 within its boundaries.
What to see and do
There is a 28-mile route through the park where you can view the highlights including the Painted Desert to the north and the giant petrified logs to the south.
If you prefer more up close and personal interaction, there are many paved trails throughout the park for easy walking.
Visitors can also enjoy guided tours, bicycling, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, geocaching, and cultural demonstrations at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark from 10am-3pm.
Be sure to confirm times before arriving though in case details have changed.
It took us just a few hours to drive through the park, making several stops along the 28-mile drive and exploring some of the amazing sights. I feel like we experienced a good deal of the park and made some great memories in just a few hours. A map of the park can be seen here.
More details on ways you can enjoy and experience the Petrified Forest National Park can be found on the national park website.
Where to stay
There are several options for lodging in the area. Holbrook has several hotels just outside the park to the west and Flagstaff is just two hours west towards the Grand Canyon National Park.
Accommodations can also be found closer to the Grand Canyon in Williams and Tusayan.
If you have the time and don’t mind the drive, I recommend staying in Williams or Tusayan. This way you’re much closer to the Grand Canyon entrance and can get an early start and beat the crowds.
Day 3 – Grand Canyon National Park
Day three of our ultimate Arizona itinerary… and it’s Grand Canyon day! That’s what the whole family called it on our way to the park, and the kids couldn’t wait to get there!
Looking at the canyon from the south rim, it’s hard to believe it’s 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep. It’s just incredibly massive.
And the crowds can be too!
If you want to avoid the crowds, I recommend visiting the park in the spring or fall. You avoid summer’s peak season and the temperatures are cooler too.
There are a couple of ways to visit the canyon.
You of course, can drive your own vehicle. Driving through the South Rim areas is easy and the Desert Rim Drive is the only drive open year round to private vehicles and the views are amazing.
You can also park in Tusayan and take one of the free shuttle buses into the park.
Or, for a truly unique experience, catch the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams. This option allows for enjoying the views all the way to the Grand Canyon, and avoiding the traffic altogether!
The train leaves the Williams station at 09:30 and arrives just over two hours later.
From the train station across from El Tovar Lodge in the Village, you can walk or take a shuttle bus to where you want to go. Check here for bus routes and times before you go though as schedules do change.
The train leaves for its return trip at 3:30pm, allowing you several hours to walk (or ride) around and take in the views.
What to see and do
The South Rim is open year round and provides lots of opportunities for experiencing the park.
I recommend the Rim Trail. Park at the Grand Canyon Visitor’s Center and walk from Mather Point to Yavapai Point.
It’s less than a mile and has incredible views of the canyon with several great picture taking spots.
The trail is paved and is great for strollers and wheelchairs. If you’re enjoying the stroll and the views, continue the walk for another mile and a half or so from Yavapai Point to Verkamp’s Visitor Center.
Then after exploring the visitor center and the park lodges in the area, walk back or take a shuttle bus back to the main visitor center.
If you’re like us and collect souvenir Christmas ornaments from every national park, visit the Grand Canyon Visitor Center Store or the larger shop at Market Plaza. Both have a great selection of collectibles.
The Market Plaza Country Store also has minor camping equip and clothing in addition to a deli and grocery. See the area map here to get your bearings.
From the Grand Canyon Visitors Center, you can take the Desert View Drive east along the canyon rim.
It’s a 22-mile drive along the south rim towards the east with several trailheads and scenic viewpoints along the way. So stop, get out, and enjoy the area!
There are also other ways to experience the park.
Audio tours are available at the visitors center for a more detailed visit of the park.
Visitors can also enjoy backcountry hiking (with a permit), river trips (1/2 and full day from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry), guided tours, mule trips down to the Colorado River, and whitewater trips are also available year round.
If you’re visiting from May to October, check out the North Rim. It’s normally less crowded and just as spectacular.
From the North Rim you can hike or take mule trips along the rim or down into the canyon.
Where to stay
At the North Rim, the only lodging available is the Grand Canyon Lodge. Built in 1937 after a fire destroyed the original lodge five years earlier, it embodies the canyon and its history in its design and architecture.
Lodging at the South Rim is much more plentiful. At the Grand Canyon Village, there’s several choices including Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, Kachina Lodge, and El Tovar.
They book up fast so you need to make reservations early. If you’d rather stay in Tusayan, the free shuttle runs from March to September.
Day 4 and more – Other Things To Do and See Nearby
In my experience, Saguaro and Petrified Forest National Parks can be done in a day, unless they really speak to you and you want to spend more time exploring.
If you’re looking for other sights to see, I would take what extra time you have and explore the area.
Here’s several suggestions for adding on to your ultimate Arizona itinerary!
Stay a night or two at one of the Grand Canyon lodges and explore more of the park.
Perhaps take a day hike, or a mule ride down the canyon to the Colorado River. Book a river trip. Or, if you’re visiting in the summer months, take a drive and visit the North Rim and stay a night at the Grand Canyon Lodge.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie and into adventures, drive three hours west from Williams and explore Grand Canyon West.
Grand Canyon West
Grand Canyon West is owned and operated by the Hualapai Indians and has several exciting adventures available!
The Skywalk is a glass walkway that extends 70′ out over the canyon where you can look down 4000′ to the bottom.
There’s several other things you can do at Grand Canyon West including white water rafting trips, helicopter tours, and zip-lining.
I promise you, whatever you decide, you’ll be talking about your experiences for years to come!
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Another option to consider is a visit to the Montezuma Castle National Monument.
Located in Camp Verde, it sits halfway between Flagstaff and Phoenix and contains one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in the state.
Five stories tall and containing 20 rooms, the dwelling sits 80′ above the canyon floor. There’s a great museum and several trails to wander down as well as picnic areas to enjoy.
Sedona, Arizona
Another option is to stay a day or two in Sedona, an extremely beautiful town just north of Phoenix.
Sedona is renowned for its beauty and southwest charm as well as its artisans, shops, and art galleries.
Cathedral Rock is also just outside of Sedona. You can reach the closest trailhead after just a 20-minute drive from town on Back O Beyond Road.
It’s a relatively short easy hike, just over a mile to reach the top from the trailhead and is one of the most photographed landscapes in the state.
In conclusion, whether you have three days, five days, or a week or more, visiting Arizona’s three national parks will make anyone’s bucket list happy.
The beautiful saguaro cacti, the petrified forests, the incredible vastness of the Grand Canyon…sights that everyone should see and enjoy!
I hope you found my ultimate Arizona itinerary helpful and informative. However much time you have, make the most of it and experience your best trip ever! And enjoy embracing that inner dragonfly!
Comment below if you’ve visited these Arizona national parks and let us know your favorite! I’d love to hear from you!
For those road trip essentials that make the drive easier and more enjoyable, check out my list for your next road trip. If you’re interested in other national park road trips, check out Olympia National Park and Grand Teton National Park, and the nearby SoCal National Parks: Joshua Tree and Death Valley.
