5 Day Arizona National Parks Trip Itinerary

This Arizona national parks itinerary outlines every detail of the road trip to explore Arizona's 3 National Parks in 5 days.

22-pages of expert advice to help you navigate your Arizona's national parks road trip and maximize your experience. The guide includes the best things to do in each park, recommended hikes, things to see, where to stay near the national parks, and recommendations for where to eat for each stop on the Arizona National Parks Trip road trip itinerary.

It also includes the driving route, mileage and time it takes to drive between them, packing lists, and tips on where to fly into and what kind of car to rent.

Last Updated: January 2025

Before you take this trip, listen to our podcast episodes on the Grand Canyon, and Petrified Forest & Saguaro.

Where this Arizona National Parks Itinerary Goes

This Arizona National Parks Itinerary goes to three of the country’s most incredible national parks, all located in the Western U.S. state of Arizona. 

The itinerary goes to the three National Parks in Arizona in this order:

•   Saguaro National Park 
•   Petrified Forest National Park 
•   Grand Canyon National Park

Get ready to explore the diverse natural landscapes and structures within Arizona’s National Parks including red rocks, dramatic canyon views, cacti forests, and colorful badlands. Exploring Arizona will have you amazed because it offers some of the most iconic landscapes, viewpoints, and hikes. 

Arizona National Parks Road Trip Map

The exact route to take to visit each park including mileage between parks & how much time to allot for driving. The itinerary includes routes for these legs of the trip so you can visit all 3 in one trip, or break it up and take different legs across multiple trips.

• Tucson to Saguaro National Park 
• Saguaro National Park  to Petrified Forest National Park 
• Petrified Forest National Park  to Grand Canyon National Park 
• Grand Canyon to Phoenix or Grand Canyon to Tucson

Where to Stay

Hotel recommendations for each night on the 5 day Arizona National Parks Road Trip including the budget-friendly hotel we actually stayed in and a couple other recommendations.

• Where to stay in Tucson
• Where to near Petrified Forest National Park 
• Where to stay near Grand Canyon National Park

Hiking Recommendations in Each National Park

Hikes we did in each park including mileage, how much time to allow for each hike, what you can expect to see along the hikes, and tips for what to pack to make this hike more special. That could mean an extra warm jacket, crampons, or a lunch - either way we have you covered! We also include park hours & park entrance fees. 

• Best hikes in Saguaro National Park 
• Best hikes in Petrified Forest National Park
• Best hikes in Grand Canyon

Activities & Extras

We include everything you need to just show up and have fun! The itinerary lists unique overlooks, things to do, and other things to do on the trip that aren’t hiking. We also share packing lists, helpful squad tips, where to eat around the parks, and tips for navigating the airport and rental car to begin and end your trip.

• Best things to see in all 3 national parks
• Where to eat around each national park or the drive between
• Stops along the drives 
• Packing list for the Arizona National Park Trip 
• Airports to fly into
• Where to get a rental car + tips to get a good deal