🥾 ActiveWeekend · from Phoenix, AZ
Ancient Forests & Petrified Wonders
Wander through towering pines and walk across ancient landscapes where stone trees tell stories millions of years old.
Day 1 — Coconino National ForestDay 2 — Petrified Forest National Park
Day 1 — Coconino National Forest
Day 1 — Coconino National Forest
🚗 3 hr 46 min driving📍 5 stops
🌅
Morning
🚗
Drive
Phoenix, AZ → Coconino National Forest
2 hr 11 min
Coconino National Forest
★ Reviews →Escape the desert heat with cool pine forests, pristine lakes, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails just two hours north of Phoenix.
~2.5 hrs📍 See location
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Lunch
🍽️
Hideaway House
★ Reviews →A Sedona institution with canyon views — fresh pizza, pasta, and sandwiches served on a creekside patio. Perfect fuel before the water slides at Slide Rock.
~1 hr📍 See location
☀️
Afternoon
🚗
Drive
Coconino National Forest → Slide Rock State Park
56 min
Slide Rock State Park
★ Reviews →Wade and slide down natural water chutes carved into Oak Creek's red rocks, plunge into crystalline pools, and scramble across sun-warmed stone formations while surrounded by cottonwood-lined canyon walls.
~2 hrs📍 See location
🌙
Evening
🚗
Drive
Slide Rock State Park → The Hudson
39 min
🍽️ Dinner~1 hr
🍽️
The Hudson
A Sedona-area favourite serving elevated American fare — wood-grilled steaks, fresh salads, and craft cocktails on a patio with red rock views. The kind of meal that caps a day in canyon country perfectly.
4 options · tap to switch
🛏️
Sky Ranch Lodge
A no-frills Sedona classic perched on the rim of Oak Creek Canyon — older rooms with dated finishes but one of the most spectacular natural positions in Arizona. The view from the pool deck is worth the trade-off. A longtime local favorite for location over luxury.
Day 2 — Petrified Forest National Park
Day 2 — Petrified Forest National Park
🚗 3 hr 18 min driving📍 5 stops
🌅
Morning
🚗
Drive
Coconino National Forest → Petrified Forest National Park
2 hr 33 min
Petrified Forest National Park
★ Reviews →Witness 225 million years of geological history while hiking through otherworldly landscapes painted in vibrant blues, purples, and reds.
~2.5 hrs📍 See location
🍽️
Lunch
🍽️
Petrified Forest Trading Company
★ Reviews →A trading post and grill at the edge of Petrified Forest National Park with a menu of sandwiches, green chile plates, and cold drinks. Practical, well-run, and exactly what you need between park stops.
~1 hr📍 See location
☀️
Afternoon
🚗
Drive
Petrified Forest National Park → Blue Mesa Trailhead
10 min
📍
Blue Mesa Trailhead
★ Reviews →Hike a scenic 1-mile loop through badlands of painted blue, purple, and orange clay hills, exploring eroded hillsides and distant mesa views while descending into colorful Petrified Forest gullies.
~45 min📍 See location
🌙
Evening
🚗
Drive
Blue Mesa Trailhead → Bienvenidos Restaurante
35 min
🍽️
Bienvenidos Restaurante
★ Reviews →Holbrook's most-reviewed restaurant — hearty Mexican-American fare served up by a local institution. The well-earned dinner after a day among painted badlands and ancient stone forests.
~1 hr📍 See location
🛏️
Consider staying overnight
The drive home from Petrified Forest National Park is 3h 44m — consider staying overnight and driving back in the morning.
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