Town · 53 min northeast
Jerome
A former copper boomtown hanging off Cleopatra Hill, now full of galleries, tasting rooms and views.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- None; paid parking in some town lots
Day Trippin' › Arizona › From Prescott
Day trips from Prescott
Prescott's lakes and granite boulders are at the edge of town, the hillside mining town of Jerome is under an hour away, and Sedona and the Verde Valley are an easy morning's drive. The best day trips from Prescott, by drive time.
62 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Prescott
- Jerome 53 min northeast
- Arcosanti 55 min southeast
- Fort Verde State Historic Park 58 min east
- Montezuma Castle National Monument 1 hr 1 min east
- Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte 1 hr 18 min east
- Cathedral Rock 1 hr 26 min northeast
- Slide Rock State Park 1 hr 40 min northeast
- Desert Botanical Garden 2 hr 11 min south
- Tonto Natural Bridge State Park 2 hr 12 min east
- Meteor Crater 2 hr 39 min east
Within an hour from Prescott 4 spots
Landmark · 55 min southeast
Arcosanti
An experimental desert town of concrete domes and arches, famous for its bronze and ceramic wind bells.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Guided tour fee
Historic site · 58 min east
Fort Verde State Historic Park
Original 1870s army post buildings with rooms set up as they were.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- State park entrance fee
Museum · 58 min northeast
Jerome State Historic Park
The Douglas Mansion museum tells the mining story, with a big view over the Verde Valley.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- State park entrance fee
1 to 2 hours from Prescott 37 spots
National monument · 1 hr 1 min east
Montezuma Castle National Monument
A five-story Sinagua cliff dwelling tucked in a limestone cliff above Beaver Creek.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- NPS entrance fee (same pass covers Tuzigoot)
Trail · 1 hr 18 min east
Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte
Easy loop around two big red rock buttes right off the highway, with as much or as little climbing as you like.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful pass
State park · 1 hr 40 min northeast
Slide Rock State Park
Slide down a natural sandstone water chute in Oak Creek, in a historic apple orchard.
- Half day · Easy
- Swimming in summer; open year-round
- State park entrance fee (per vehicle)
Trail · 1 hr 26 min northeast
Cathedral Rock
A short, steep scramble up slickrock to a saddle between Sedona's most famous red rock spires.
- 1.5-2 hrs · Hard (scrambling)
- Year-round; summer mornings only
- Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful pass
Trail · 1 hr 37 min northeast
Devil's Bridge
Walk out onto Sedona's largest natural sandstone arch for a classic photo.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful pass
Town · 1 hr 15 min north
Williams
A Route 66 town with neon diners and shops, the gateway to the Grand Canyon.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
Zoo · 1 hr 23 min north
Bearizona
Drive-through wildlife park with bears, bison and wolves, plus a walk-through area.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
Park · 1 hr 35 min northeast
Crescent Moon Picnic Site
The classic view of Cathedral Rock reflected in Oak Creek, with picnic tables and creek wading.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Coconino Pass day-use fee (Red Rock Pass and America the Beautiful not accepted)
2 to 3 hours from Prescott 18 spots
Garden · 2 hr 11 min south
Desert Botanical Garden
Thousands of desert plants along garden trails in Papago Park, beautiful in spring bloom.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
State park · 2 hr 12 min east
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
What may be the world's largest travertine natural bridge, with trails down to the creek below it.
- 2 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round (closed Christmas)
- State park entrance fee
Landmark · 2 hr 39 min east
Meteor Crater
A nearly mile-wide crater left by a meteorite 50,000 years ago, with a museum on the rim.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
National monument · 2 hr 20 min northeast
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Walk lava flows and cinder fields at the foot of a volcano that erupted around 1085.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- NPS entrance fee (covers Wupatki too)
Viewpoint · 2 hr 30 min north
Grand Canyon South Rim
The South Rim's main viewpoints, from Mather Point to Hopi Point, along a flat rim trail and free shuttles.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- NPS entrance fee
Ski area · 2 hr 22 min northeast
Arizona Snowbowl
Ski in winter; in summer and fall ride the scenic gondola up the San Francisco Peaks to an overlook near 12,000 feet.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Winter skiing; scenic gondola late spring to fall (check dates)
- Lift ticket or gondola ticket
Town · 2 hr 47 min east
Winslow and La Posada
A Route 66 town with Standin' on the Corner Park and La Posada, a restored 1930 railroad hotel.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
National monument · 2 hr 2 min northeast
Walnut Canyon National Monument
A stairway trail down to cliff dwellings tucked into ledges of a forested canyon.
- 1-2 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- NPS entrance fee (card only)
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 86301 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.