Viewpoint · 54 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
Day Trippin' › Arizona › From Williams
Day trips from Williams
Williams is the Route 66 town where the Grand Canyon Railway starts: the South Rim is about an hour north, Flagstaff half an hour east, and Sedona and Seligman are in reach for the day. The best day trips from Williams, by drive time.
56 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Williams
- Bearizona 37 min south
- Red Mountain Trail 38 min east
- Grand Canyon South Rim 54 min north
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument 1 hr 35 min east
- Watson Lake 1 hr 49 min south
- Meteor Crater 1 hr 55 min southeast
- Montezuma Castle National Monument 1 hr 58 min south
- Cathedral Rock 2 hr 4 min southeast
- Devil's Bridge 2 hr 9 min southeast
- Jerome 2 hr 30 min south
Within an hour from Williams 4 spots
Zoo · 37 min south
Bearizona
Drive-through wildlife park with bears, bison and wolves, plus a walk-through area.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
Trail · 38 min east
Red Mountain Trail
A short trail into the eroded heart of a cinder cone, with hoodoos and a small ladder.
- 1.5-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free (check)
Trail · 56 min north
Bright Angel Trail
Walk a little way down into the Grand Canyon on its best-known trail.
- 2-5 hrs · Hard
- Year-round; avoid summer midday
- NPS entrance fee
1 to 2 hours from Williams 27 spots
Landmark · 1 hr 55 min southeast
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 · 1 hr 58 min south
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)
National monument · 1 hr 35 min east
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)
Lake · 1 hr 49 min south
Watson Lake
A lake in the Granite Dells, a maze of rounded boulders great for paddling and scrambling.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- City of Prescott parking fee (free Wednesdays)
Trail · 1 hr 57 min southeast
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 45 min southeast
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)
Town · 1 hr 11 min southeast
Downtown Flagstaff and Route 66
A lively mountain town with historic brick downtown, breweries and Route 66 running through.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
Ski area · 1 hr 28 min southeast
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
2 to 3 hours from Williams 25 spots
Town · 2 hr 30 min south
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
Trail · 2 hr 4 min southeast
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 · 2 hr 9 min southeast
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
Historic site · 2 hr 15 min east
Homolovi State Park
Ancestral Hopi pueblo sites and pottery shards on the mesas along the Little Colorado River.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (closed Christmas)
- State park entrance fee
National monument · 2 hr 24 min south
Tuzigoot National Monument
A hilltop Sinagua pueblo with views over the Verde River and Tavasci Marsh.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- NPS entrance fee (same pass covers Montezuma Castle)
Park · 2 hr 10 min south
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)
Wildlife · 2 hr 10 min south
Sedona Wetlands Preserve
Ponds at the city water plant that draw herons, ducks and migrating birds, with red rock behind.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round; best in winter and spring
- Free
Winery · 2 hr 12 min south
Page Springs
Wineries along Oak Creek with tasting on the creek bank, and a state fish hatchery next door.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Tasting fees
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 86046 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.