There’s nothing quite like a road trip, the moment you begin packing up the car, you know you’re set for an adventure. Well, this past summer I decided to take my family up for a nice Arizona road trip. The idea was to spend some quality family team, surrounded by nature, doing nice hikes and eating good food. Arizona is perfect to do all that.
Our adventure started in Phoenix, where we picked up our ride: a 2005 old Ford Explorer we found easily through Outdoorsy, it came equipped with all we needed: a small kitchen in the back, a fridge, lots of drawers to store things, a portable shower, and a Guana Equipment roof top tent on top of it. It was a perfect setup for a small family of three that wanted to camp, or like they now call it, overland for a full week.
First Stop: Lost Dutchman State Park
Our first night was spent at Lost Dutchman State Park. The campsite was one of the best I’ve ever been to. It was right below the Superstition Mountains, it has enough space for normal tents, RVs and even roof top tents. It has clean restrooms, hot showers, and right next to the trail that takes you up the mountains.
We spent the day hiking the trail that led up the mountain. The views were just beautiful, with the desert glowing right below you, it feels like you can see all of Arizona. Back at the campsite, we cooked dinner in the small portable kitchen our car had. May I add it’s always important to make sure the vehicle you use for a road trip, has the right camping kitchen setup, it can make or break the comfort of your road trip.
Then we proceeded to climb onto our tent with our kid, lay under the stars, listening to the quiet of the desert, a great way to end the day.
A Quick Swim And A Night in Tonto National Forest
Day two began the next morning, when we headed out toward Tonto National Forest. On our way the road passed next to what seemed like a lake, and so we wanted to stop for a swim and ended up at a beautiful place named Butcher Jones Beach. It’s a nice little spot along Saguaro Lake where we all jumped in for a swim. It felt great to cool off after driving in the desert heat.
Once we got to Tonto, we set up camp again and hiked only a portion of the Siphon Draw Trail. It’s a bit harder than other trails, and with our 10-year-old it wasn’t that easy. Therefore, we did a bit of it and headed back to camp.
Sedona: Simply Beautiful
Next, we drove to Sedona. I had never been there before, and I must say it was amazing. As we were driving into the area, we started seeing all the red giants around us. The mountains are magical, that place itself is magic, pure magic.
We found some private campgrounds, where we spent two nights, and that allowed us to easily venture into town or to do some of the hikes. I want to point out again how out of this world the landscape there is, you see these massive red rock formations everywhere you look, and they just amaze you.
On the first day, we hiked Cathedral Rock. It’s a bit of a climb, but the views at the top made it all worthwhile. Even our ten-year-old managed to do it, as the steep part comes just at the end, it’s what one would consider an intermediate family hike.
The next day, we kept it simpler with the Bell Rock Pathway. It’s more kid-friendly, with wide, easy trails that still give you plenty of incredible views. We stopped at one of the rock formations, climbed up to a bit of a higher point, sat down, took out some sandwiches from our backpacks and had a delicious lunch enjoying the beauty of the valley that laid below us and all around us.
Camping in Sedona was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The way the stars light up the night sky out there is something you don’t forget.
A Relaxing Stop in Flagstaff
After Sedona, we made our way to Flagstaff for a bit of a break. Instead of camping, we spent the day exploring the town and stayed in a hotel. Long road trips also require some time in a more “normal” setting in order to recover both your body and mind. See it as fuel to keep going. Flagstaff was perfect for that, it’s a great mountain town in northern Arizona, with great food, nice little mountain shops, a good vibe, craft breweries and a perfect spot to stop right before you head up to one of the natural wonders of the world: the Grand Canyon National Park.
The Grand Canyon
Our last major stop was the Grand Canyon. It’s one of those places you see in pictures all your life, but nothing compares to standing there in person. It’s so massive and beautiful that it takes your breath away.
We spent one night camping nearby and two days driving to different lookout points along the rim. We caught a sunrise at Mather Point, and watching the canyon light up in shades of gold and pink was something we’ll remember forever. Our kid loved spotting all the little details in the rock layers, and we even saw a couple of elk wandering around.
It was crowded, very crowded, so we do advice anyone to arrive there either quite early to find spots in the campgrounds or book the accommodation whether in local accommodation right outside the park, or even in private campgrounds, ahead of time. As beautiful as the place is, it’s also as crowded as you’d imagine, it’s one of the top tourist destinations in the world!
Putting An End To Our Arizona National Parks Road Trip
After the Grand Canyon, it was time to head back to Phoenix. The car was a bit dirty; we were all a bit tired, but our hearts were so full from the adventure. This trip wasn’t just about seeing the Arizona National Parks, but about spending time together, pushing ourselves a little, and making memories we’ll talk about for years.
If you’re thinking about an overlanding trip with your family, Arizona is the perfect place to do it. It’s full of incredible places to explore, weather is great, clean campsites everywhere you go, and it has a surprising diversity from mountains and forests to deserts and canyons.
So, pack up, hit the road, and see what’s out there. You might just have the adventure of a lifetime, like we did.