Hi, I am a single female, 50 something. going to phoenix for convention for 4 days and then on to explore Arizona from the 16th of October to the 23rd. want to see it all, yet enjoy. Sedona, Grand canyon are top on the list. monument valley painted desert, petrified forest., canyon de chilly, I have a middle class type budget. definitely will rent a car or jeep. How safe is it for me alone to hike , drive. etc seeing sunrises and sunsets? any places to save and any to splurge.? what to pack . hot and cool clothes? don't want to pack a ton. Is it safe to leave luggage in Jeep if I'm traveling and sightseeing and hotel hopping? returning from canyon de chilly to phoenix? straightthru or overnite somewhere? Appreciate any help. thanks

No need to hire a jeep, imo unless you are wanting to do some adventuresome driving out to places like Toroweap or Verde Hot Springs. An economy sedan should be fine and will be a lot cheaper. They now have paved roads in AZ.

Sedona, GC, MV, PD, CdC would make a nice week's trip. Maybe two nights in Sedona and GC and one night at each of the others. You might consider visiting Navajo National Monument as well and taking the guided hike to the Betatakin cliff dwelling. It's on your way to Monument Valley from either GC or Page and Page (Lake Powell) is another spot you might consider visiting for the scenery and the slot canyons.

Late October will bring fairly warm days but cold nights at the higher elevations. Dress accordingly. You should be OK hiking alone in the parks but you might try joining some of the guided ranger hikes (if still available then) because you learn so much more when accompanied by an expert.

Thanks,yes the pics of antelope canyon are stunning. any idea of how the road trip back form CdC to Phoenix is? in terms of hours and type of drive. It would be at the end of my trip and trying to figure time for flight back and returning rental car.

If you are spending the night at Monument Valley, I would recommend staying at Gouldings or the new hotel inside MV. Both have views of MV, so it's easy to see the buttes at sunrise and sunset. We cheaped out and stayed at a motel in Kayenta. I have always been sorry.

I just took a similar trip in April: Sedona, GC, Page, MV, Canyon de Chelly, PD and PF and Winslow for 11 days. I am also a single, middle aged female and I drove, hiked, etc. by myself with no problems. There are plenty of people on the hiking trails and the roads in AZ are a pleasure, all scenic and traffic free. Bring a cell phone in case of emergency.

I think the drive from Canyon de Chelly to Phoenix would be a couple of hours. Unless you have a late afternoon flight or leave C de C very early in the a.m., I'd recommend spending the night in Phoenix or Scottsdale so you're close enough to the airport. The only traffic I encountered anywhere in AZ was right in the Phoenix area and on the way to the airport from Scottsdale, so give yourself enough driving time, whatever you decide to do.

I agree on the reco of The View Hotel in MV. The views are unsurpassed and all rooms face the mesas. Take the scenic 17 mi. drive in late afternoon when the light is perfect. Hike the Wildcat Trail to get really close to the buttes.

I'd recommend 2 nts. Sedona (do a Pink Jeep Tour and lots of hikes - Boynton Canyon and Oak Creek are beautiful areas)- Alma de Sedona Inn was lovely; 2 in GC; 1 in Page (take the float trip around Horseshoe Bend) 1 in MV and 1-2 in Canyon de Chelly. The latter was a pleasant surprise to me as it was a mini GC, with beautiful scenic drives and lookout points and a wonderful hike to the White House Ruins at the bottom.

Not much to see of the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. I just drove through on the way to Winslow from Canyon de Chelly and only spent 2 hrs there on the drive thru'.

I don't know about the weather in October, but bring layers and be prepared. I had a full blown snowstorm in the GC in mid April, altho' the weather the rest of the time was mild and pleasant.

See my trip report. Enjoy your trip.

thanks for all the great infor.Panecotts trip report was great. was also wondering if it is feasible to drive to Pagefrom grand canyon to tour the antelope canyon and then drive to monument valley? still can't decide on a place to stay two nites in sedona. also would like to stay at La Posada.

the highlight of our trip was the helicopter tour over the GC, absolutely fantastic ! Monument Valley was no. 2. We had a few more days than you and also went to Bryce Canyon in Utah, which should not be missed at all ! Other two great places were Mesa Verde NP, Colorado, done after MV, and Canyon De Chelly. We are from EU and not used to those wide open straight flat distances, very few cars, almost nobody on roads. This gave me a clear and deep perception of much much longer distances to drive than the effective driven miles. This could easily make you tired of driving so long distances alone in the car. Have you considered to make a one way car rental and fly out from a different place than Phoenix to avoid backtracking ?

I'll check out a one way rental. I think the only closest flight is from flagstaff.if my last stop would be at the painted desert/petrified forest and someone else commented it was long and not a good experience. I like the thought of the helicopter but hate flying in a big plane let alone the helicopter and it was a bit pricey. thanks for you suggestions. I hope to be able to make another trip for bryce and zion.

Given the time you have, I'd skip the Painted Desert...like panecott I gave it a drive through, but actually wished I saved the 2-3 hours it took me to get ot Flagstaff earlier.

I like the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, but it's not worth going way out of your way to see. To really see the petrified wood, you need to get out of your vehicle and walk around.

Utahtea

thanks for the great input.