Night drive Phoenix to Sedona
 

Hi everyone,

I will be landing in Phoenix in the evening around 10 and planning to drive to Sedona straight from airport. How are the roads? Are they twisty, fairly well lit? Would it be safe at night?

thanks

I don't see why you'd have a problem. The roads are somewhat twisty but well lit.

Are you by yourself and are you female? I am, and I personally won't do the drive by myself in the dark. Once you get out of Phoenix there are long stretches of miles between exits, and many of the exits have no service available at them. If your car breaks down, you can be far away from help. I disagree on the well lit part. The rode outside of Phoenix is well-lit, but at about an hour out, it is pretty dark between exits. My husband was with me once at night, and he drive, and it is not what I'd call well let once you get out of the Phoneix area. Also, the incline is steep starting about an hour outside of Phoenix, so you are climbing and having to go slower, at least I do, and I just don't like driving this in the dark by myself.

I'm not sure what you all mean by "well lit." There is a lot of open country between Phoenix and Sedona that doesn't have any lighting at all. There are lights at the highway exits but that's about it outside the cities.

You'll probably take I-17 up to exit 293 then take Hwy 179. I-17 is just a normal interstate. Don't know about Hwy 179, since I'm usually travelling between Jerome and Sedona when I am in the area, but I expect that it won't have any lighting.

My take on driving alone, I am a middle aged female, born and raised in Colorado, lived six years in Arizona. I would have no problem whatever of driving that by myself. If you break down and your cell phone doesn't work, you just have to wait for a State Trooper to come along. They will stop and help you.

However, I can see how people not used to wide open spaces might be intimidated. You just have to make up your own mind.

I live in AZ and would not do this drive alone late at night (or any drive alone late at night for that matter unless it was an emergency). Landing around 10 means just that, landing. Then there is luggage collection, bus to car rental place and then getting out of the PHX airport area. You will be leaving after 11 by that time. If it were me I'd grab a hotel near the airport and go up to Sedona in the a.m. Highways in PHX are well lit, once you get out of the city you are not where it is well lit at all.

I agree w/ Lori. Landing bears no relationship to what time you will actually be in the car and on your way. If you have checked luggage you will be lucky to be out of the rental agency before 11:15 - 11:30. I don't mind driving alone at night (at all) - but I would not set out to Sedona at that time of night. Heck, you wouldn't even see anything enroute.

Priceline a hotel at the airport, save a day on the rental car, and have a restful drive up the next morning . . . . .

JMO, I would never take on a drive like this at night. Stay somewhere near the airport and get a nice early start in the am. Aside from safety issues, you don't want to miss the scenery around Sedona.

I live in Phoenix, am 28 and would be perfectly comfortable driving up to Sedona by my self at night. That being said, I wouldn't want to come off a flight and immediately jump in a car and sit for another 90 minutes.
Regarding your questions. I-17 has some steep inclines with curves but it's an interstate with wide lanes.
Good Luck!
~christine

Wow...thanks everyone,,,your comments certainly are making me think of changing my itinerary....i will not be alone, but my husband (whose night vision is very bad) will be driving. I think we may just stay at a hotel near the airport and drive to GC in the morning, stay the night...then we will drive to sedona from GC..thanks everyone

I think that's a very wise decision. I also have bad night vision, that's the main reason I would never drive so late. Have a great trip.

Wise choice, even though I have driven it many times at night it will be late, you will be tired and there can be many trucks and when the road narrows can be a little daunting. The next morning you will be rested and can enjoy the topography change as you climb in elevation, quite spectacular. Have a wonderful time!

It would not bother me to drive this route at night. However, given the higher cost of accommodations in Sedona, I would just stay in Phoenix, get a good rest, and enjoy the morning drive and the outstanding scenery as others have suggested.

I agree completely with elnap.

Yes, elnap has it right, for more than one reason.

Consider that if you drive into Sedona at night, you'll miss the spectacular red-rock views that should be seen on the way in. Plus, I've made that drive late at night when tired. It's no picnic, especially if it's your 1st time and you're not sure where you're going. That's a recipe for a BIG mistake.

Oh, it is so nice to read this forum. I'm a woman 55 from Budapest, Hungary, never traveling before in US and went last year absolutely alone to GC. I picked up the rented car in PHX airport. I had a trick: cover the passenger's seat with a shirt and put a hat onto the headboard. And you can drive when and where you want. You could feel safe. Anyway, it was a bit frightful to drive from GC to Cameron in the night! But was great! I agree that you will miss the breath-taking view on the way to Sedona!!! The road is perfect.

It's not a problem, you're driving on an Interstate but I would still have a good night sleep in Phoenix(preferably in Scottsdale). And leave early to Sedona not forgetting to visit Montezuma castle along the way.Greetings from Belgium.PAul