Sedona, Page. Monument Valley...what else ?
 

Hi

We have one week in mid-Sept to fly in and out of Phoenix . We would like to see the slot canyons near Page . Other than Sedona and Monument Valley are there other outdoor sites we might include in our itinerary ? We enjoy hiking and photography. We plan to research some hiking near Page. We would rather do something in a leisurely manner so seeing as much as we can is not our goal. Can you recommend places to stay- simple and value oriented is our style.

Thanks much.

See if this works for you. It involves 6 days of driving.
A total of about 1450 miles.
Day 1 - 2 hours from Skyharbor to Sedona. Day 2 - From Sedona through Monument Valley all the way to Moab. 6 hours drive time.
Take the time to see some slot canyons and arches in Arches NP on day 3. Day 4 drive back through Monument Valley turning off US 160 onto Rt. 98 to get to Page. Day 5 - Drive from Page through Jacob Lake to go to the north Rim of the Grand Canyon. Get a good sunset picture.
Day 6 - From N. Rim to Las Vegas with a 1 to 2 hour stop at Zion NP. Day 7 - back from Las Vegas to PHX Skyharbor with a 1 hour stop at Hoover Dam (6 to 7 hours).

And if you're already sick of driving after reading above and barely stopping to see anything there are alternative plans you could make.

Sedona
Go to Crescent Moon picnic area for a spectacular sunset of Cathedral Rock with Oak Creek in the foreground. Way, way behind in the sunset derby is the Sedona airport.

For nice scenic hike Boynton Canyon Vista. Not to be confused with the full Boynton Canyon hike which is quite boring in comparison. It's right near the Enchantment Resort.

Second for scenery is Broken Arrow. A lot of people do this as a Pink Jeep ride. Pink Jeep and the NPS maintain the trail jointly.

Another is to hike near Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte.


Page
3/4 mile hike to Horseshoe Bend. On Rt89 just below Rt 98
Antelope Canyon about two mile east of Rt 89 on Rt 98.

Two hours from Page is Zion. there are a variety of hikes here. Some will mention Angels Landing and other the Narrows. It depends on what you want.

For me, Angels Landing as far as Scouts Lookout and Riverside Walk to the start of the Narrows are good photography locations.

Also, Canyon Overlook at the East Entrance on the way from Page.

There are a few others and several levels of Emerald Pools.

Unless you've already been to the Grand Canyon and know it doesn't compare to any of the other sights in the area, I would never discourage a first-timer from seeing it once.

You can see my photos of several trips taken in this area at:
www.travelwalks.com

I am sure Tomfuller is humoring me with that epic drive.

We are flying from Hawaii. I am assuming Phoenix is the airport best to fly into to visit this area namely Page and the slot canyons.

Would flying into Las Vegas have any merit ?

We have been to Zion, Bryce and GC . They are lovely places and would see again but looking for something different.

If you start in Salt lake City or Las Vegas and go to Monument Valley, Page and Sedona and return from Phoenix for still have over 800 miles and 14 hours of driving.

With only one week you wouldn't have enough time to enjoy the sights.

If you include Moab (Arches National Park, etc) the driving distance and time are still 800+ miles and about 14 hours of driving.

But you now have more sights and the same amount of time.

At this stage I'd suggest you either increase the amount of time for the trip or start to remove some destinations.

You have 3 major airports in the area: Las Vegas, Salt Lake and Phoenix. There are some minor airports but they add some complexity.

You may also want to consider extra charges for car pickup and dropoff at different airports.

From Monument Valley you can drive north through the Valley of the Gods and then continue south to Canyon de Chelly and spend overnight there.

C de C is like a mini Grand Canyon - it's very beautiful and can be toured on the afternoon you arrive and the following morning. The White House Ruins hike down into the canyon is great.

Montezuma's Castle, Tuzigoot (sp?) and Jerome are doable in one day, near Sedona.

Bi-plane flight over Sedona and Canyon de Chely on your way to Monument Valley.

In that area, you will be passing close to Navajo National Monument, and the Dinosaur tracks near Tuba City.

Look for the handmade signs for the tacks west of Tuba City, select one of the Native American guides who will be waiting and they will show you dinosaur poop, dilophosaurus tracks, Dinosaur bones & a T-Rex claw in about 15 minutes. Tip $5-10.