We are planning to drive from Sedona to Canyon de Chelly and want to arrive in time to do a bit of hiking before it gets dark, so we are aiming to arrive at Canyon de Chelly around 4 p.m. Wondering how early we need to leave Sedona to accomplish that, without having to rush. We want to allow time to stop for gas, use restrooms, eat lunch, see Petrified Forest (and maybe do a short hike there?). Any suggestions as to how much time we need to allow? Are there other things we should stop and look at on the way, without adding too much time to the trip? I am aware that we need to add an hour to allow for the time difference between Sedona and Canyon de Chelly.

Stop at Hubbell Trading Post.

According to Google Maps, it's about 4 hours of drive time.

I'd stop at Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest NP and Hubbell Trading Post. Those stops will add 45 minutes or so to the drive. Plan accordingly with the time at each stop.

It is less than 3 hours from Sedona to Petrified Forest, and less than two hours from there to Canyon de Chelley. So the whole trip would be about 4 hours on the road without stops. I would suggest that you exit I-40 on AZ 180 and enter the park from the south and then exit through the north and pick up 40 east of where you exited.

If you don't hike much in Petrified Forest you could probably see the high points in an hour and a half or two hours.

There are a couple of places to stop along the way. About 10 miles east of Flagstaff just off 40 is Walnut Canyon NP which has cliff dwellings, you hike down steps then up steps to the cliff and can walk into the dwellings. This might take 2 hours or so.

Hubble Trading Post is right off AZ 191 a bit south of Chinle. You could stop for a short while without adding driving time.

Chinle is in Arizona so they will be on Arizona time (no daylight saving time), but CdC is a Navajo property so they will be on Navajo time (yes daylight saving time), but I don't know about the National Park Visitors Canter.

In any case the only hiking you can do on your own in CdC is down to White House Ruin, probably down and back with a look at the ruin would only take 1 to 2 hours depending on how fast you hike. It is nice to drive around both the north and south sides and check out the viewpoints at the pull outs along the way. The trail to White House Ruin is on the south rim.

So leave Sedona by 9 AM to be sure of daylight for hiking and earlier if you want to stop for longer or visit other sites.

Thank you all for your advice.