National Parks in Arizona
There are a total of 21 National Park sites in Arizona: 3 major National Parks and 18 smaller units. The major parks consist of Petrified Forest, Saguaro, and of course – the Grand Canyon. Thanks to a big trip out West in 2019, I was able to visit all 3 major parks, and 6 of the smaller ones. Follow the links below to read reviews, tips for planning trips, and the insider scoop for each park. I have visited the parks that are listed in red, but I only linked the parks I’ve reviewed.
- Canyon de Chelly National Monument
- Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
- Chiricahua National Monument
- Coronado National Memorial
- Fort Bowie National Historic Site
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (AZ & UT)
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Hohokam Pima National Monument*
- Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Navajo National Monument
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Pipe Spring National Monument
- Saguaro National Park
- Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
- Tonto National Monument
- Tumacácori National Historical Park
- Tuzigoot National Monument
- Walnut Canyon National Monument
- Wupatki National Monument
Hohokam Pima NM sits on native land is closed indefinitely to the public due to its fragility. There are a few artifacts from the area on display at nearby Casa Grande. I consider myself having visited the monument because I did visit Casa Grande and saw the artifacts, which is the only way to see anything from the monument.
Famous non-park sites in Arizona
Arizona is full of amazing National Parks, but don’t miss out on all the other things there are to see and do. The longer I spend on this National Park journey, the more I realize this. I’m going to keep this list focused on outdoor recreation.
- Antelope Canyon
- Coconino National Forest/Sliding Rock State Park
- Horseshoe Bend
- Hoover Dam
- Lake Powell
- Monument Valley
- The Wave
Weekend Trip Ideas in Arizona
Flagstaff
Flagstaff located in Central Arizona, about 2 hours and 15 minutes north of Phoenix. It is not only a great base for visiting the Grand Canyon, but also for visiting 3 other popular National Monuments: Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki. All three are within a 30 minute radius. It is also only 45 minutes from Sedona, which is a bit more expensive than Flagstaff. So you could stay easily stay in Flagstaff and visit Sedona for the day.
Page
Page is located in Northern Arizona, close to the Utah border. It is home to several popular outdoor recreation activities such as Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, and Horseshoe Bend. You could spend an entire week here and not run out of stuff to do.
Sedona
Sedona is located in Central Arizona, about 2 hours north of Phoenix. It is a very artsy, hippie town with a lot options for tarot card readings and spa days. It is also a great location for outdoor recreation. There are a ton of great hikes and sites to see (Cathedral Rock, Chapel of the Holy Cross), and Sliding Rock State Park, which has become famous thanks to social media.
Last updated: June 13, 2023
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