Drive from Tucson to Sedona

Question

We will be in Tucson for a conference at the end of April and then heading off on a road trip. . I have booked an Airbnb for 4 nights in Tucson . We have the next Airbnb booked for 2 nights near Sedona. Our conference ends at 6pm on a Saturday. I am wondering if we would be better to cancel our last night in Tucson and drive to Phoenix or just past it to cut down on the drive Sunday morning to Sedona or if it would be better to stick with the plan to drive the 4 hours to Sedona early Sunday morning What is the drive like from Tucson to Phoenix on a Saturday evening? I want to get as much time in Sedona as possible.

Answer

The drive from Tucson to Sedona is a very common route for Arizona road trips, and your choice really comes down to how tired you’ll be after the conference and how much Sedona time you want the next morning. Each option has clear pros and cons, and the traffic patterns between Tucson and Phoenix play a major role.

First, the Tucson → Phoenix drive on a Saturday evening is generally manageable. You’ll be traveling north on I-10, which carries commuter traffic during weekday rush hours, but evenings and weekends are usually far less congested. You may still hit some slowdowns near Casa Grande or as you approach Phoenix, but nothing like weekday rush-hour conditions. Expect roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours from Tucson to Central Phoenix at that time of day.

The larger question is how you want to split your time. Leaving Tucson early Sunday morning means a full 4-hour journey directly to Sedona. That will take up the best sightseeing/hiking hours of the day. Breaking up the drive Saturday night gives you more morning freedom in Sedona, but it also means packing up right after a long day at the conference and driving in the evening when you may be tired.

Option 1: Stay the final night in Tucson, drive early Sunday morning.
Best if you prefer not to rush after your conference, don’t mind the early drive, and want to keep travel simple. You’ll leave fresh in the morning, but you will arrive in Sedona late morning or around midday, limiting your first-day activities.
Option 2: Leave Tucson at 6pm Saturday and stay the night in Phoenix or north of Phoenix.
This breaks up the drive into two manageable parts: 2 hours Saturday evening, then 1.5–2 hours Sunday morning. You’ll reach Sedona much earlier Sunday (potentially 9–10am), giving you meaningful time for a hike, brunch, or exploring without losing half the day to driving.
Option 3: Push all the way to Sedona Saturday night (about 4 hours).
This gives you an entire full day on Sunday in Sedona, which is fantastic—but only if you feel comfortable doing the full drive after a long day and reaching Sedona very late. The last stretch from Camp Verde into Sedona is dark, winding, and not as pleasant when tired.

Most travelers who want to maximize Sedona time prefer Option 2: stay somewhere on the north side of Phoenix, such as Anthem, New River, or even Black Canyon City. Those areas place you only 60–90 minutes from Sedona the next morning and avoid the tiring late-night canyon drive.

If you stay in Tucson the final night, you’ll still have a smooth Sunday morning drive, but you will lose several usable hours in Sedona. If your Sedona stay is short (2 nights), those morning hours can be valuable for a scenic hike such as Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, or Airport Loop.

In summary, the drive on Saturday evening should be easy enough that leaving after your conference is perfectly realistic. If your goal is maximizing Sedona time, staying north of Phoenix on Saturday night is the best compromise.

Drive from Tucson to Sedona

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