Flagstaff Travel Forum

Hi there,
please could anyone tell me how long the drive is from Los Angeles to Flagstaff. we are planning to do this in June 2007... We want to go to the grand canyon but is to far to do it in one way. LA-grand canyon.
thanks.
Anja

It would be 6 to 7 hours, depending on where you start from in L.A. You really need 2 days, at least. I would suggest you start out about 5:00AM. That should get you to the GC around noon. Spend the afternoon driving the east road, stopping at least at Grandview point and Desert View. then head back to the GC Village, take the path along the rim, check into your room, then head to Hopi Point for sunset.

If you get up early, Mather Point seems to be a porpular place to watch the sunrise. If you do that, have breakfast, then head out (driving or shuttle) on the western drive, stopping at as many of the points as you can. You should be able to finish by 1:00PM and head back to L.A., getting there in the evening.

Before you go to the GC, make sure you are able to get a room.

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/Check-Availability---Book-Online-710.html

thank you so much for your answer.
We are planning this trip:
LA- flagstaff (stop overnight) - grandcanyon - page - bryce/zionpark - las vegas - Fresno (stop overnight)- Yosimite - SFO

i come from the boring netherlands so we are very looking forward seeing the wonders of nature at the canyons !! ;)

Have you tried mapquest? It will give you the distance in miles, number of hours to make the trip and a printable road map.

Is there a particular reason for staying overnight in Flagstaff? You might want to consider staying at the Grand Canyon, or in Sedona, which has some gorgeous scenery.

Here are pictures from our September trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Sedona starts at picture 1294

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2101944890

You can also get directions, milage and driving time using yahoo\maps. I live in LA and my brother lives in Flagstaff. I drive fast, but with gas and quick eating/snack breaks I always figure 7 hours. If you like canyons, take a quick drive to Sedona, 20-30 minutes from Flagstaff. We love hiking the canyons. They are just beautiful. Depending on the time of year, you can come into Yosemite from the Eastern Sierra's, such as through Toulome (sp?) Meadows. Much better than driving through Fresno, which is a boring, non descript town (my apologies to any Fresnoites, but what can I say?)

Thanks for the hint :)

Hi Mike,
no there was no reason to stay in flagstaf. just because GC is to far to drive at once from LA. and its near GC so we are ther in time and have time left to see the GC. if sedona is on our route that would be option to.. i will look into that.. Thanks..

Hi Karl.
Talking about fresno, the same as i told mike, just to stop because Las Vegas, yosemite is to far, and the place is close to yosimite.. maybe we can stop in the other place you mentioned.. we will look in to that to!

Thanks for all the advice, always difficult to plan such a trip when you never been in West amerika (we went to florida last year.)

I'm really hoping you are not thinking of doing what it looks like your plan says: stay overnight in Flagstaff and the next day travel to GC, Page, Bryce/Zion, Las vegas then stay over night in Fresno. That is AT LEAST a three day trip. Tell me you are planning more time than that.

And yes, from Las Vegas you have the option of going up the east side of the Sierra and coming into Yosemite from the East. It isn't interstate, and it is much drier, but, I think if it were my first and only time to get there I would go through Fresno. (Which is a perfectly fine town, just nothing much to do.)

Here is what I would do if I were you:

Leave L.A. very early. Take I-15, then I-40 to Williams, then 64/180 to the Grand Canyon south rim (it is only about 30 miles farther than driving into Flagstaff) Figure 7-8 hours. If you left at 6:00AM, you would be there by 2:00PM, plenty of time to take the shuttles to all of the viewpoints west of Grand Canyon Village.

In the morning, leave GC by the east entrance, stopping at least at Grandview Point and Desert View. Then take 89, stopping at Kanab. That drive, not counting any stops, will take at least 6 hours. With stops inside and outside the Grand Canyon, figure on at least 8-9 hours.

See Bryce and Zion the following day, then head to Las Vegas.

The following morning, take 95 b\north out of Vegas, then 6 and 395 to Yosemite. It will be a good 8-9 hours, so you should plan on stopping overnight before Yosemite.

The next day, see Yosemite and drive the 4 hours into San Francisco.

You will note that this is a 5 day itinerary. It really isn't at all leisurely. And it does involve a good bit of driving. Quite often, visitors don't realize the distances between.

Sorry if there is some confusion..
it still is a lot of driving but we dont want to do it all in 5 days.. not at all.. our plans are:

day 1. fly to US - LA
day 2. LA - seeing things there
day 3. leave LA - go to Flagstaff (maybe flagstaff, you all have other suggestions.)
day 4. leave Flagstaff ga to Grand Canyon (spent the day) drive over to Page.
day 5. Page. make boattour lake powell, and spent night again in page.
day 6. leave Page, drive to Bryce Canyon and Zion Park. stay somewhere at zion.
day 7. leave Zion, drive to Las vegas.
day 8. Las Vegas
day 9. leave Las Vegas drive to Fresno (or an other place to stay the night)
day 10. leave Fresno drive to yosemite (stay the night in yosemite)
day 11. leave Yosemite drive to SFO.
day 12. SFO and see alcatraz etc..
day 13. flying back,, end of the trip.....

is this to much to ask when 1 person is driving? i think we have enough stops so we do not drive whole days?? What do you think ?

thanks

It's a relief to know you do seem to be allowing plenty of time. No, I don't think it is too much driving for one person. I would still go directly to the Grand Canyon and see one sunset and one sunrise there.

Thank you for clearing up your timing. It is a lot to see and do but your plan is possible.
-I agree, don't go to Flagstaff- go all the way to GC from there. Your current plan doesn't even have you at GC for a full day. You'll want it. Then head out the east entrance.
-I was happy to see a full day on Lake Powell. I love it, never get tired of the desert lake. I hope you get to Rainbow bridge.

To clarify my response. Stay in Williams or turn north to GC from there. I calculate about 7.5 hrs from LA to Williams. If that is too far to drive for one day then you can stop off in Kingman about 5 hours.

At one point during our trip we have to go from Las Vegas -driving trough death valley (we wanne see DV) then to Fresno (can seem te find toumele, what karl recommended) to STAY THE NIGHT, in the morning driving to yosimite spend the day and stay just outside the park.

my boss recommended Fresno as a Stop. But looking at the map, there seems to be no direct connection between death valley and Fresno region. seems that we have to go a quite long road south and then up again to fresno.... is this correct?

We wanted to go to yosemite from the south so we can avoid the pass. What is better for us..? maybe you all know that to.. Thanks again
(i posted this question also on the yosemite forum)

If you want to see DeathValley then it really makes more sense to head into Yosemite from the east rather than take the road all the way south again around the mountains. You are right-there is no direct route from Death Valley to Fresno. I don't know what pass you want to avoid, but the east entrance into Yosemite off of 395 is what MikeP recommended and would be the best alternate (and you would be going over Tioga Pass). Taking state route 190 west out of DV will get you to 395. Follow that north to Bishop which would be a good place to stop for the night. Tuolumne is the northern/ eastern part of Yosemite and not necessarily a town. It is not the main valley, and not as heavily visited and has its own beauty. You would still want to go to the main Yosemite area.

You haven't said when you plan on going. If it is during the summer then DV can be "deathly" hot. If it is during the winter/ spring then the north/eastern entrance to Yosemite will be closed due to snow and you wouldn't have a choice-- you would have to head south from DV around the mountains.

Hi, thanks for the answer, our trip is the end of June. (very hot in DV)
the same on the yosemite forum, the told us to go north in stead of south, and take the (tioga) pass. now hearing it from several people we will take the advise and go over the pass.
thanks again!

Ana, Tioga Pass takes you through Tuolumne Meadows. You have basically three choices getting to Yosemite from Las Vegas 1.) being the Interstate 15 to Barstow and the pick up Calif. State Hwy 58 West to Bakersfield, then change to Calif. State Hwy 99 and go North to Fresno, then the 41 to Yosemite. It is not very picturesque. Instead of Fresno, you may want to stay in Oakhurst. 2.) Same as 1.), but 36 miles out of Barstow take 395 North. At Lee Vining (Mono Lake) then take Tioga Pass (It should be open by June). 3.) from Vegas take the 95 North. Then at Beatty, take the Nevada 374 West which turns into Calif. 190 through Death Valley National Park, take the 136 N and pick up 395. The drive through Death Valley should be much more interesting than the 58 route. In June it should not be too hot. I hope this helps. Karl

Thanks karl.
you all are a great help to me!

i know some say drive from LA all the way to GC. but that just to long drive for my boyfriend. so we will stop in Flagstaff. driving urly in the morning to GC.
my first choice was to stay at GC for the night and drive urly in the morning to page. my boss told me that boats at page could leave urly and it would be maybe better if we drive at night from GC drirectly to Page and spend the night there so we can catch the boats urly.
what do you think is better. staying at GC the night or driving after dinner to page and stay the night there?

thanks again!

Anja, First - put your BF down. He doesn't look comfortable being carried that way. :-) I would leave LA early in the morning and try to get up to Williams in the afternoon then drive the 30 minutes to the Grand Canyon. In June it will stay light until 8 PM so you will have plenty of time. The GC is pretty amazing, but once you have looked one way, then walk over and look another way, spend a little time at the visitor center there is not much else to do. (of course, if you are a geologist your BF may have to drag you away) I found that 1/2 an hour was just fine. Then head on to Flagstaff. Enjoy the old town. For me, the canyons in and North of Sedona are very enjoyable for walking and hiking. Have fun at slide rock between Sedona and Flagstaff. Even though Sedona is getting far more crowded it is a very artsy community and fun to explore. My wife's friend and fellow artist (and self proclaimed witch) loves it there. Then I would drive to Page. I can't help you on when the boats leave for the various tours. I just don't know about them. If they do leave in the morning you will need to stay in Page.

No matter when you get to GC or how long you spend there, it will awe you. If it is too far for one day, then break it up. Stay in Kingman, or Williams. The way I look at it Flagstaff is just as far, and I would much rather be at the rim -but that is just me. (It is only about 1/2 hour difference), .


It will take about 3 hours to get to Page. Last year tours to Rainbow bridge from Wahweap Marina (another short 1/2 hour) started at 8 and 10. So you'd either have to get up very early or stay in Page.

Boat tours of Lake Powell:
http://www.lakepowell.com/tours_scenic_cruises.php#schedule
or call 1-800-528-6154 to find out when they leave.

Good luck

hey, maybe you still remember me, i asked some questions about the west coast.
Thank you all so much for helping me! The trip was great!! All the things we saw will stay in mijn memory for my lifetime!
also with the rental car, it was zo easy and we feld save the whole time.

We saw:
La-grand canyon-page-bryce canyon-zion pak - las vegas-yosemite park- muir woods - san francisco

Grand canyon was so amazing! everything was amazing, antelope gaves, lakepowell in page, wow! the only this i wasn't realy into was Vegas. to hot to many people. But hey, you must have seen it right ;)

Thanks again!
Anja

Hi Anja

Like you I am planning to drive from LA to Flagstaff. I have a few days there so I was wondering if you would do it straight or is there somewhere good to stop about halfway?