What to Expect on Your Road Trip from Texas to Arizona

So, you’ve decided you are up for the long road trip from Dallas, Texas to the Grand Canyon and want to enjoy every single moment. You’ll need to cross approximately 1053 miles and spend around 16 hours of drive time to reach there. 

Though it might seem like it could take forever to reach your destination, the good thing is that you will be driving on Route 66 most of your way and get the chance to see wondrous sights across the American Southwest. So, make the most out of your tour and enjoy witnessing all the roadside attractions enroute to Arizona.

Here we bring together 10 places you can stop at to spice up your road trip from Texas to Arizona and help you plan a guided tour. 

• Route 66

• Amarillo

• Albuquerque

• Acoma Pueblo

• Red Rock

• Petrified Forest National Park

• Holbrook

• Winslow

• Flagstaff

• South Rim

In this article, we will explain each of these destinations in-depth so that you know what each spot has to offer you. 

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Your Road Trip from Dallas to the Grand Canyon National Park

Your trip to the Grand Canyon from Dallas will start from the journey to Route 66 where you will continue driving for the next few hours. You will explore many new geographical beauties on the way to Phoenix, Sedona, and Utah. So, let’s understand the itinerary in detail. 

1. Route 66

Embrace your drive on Route 66 and enjoy the magnificent surroundings that make it a perfect photo destination every few miles. Also, known as the Mother Road, the Texas panhandle stretches to approximately 200 miles or 320 km. 

You will find several attractions enroute that includes:

• Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Cafe in Shamrock

• Devil’s Rope Museum 

• Old Route 66 Museum in McLean

• Palo Duro Canyon State Park 

 

2. Amarillo

Amarillo is situated at the midway point on Route 66. The historic route holds many surprising activities and treats for visitors for free and can be your next quick stop. 

Cadillac Ranch was built by a group of artists from San Francisco, named The Ant Farm, in 1974 along the highway. Even after decades, the site with old Cadillacs covered with spray paint turned nose-down on the field in a row is popular as ever. 

The American Quarter Horse Heritage Center & Museum is also worth visiting to witness the paintings and photographs of the horses honored as members of the Hall of Fame. Other attractions include: 

• Amarillo Botanical Gardens

• Amarillo Zoo

• John Stiff Memorial Dog Park

• Wildcat Bluff Nature Center

 

3. Albuquerque

Being the largest city in its state, Albuquerque is in the heart of New Mexico along the Rio Grande. The nearby Sandia Mountains are home to a plethora of recreational activities.  

If you plan to stay in Albuquerque for one day, you can visit many top attractions such as Sandia Peak Tramway which gives you a 2.7 miles stunning ride from where you can enjoy the magnificent surroundings. 

Visit Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum which is open year-round and gives you many reasons to have fun with your family. Other attractions in the Albuquerque include: 

• Albuquerque Museum of Art and History

• Santa Fe

• ABQ BioPark

• White Sand National Park

• Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 

• Unser Racing Museum

• Paseo del Bosque

• Rio Grande Nature Center State Park

• New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

• Petroglyph National Monument

 

4. Acoma Pueblo

Though it’s not as popular as other destinations in the US, Acoma Pueblo is worth visiting as it gives you access to beautiful tourist destinations. It is a house to many hidden adventures that enables you to unveil the fun to the fullest. 

The landmarks and points of interest in Acoma Pueblo are Sky City Cultural Center & Haak’u Museum. You can pull your car at any of the restaurants or hotels in Acoma Pueblo and take a break or have your meals. 

 

5. Red Rock

One of the popular hiking destinations, Red Rock is an admiring spot for beginner and professional hikers. Also, it is a great stopover if you want a short break on your road trip to Grand Canyon National Park from Texas. 

So take some time to stretch your leg while exploring the marvelous beauty of the Red Rocks and ancient dwellings of the Navajo tribe. 

The nearby attractions that you can explore during your short day trips are:

• Gallup

• Navajo National Museum

• Window Rock Navajo Tribal Park

• Bluewater Lake State Park

• Navajo National Zoo and Botanical Park

 

6. Petrified Forest National Park

Want to witness the colorful arrays of petrified wood, visit one of the world’s largest arrays located in northeast Arizona. 

The surroundings and tourist destinations in the Petrified Forest National Park include:

• The Painted Desert

• Blue Mesa

• Crystal Forest Trail

• Rainbow Forest 

• Giant Logs Loop

• Rainbow Forest Museum

• Devil’s Playground

• Jasper Forest 

 

7. Holbrook

Holbrook is a small city in Navajo, along the banks of the Colorado River in eastern Arizona. If you take a stopover to visit the Petrified Forest National Park, you are already in Holbrook. 

When you think of Arizona, the rich history of native Americans comes to mind. When in Holbrook, check out Navajo County Historical Museum to explore Navajo and Apache cultures. The nearby destinations with a lot of gift shops to buy souvenirs are:

• Rock Art Canyon Ranch

• Rabbit Trading Post

• Painted Desert Indian Center 

 

8. Winslow

Also known as the railroad hub, the city of Winslow was once considered the most important US city. With minimal rainfall, the city expects snowfall every year. 

Winslow could be one of the stops when you are visiting the Grand Canyon in Arizona. If you plan to spend one day or a short day in Winslow, there’s much to explore in the city. Your bucket list includes:

• Homolovi State Park

• McHood Park

• Apache Death Cave

• First Street Pathway Park

• Arizona Meteor Crater

• Old Trails Museum

 

9. Flagstaff

The small city in the state of Arizona, Flagstaff is surrounded by white sand desert, mountains, and pine forests. It is the home of Humphreys Peak, Arizona's tallest mountain. 

Located at an elevation of 6900 feet approx., the climate in Flagstaff is pretty cool. The city is covered with snow most part of the year, so do not forget to pack your woolens. The best tourist attractions in the city include:

• Walnut Canyon National Monument

• Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

• Wupatki National Monument 

• Arizona Snowbowl

• Lowell observatory

• Museum of Northern Arizona

• Pioneer Museum

• Lava River Cave

 

10. South Rim

The Colorado River continues to carve its way through the popular Colorado Plateau for millions of years. This awe-inspiring, magnificent South Rim landscape is the result of this evolving geographical criteria. 

So, finally when you are in the Grand Canyon in Arizona, looking at it from the Visitor Center makes no sense. Take a stroll around the rim and experience the sunrise from an exceptionally unique viewpoint. 

The Canyon is 277 miles long and you can expect a huge crowd at various viewpoints such as:

• Mather Point

• Yaki Point

• Yavapai Point

• Ooh Aah Point 

• Mohave Point

• Powell Point

• Pima Point

• Grandview Point 

• Moran Point

• Desert Viewpoint

• Shoshone Point

You can walk through the Grand Canyon South Rim trail along the 13 miles edge, stretching from Hermit’s Rest to the South Kaibab. Hiking trails are another alternative option to experience the Grand Canyon and the Antelope Canyon in an adventure-filled manner. The most popular hiking trails include:

• Bright Angel Trail

• South Kaibab Trail

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