This tour is the most stunning portfolio of the American Southwest. A fifteen day journey amidst spectacular rides and unforgettable places. 10 National Parks, 5 National Monuments, and thousands of scenic miles in the saddle. Another fascinating chapter of The Arizona Motorcycle Experience ®
Your motorcycle rental at AZride.com includes your points of interest, highlighted topographic maps and detailed itinerary. GPS files are also available upon request. |
Best of Southwest Grand Tour |
Duration: 15 days
Distance: 3200 mi
Longest ride: 297 mi
Highest elevation: 10,910 ft
Highlights: Sedona, Grand Canyon, Rt.66, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Zion, Bryce NP, Grand Staircase, Capitol Reef, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP,
Million $ Highway, Mesa Verde,
4 Corners, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Devil's Highway / Rt.666, and more... |
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| Day 1 Scottsdale to Sedona – 222 mi |
You’ll approach Sedona through the Western passage, via the Prescott – Jerome scenic ride. The blue water of the cactus studded Lake Pleasant, the greens of the Prescott and Kaibab National Forests and the colorful formations of Red Rock Country will entertain your eyes. |
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| Day 2 Sedona to Grand Canyon – 159 mi |
As you head north from Sedona you’ll ride through the spectacular Oak Creek Canyon. A scenic detour leads through the Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments. You'll witness the sunset at one of the 7 Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon.
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| Day 3 Grand Canyon to Las Vegas via Rt 66- 297 mi |
You can start the Route 66 experience with breakfast in Williams. The last Rt 66 town bypassed by I-40 preserved it's authenticity. Hundred miles on the Mother Road takes you back in time before you enter the modern glitz of Las Vegas. A stop at the Hoover Dam shows you the lifeblood of Sin City. |
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| Day 4 Death Valley loop (optional) - 333 mi |
| Craving for miles? This full day ride starts out via Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive and circles the Black Mountains of Death Valley. Dante's View provides a spectacular look at Death Valley's remarkable scenery. From this vantage point you can view distant 11049 ft. Telescope Peak to Badwater, the lowest point (-282 ft.) in the Western Hemisphere. If you want explore Vegas a bit more without sacrificing the Death Valley ride, just extend your stay with an additional day and you can cover all grounds. |
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| Day 5 Las Vegas to Mt. Carmel - 240 mi |
In 300 BC, the Basket Maker people roamed the Valley of Fire. Today, you can enjoy the view of oddly shaped sandstone palisades, outcrops and canyons that are painted in hues ranging from flaming orange to deep crimson from the saddle of your bike. An early start would leave you enough time to experience Zion, where you need to walk among the towering cliffs. They could be described as sand castles crowning desert canyons. |
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Day 6 Mount Carmel to Escalante - 192 mi |
Resting on top of the Colorado plateau, at over 10,000 feet in elevation, breathtaking views await during the ride through the Cedar Breaks National Monument. But wait, scenery doesn't stop there. The main attraction of the day is the Bryce Canyon National Park where
Hoodoos - grotesque, eerie and often whimsical are on display, along with ancient trees and scenic views from the rim. |
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Day 7 Escalante to Moab - 226 mi |
If you wondered where the title picture on the top of this page was taken, you can figure out while riding the Grand Staircase National Monument. Looking at the picture, we'd presume the name doesn't need further explanation. Great distances, enormously difficult terrain, and a remoteness rarely equaled in the lower forty-eight states. |
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Day 8-9 Arches and Canyonlands National Parks - 166 mi |
Moab will be your hub for exploring the adjacent Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Though you can access the lookouts on a motorcycle, it might be a good idea to engage yourself a bit more intimately with this exceptional terrain. While hiking is always the healthiest option, taking a four wheel drive tour would not be considered laziness when you need to cover so much in relatively so little time. |
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Day 10 Moab to Durango via Million $ Highway- 221 mi |
This day, you'll experience the highest point of the trip, literally. The "Million Dollar Highway" in western Colorado follows U.S. 550 in Western Colorado. Regarding to the name, there are a multiple explanations. One version refers to the high cost of building a road over Red Mountain Pass (11,008 ft) and the Uncompahgre Gorge. There is consensus however on the million dollar views around every turn. |
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Day 11 Durango to Kayenta via Four Corners - 253 mi |
Prepare yourself for a long day, packed with extensive sights. Mesa Verde NP protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. At Four Corners you can put your foot on the only place in the US where four states meet. The sunset at the iconic Monument Valley is breathtaking. Make sure you arrive in time and take one of the tours. |
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Day 12 Kayenta to Canyon de Chelly - 153 mi |
If you saw Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif and Telly Savalas in Mackenna's Gold, Canyon de Chelly's Spider Rock will look familiar. The correct pronunciation is "Canyon de Shay" from the Navajo word "Tseyi" which means "in the rock". The monument is actually comprised of two large canyons Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto (Spanish for "Canyon of the Dead") and several smaller canyons. Some say that in terms of beauty, this place rivals the Grand Canyon. |
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Day 13 Chinle to Springerville via Petrified Forest - 199 mi |
Make sure you stop at the Hubbell Trading Post. The old wooden floor squeaks beneath your feet as you enter the oldest, continuously operating trading post on the Navajo Nation. With one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, multi-hued badlands historic structures, archeological sites, and displays of over 200-million-year-old fossils, the Painted Desert / Petrified Forest National Park is a surprising land of scenic wonders and fascinating science. |
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Day 14 Route 666 / Devil's Highway Loop - 264 mi |
Riders who rolled on two wheels from Alaska to South Africa qualify this ride among the TOP 10 in their life. More than 6000 feet elevation difference, over thousand curves through close to 300 scenic miles is the summary of this loop. The legendary Route 666, also known as the Devil's Highway was first traveled by Spanish conquistadors centuries ago. The road has improved since then, but the dramatic scenery is still unchanged. |
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Day 15 Return to Scottsdale via Salt River Canyon - 237 mi |
Every journey comes to an end. Fortunately, ours has a finale which is just another spectacular ride. We'll check out how life went on in a real frontier outpost at Fort Apache, then ride back to Scottsdale via the twisties of the Salt River Canyon and Superstitious Mountains. |
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Call us for your hotel reservation in Scottsdale |
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 Ask about our $99/day Special rental rate! |
