Road trippin' from Joshua Tree to Sedona takes about five to six hours driving through the desert. Are you wondering how to make that drive more entertaining than it sounds and how to break it up to get to know the highlights of that region in Arizona? I am going to give you real-life examples from our own road trip in this article; as it turned out, this stretch was full of astonishing surprises and cultural education.
I recommend you overnight at the KOA in Salome and take stops to discover Prescott, and Jerome, also be sure to take several photo stops when you drive towards the 'red wall' entering Red Rock Country.
I will continue to go into detail about each stop and exactly why we chose that route, and you should too. This article is day 3 of our 15-day road trip itinerary through the Southwest of the US and California. Click on the yellow 'Show Entire Route' tab, to view our in-depth guides to each stop for an even greater insight for your own road trip through the Southwest and California.
Leaving Joshua Tree
If you have not yet read our article about the best one day experience when campervanning through Joshua Tree National Park, you can do so here.
When we had pre-planned our trip, we had not pre-booked any campsite for the first two nights, as we were too late to the reservation game for Joshua Tree National Park. We planned to stay the first night on the BLM areas in the north and the second night on the BLM areas in the south of the park. You can read about our BLM experience in the article above.
However, it turned out that we got to see and experience the highlights of Joshua Tree in less than one day, and it was only 3:00 pm when we exited the park at the South entrance. We didn't feel like setting up camp in the middle of the desert already and decided to keep on driving. It was a fantastic choice, as it allowed us to do and see so much more on our drive to Sedona the next day! We hit the I-10, turned up the music, and cruised towards Arizona while crossing the Colorado River for the first time.
Overnighting at the KOA in Salome
We kept on driving for about two hours until we got tired. We had left I-20 and continued on Highway 60 and started looking for campgrounds in the area. My fool-proof technique to find campgrounds anywhere also worked here, and we decided to stay at the KOA in Salome, because of its good reviews and convenience, as it is located right next to Highway 60.
To our surprise, there are quite a few (nine to be exact) RV parks in this deserted area. There is seriously nothing else but the road, a train track next to it and desert around you.
When pulling up to the KOA, the reception was already closed, and that's where we learned the self-check-in option and procedure at campgrounds and RV parks in the US. We took a quick look at the campsites, before registering and it held up the expectations from the good reviews. We slipped a few dollar notes into the envelope and parked at one of the spots close to the bathrooms.
This KOA in Salome has plenty of amenities. Next to immaculate toilets and showers (uuh that shower felt really good - first one after leaving Germany 😉), it also has an outdoor pool, a mini-golf, and a games room. The campground was almost empty; there were only three other motorhomes overnighting with us. Despite its location next to the highway and train tracks, it was a super quiet night with crystal clear skies and a gorgeous sunrise.
Feeling like a lost soul in the desert
The next morning, we continued our drive through the empty and silent desert of Arizona. We made some new friends along the way and finally left the straight roads when we reached state road 89 and the Granite Mountains.
Especially the last part of the two-hour drive from Salome to Prescott is very entertaining and beautiful as you are crossing the Prescott National Forest on its winding roads.
Saloon feeling on the Whiskey Row in Prescott, Arizona
Prescott, with its famous Whiskey Row, is absolutely worth a stop and stretching your legs. There is a two hours free parking right on Whiskey Row next to the Courthouse Plaza, and your small campervan has no trouble fitting into one of the spots.
Prescott got voted number four among True West Magazine’s 2020 Top Western Towns and we can only agree. It is a small town with roughly 40,000 citizens located in the Yavapai County.
The Whiskey Row is a street lined with Saloons famous from the Gold Rush era. Our favorites were The Palace and Matt's Saloon. Go ahead and have a beer at the bar to take a quick journey into that setting of your favorite Cowboy movie.
Also, stroll down Whiskey Row to take a look at the original shops and their handicrafts. Our favorite was Galloping Goose on the corner with authentic Native American jewelry, pottery, and handicrafts. The lady inside explained to us the history of the Navajo tribe and the representation of the crafts. We purchased a Morning Singer to support the local Native American community and keep a beautiful souvenir.
The Courthouse Plaza invites you to take a small stroll and catch some fresh air before you continue your drive towards Sedona.
First glimpses of the Red Wall
When leaving Prescott behind you, you continue to drive on the 89A state route towards Sedona. After about half an hour, you will enter the Coconino National Forest. While you are climbing the winding roads, you will be rewarded with the first glimpses of Red Rock Country by looking down on the Red Wall.
Ghost town and New Town of Jerome
Shortly after this fantastic viewpoint, you will reach the small hilltop town of Jerome, the historic copper mining town. Jerome started as a copper mining camp and developed fast into the boomtown of its time in the late 1800s. It became the wickedest and liveliest town, attracting people from all over the world to work in the largest copper mine of Arizona and making a lot of people very rich.
Things, however, changed with the Great Depression, the last mine closed in 1953, and the population, once at 15,000 sank to merely 50. Jerome was then discovered by artists and learned to keep its history alive for tourism.
Nowadays, about 450 people live in Jerome and make it a place worth visiting. The past is kept alive in the nearby Ghost Town, where you can visit the old mines, cars, industrial workshops, and saloons. There is a small entrance fee of US$5, and we thought it to be worth it, as it allowed us a completely new and fresh view of the US.
The actual town of Jerome is made up of one main street, which is lined with gift shops, galleries, and saloons, giving it a very artsy feeling. You can do some interesting people watching there 😉.
Arriving in Sedona
Following the 89A down the mountains, you will enter the Red Rock State Park and reach Sedona in about 40 minutes. The drive is one of the most beautiful hands down, as the colors in front of you increase its red intensity by the minute.
Why is this the best route to take from Joshua Tree to Sedona?
You will read a lot of comments about solely taking the I-10, passing by Phoenix, and continuing on the I-17 or heading north from Joshua Tree and taking the I-40.
None of those routes provide any appeal to a road trippin' experience with a campervan, as they are all about hitting the road fast. Here at RTE, we are all about taking it slow and discovering the destination through its backroads. The US highway 60, 89, and 89A allow precisely that. They may carry the name highway or state road; however, they can not be compared to a European highway, as it merely is a two-lane road cutting through rural areas. Before our trip, we had not read about Prescott and Jerome and simply discovered along the way, which is the beauty of taking the less roads traveled.
To follow us on our road trip through the Southwest and find out which three hikes are the best for one day in Sedona, continue your journey with us.
Have you driven this route before and discovered other highlights along the way? Please share them with us in the comments.
