3 Arizona road trips for Thanksgiving visitors

Take advantage of the holiday weekend by hitting the road with friends or family. Here are three outings that you can do in a day if you're in a hurry, or stretch to an overnight if you want to spend more time exploring Sedona or Tucson. Along the way you'll see some of the best scenery Arizona has to offer.

Apache Trail

The Apache Trail through the Superstition Mountains is a classic scenic drive. When Theodore Roosevelt drove there in 1911, he compared the region's beauty to that of Yellowstone or Yosemite national park. Saguaro-covered hills and deep canyons stretch for miles, broken by red-rock cliffs and hoodoos. The area is a favorite of sightseers, boaters, hikers and anglers.

The route is not for the squeamish or those afraid of heights. At first, it cuts through the desert, but before long it begins to turn sharply, rising and falling with the hills and valleys. Part of the way is paved; the rest is good graded dirt, generally suitable for carefully driven cars. With all the twists and turns, you won't be tempted to speed.

Don't miss: Tortilla Flat. A century ago, it was a change station where mules pulling loads of construction material for Roosevelt Dam were switched for fresh animals. Today, there's a museum and a popular restaurant and watering hole, the Superstition Saloon. Try the prickly-pear ice cream. 480-984-1776, tortillaflataz.com.

Getting there: About 175 miles round trip from central Phoenix. Take U.S. 60 east to Idaho Road (Exit 196) and go north to State Route 88, the Apache Trail. Follow SR 88 northeast through the Superstitions (the pavement ends shortly after Tortilla Flat) to SR 188 at Roosevelt Lake. Take SR 188 southeast to Globe, then U.S. 60 back to the Valley.

Side trip: Tonto National Monument contains cliff dwellings occupied by the Salado people during the 13th, 14th and early 15th centuries. Hikes lead to lower and upper ruins. The upper ruin is open only from November through April, and reservations are advisable for the 3-mile guided hike. There are picnic tables and a recently remodeled visitor center. The monument is 4 miles east of Roosevelt Dam on SR 188. $5, free for age 15 and younger. 928-467-2241, nps.gov/tont.

Scenic Drive: Willcox to Apache Pass

Sedona

There are so many reasons to visit Sedona. Put hiking at the top of your list. That doesn’t mean you have to scale a mountain: Options range from scenic nature walks in Red Rock or Slide Rock state parks to heart-pounding climbs in the backcountry. Or explore your mystical side in this New Age haven with an aura-photography session, psychic reading, chakra cleansing or vortex tour. Reflect at the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Uptown is lined with shops selling all manner of art and trinkets. Indulge your sweet tooth at the Fudge Co. If you're planning a day trip, arrive early and stay late so you can sample more than one restaurant. Load up on breakfast pastries and other treats at Desert Flour Bakery in the Village of Oak Creek, and save time for Elote Cafe on the way home. The latter is open for dinner only and doesn’t take reservations.

Don't miss: Have a meal with a fabulous view. Splurge on the creekside brunch at L’Auberge de Sedona. For awesome views of Boynton Canyon, have appetizers on the patio of View 180 at Enchantment Resort.

Getting there: About 230 miles round trip. Take Interstate 17 north to Exit 298, then take State Route 179 northwest to Sedona.

Side trip: Sign up for a Jeep tour. You can see some of Sedona's wildest, reddest, most thrilling scenery and you won't have to beat your car up in the process. Find a list of tour companies at visitsedona.com/tours-and-sightseeing/jeep-trolley-tours.

Arizona scenic drive: Dos Cabezas Mountains

Saguaro National Park

Cactus, ponderosa pines, aspens and fir trees are all to be found at Saguaro National Park, which is bisected by Tucson. The 92,000-acre park ranges between 2,300 feet in the Tucson Mountain District on the west side to 8,482 feet at the summit of Rincon Peak in the Rincon Mountain DIstrict on the east side. Thanks to such an extreme elevation range, it's home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, making it one of the most biologically diverse parks in the country.

Hikers appreciate the 170 or so miles of trails, most of which are open to equestrians. Each district has its own visitor center, where guests can learn about plants and animals, geology and archaeology, ranger-led events and interpretive activities.

Don't miss: Cactus Forest Drive in the Rincon Mountain District. There is no finer introduction to the park than this scenic drive. The paved road twists and turns, making an 8-mile loop while providing expansive views of mountain ranges and rolling hills of creosote, ocotillo, prickly pear, brittle bush, cholla, mesquite, paloverde and saguaro. There are picnic areas and trailheads just off the drive. Watch out for cyclists who flock to the road, especially on weekends.

In the Tucson Mountain District, head for the Signal Peak Picnic Area. A short trail leads to the top of the hill, where you'll find an assortment of ancient rock art. The petroglyphs consist of humanoid stick figures, highly stylized animals and abstract geometric shapes. What do they mean? Your guess is as good as any.

Getting there: Rincon Mountain District: About 270 miles round trip. From central Phoenix, take Interstate 10 east to Tucson. Exit at Houghton Road (Exit 275) and go 9.5 miles north to Old Spanish Trail and turn right. Go 3 miles southeast to the park entrance on the left side of the road. Tucson Mountain District: About 220 miles round trip. Take I-10 east toward Tucson and get off at Avra Valley Road (Exit 242). Go 5 miles west on Avra Valley Road to Sandario Road and turn left (south). Go 9 miles to Kinney Road and turn left (east). The visitor center is 2 miles ahead on the left. 520-733-5158, www.nps.gov/sagu.

Side trip: The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is an indoor-outdoor experience that spills across 21 acres. Almost 2 miles of pathways lead past a bighorn exhibit, a riparian corridor, hummingbird exhibit, cactus garden, mountain woodland, owls and snakes, prairie dogs, deer, a bear, Mexican wolf and walk-in aviary. Raptor free-flight demonstrations take place daily and other live-animal presentations are offered periodically. Check the schedule online. The museum is just a couple of miles southeast of Saguaro National Park's Tucson Mountain District. 2012 N. Kinney Road. 520-883-2702, desertmuseum.org.

San Pedro River is a surprising stream of history, recreation