Los Angeles to Sedona road trip: 22 stops worth the detour

A classic parkland course threading the junipers with red-rock views in every direction. Semi-private but happy to give visitors a tee time.

Gary Panks framed this one against Sedona's red-rock cathedrals, and the par-3 10th may be the most photographed hole in the Southwest. Bring a wide-angle lens and play slow.

The bolder of Verrado's two courses, with big elevation swings against the White Tank Mountains. A Tom Lehman design the West Valley quietly considers its best public play.

Pete Dye built this one straight into the Santa Rosa Mountains, with fairways tucked beneath sheer rock faces. Dramatic desert scenery at a storied old resort.

An Arnold Palmer municipal course at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains that once hosted the Bob Hope Classic. Big mountain backdrops at a public price.

Greg Norman's natural-desert layout at PGA West, routed through arroyos and native landscape with minimal housing. The quietest of the resort's courses.

Pete Dye at his most diabolical, headlined by the island-green 17th nicknamed Alcatraz and a bunker called the San Andreas Fault. Punishing, theatrical, and unforgettable in the desert sun.

Free cliff-edge camping on the Mogollon Rim

A Rees Jones layout tucked into the mountains northwest of the city, miles from anything. The elevation changes and total seclusion make it feel like a private retreat at public prices.

Jay Morrish routed this through surreal piles of ancient granite at a Hilton Curio resort. The two courses rotate which is open to guests each day, so book ahead and savor whichever you draw.