Origin
Coolidge, AZ
Late night in Coolidge on Friday
Local time
12:33 AM
MST
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Coolidge, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
51.3 mi
83 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Coolidge, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Scottsdale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 51.3-mile drive from Coolidge, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 11 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $10, it's an economical option for exploring the Desert Southwest. The route is primarily highway-focused, utilizing major roads like Junction I-10-Mesa Highway and Price Freeway. You'll experience a straightforward journey with no designated stops, making it ideal for those who prefer to reach their destination efficiently. This route is perfect for a quick transition between two points within Arizona.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 51.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this 51.3-mile journey, with 79% of the route on major roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.7 miles along Junction I-10-Mesa Highway. As you travel, you'll transition from roads like South Arizona Avenue onto the Price Freeway and then connect with the I-10 system, indicating a progression through more developed areas. This route offers a consistent driving experience, largely characterized by efficient, multi-lane travel.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 24.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway and Price Freeway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 26.8 miles in near AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.3 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 26.8 miles (AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 32.9 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
26.8 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Turn right onto AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
32.6 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Turn left toward AZ 202 Loop West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
5
32.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
34.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward AZ 101 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50A
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
50.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward Chaparral Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 46
Toward Chaparral Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Junction I-10-Mesa Highway | 24.7 mi | 33m |
| Price Freeway | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| South Arizona Avenue | 5.8 mi | 9m |
| Pima Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Santan Freeway | 2 mi | 2m |
| North Arizona Boulevard | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| East Chaparral Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Central Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
— 24.7 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Coolidge, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.
1
Start on West Central Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Central Avenue
2
Turn right onto AZ 87; AZ 287
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
North Arizona Boulevard
3
Turn left onto AZ 87
25 mi
·
33 min
·
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
4
Continue on AZ 87; BIA 56
226 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Hunt Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto AZ 87
5.8 mi
·
9 min
·
South Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Santan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
1 min
Exit 50A
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 46
Toward Chaparral Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto East Chaparral Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chaparral Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left
64 ft
·
4 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.6 mi from Coolidge, AZ · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.6 miles from Coolidge, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Scottsdale, AZ
The final approach into Scottsdale, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.22 one way
$20.44 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $10.82 | $21.63 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.29 | $22.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.33 | $22.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.18 | $3.28 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Scottsdale, AZ
Late night in Scottsdale on Friday
Local time
12:33 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
36 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 11m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Coolidge, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ covers 51.3 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Junction I-10-Mesa Highway, Price Freeway, South Arizona Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.6 miles from Coolidge, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.22 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.3 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 26.8 miles (AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 32.9 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Coolidge, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Scottsdale, AZ
More trips to Scottsdale, AZ
Explore more options from Coolidge, AZ or browse trips ending in Scottsdale, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.