Trip from Cottonwood, AZ to Avondale, AZ

Drive Time

5h 28m

Distance

319.5 mi

514 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$64

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
5h 15m ★
6 AM
5h 29m
8 AM
5h 56m
10 AM
5h 38m
12 PM
5h 35m
3 PM
5h 40m
5 PM
5h 54m
8 PM
5h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States

Cottonwood, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Avondale, AZ, AZ

Avondale, AZ

Atlantic Ambience

Trip Overview

The drive from Cottonwood, AZ to Avondale, AZ covers 319.5 miles and takes about 5h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Route 4, Route 65, Route 60 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $63.59 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

159.7 miles from Cottonwood, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 28m drive with frequent turns across 319.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Route 4 is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 5h 28m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cottonwood, AZ to Avondale, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Route 4 Unavailable Refreshing
Route 65 Unavailable Refreshing
Route 60 Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 264 Unavailable Refreshing
Winslow–Kayenta Highway Unavailable Refreshing
AZ 87 Unavailable Refreshing
Purple Heart Trail Unavailable Refreshing
I 17 South Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Route 4 — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cottonwood, AZ and Avondale, AZ.

1

Start on the route

0.2 mi · 42 sec · the route
2

Continue straight

499 ft · 27 sec
3

Turn left onto Navajo Route 4

6.4 mi · 15 min · Navajo Route 4
4

Continue on Indian Route 4

1.8 mi · 4 min · Indian Route 4
5

Continue on Navajo Route 4

4.0 mi · 9 min · Navajo Route 4
6

Turn left onto Navajo Route 65

1.9 mi · 4 min · Navajo Route 65
7

Continue on Indian Route 65

2.8 mi · 6 min · Indian Route 65
8

Continue on Navajo Route 65

1.3 mi · 3 min · Navajo Route 65
9

Continue on Hopi Route 65

8.4 mi · 20 min · Hopi Route 65
10

Continue on Indian Route 60

6.6 mi · 16 min · Indian Route 60
11

Turn right onto Arizona State Highway 264

12 mi · 14 min · Arizona State Highway 264
12

Turn left onto Winslow–Kayenta Highway

17 mi · 19 min · Winslow–Kayenta Highway
13

Continue on AZ 87

4.1 mi · 4 min · AZ 87
14

Continue on Winslow–Kayenta Highway

39 mi · 44 min · Winslow–Kayenta Highway
15

Take the ramp right

0.5 mi · 1 min
16

Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

61 mi · 1 hr 2 min · Purple Heart Trail
17

Take the exit slight right toward I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff

0.2 mi · 17 sec · I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff
18

Keep slight left to continue on I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix

1.0 mi · 2 min · I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
19

Merge slight left onto Arizona Veterans Highway

93 mi · 1 hr 33 min · Arizona Veterans Highway
20

Continue on Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway

5.8 mi · 5 min · Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
21

Continue on Black Canyon Freeway

10 mi · 10 min · Black Canyon Freeway
22

Continue on North Black Canyon Highway

3.2 mi · 3 min · North Black Canyon Highway
23

Continue on Black Canyon Freeway

10 mi · 11 min · Black Canyon Freeway
24

Take the exit slight right toward AZ 101 Loop West, AZ 101 Loop East

0.4 mi · 41 sec · AZ 101 Loop West, AZ 101 Loop East
25

Keep slight right to continue on AZ 101 Loop West

1.0 mi · 1 min · AZ 101 Loop West
26

Merge slight left onto Agua Fria Freeway

21 mi · 23 min · Agua Fria Freeway
27

Keep slight right to continue on I 10 West: Los Angeles

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 10 West: Los Angeles
28

Merge slight left onto Papago Freeway

3.4 mi · 3 min · Papago Freeway
29

Take the exit slight right toward Dysart Road

0.4 mi · 48 sec · Dysart Road
30

Turn left onto North Dysart Road

1.6 mi · 2 min · North Dysart Road
31

Turn right onto East Western Avenue

0.5 mi · 56 sec · East Western Avenue
32

Turn right onto North Central Avenue

89 ft · 5 sec · North Central Avenue
33

Turn right

26 ft · 2 sec
34

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 159.7 miles from Cottonwood, AZ, or about 2h 44m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 22m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 159.7 miles or 2h 44m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 29m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Avondale, AZ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cottonwood, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Cottonwood, AZ

This is one driving day of about 319.5 miles and 5h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cottonwood, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 159.7 mi from Cottonwood, AZ · 2h 44m into the drive

Downtown Flagstaff, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Flagstaff, AZ

160 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.

Popular next leg

Flagstaff, AZ to Avondale, AZ

154.4 mi · 2h 18m

Pacing Suggestions

Flagstaff, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Flagstaff, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 159.7 miles from Cottonwood, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Avondale, AZ

The final approach into Avondale, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Avondale, AZ.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$63.59 one way

$127.17 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 112 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.34 $67.15 $134.29
premium $5.59 $70.28 $140.55
diesel $5.64 $70.98 $141.96

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$64

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$89–$114

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 111.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 95.9 1 $33.55 $15.34
Efficient EV 79.9 0 $27.96 $12.78
EV Truck/SUV 127.8 1 $44.73 $20.45

Gas CO2

112 kg

EV CO2

37 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Cottonwood, AZ

Morning in Cottonwood on Monday

Local time

11:27 AM

MDT

Current temp

40°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Avondale, AZ

Morning in Avondale on Monday

Local time

10:27 AM

MST

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

17 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

5h 28m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Cottonwood, AZ to Avondale, AZ covers 319.5 miles and takes about 5h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Route 4, Route 65, Route 60. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 159.7 miles from Cottonwood, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $63.59 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 28m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cottonwood, AZ to Avondale, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cottonwood, AZ to Avondale, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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