Origin
Ganado, AZ
Evening in Ganado on Sunday
Local time
5:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ganado, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ
Drive Time
4h 53m
Distance
324 mi
521 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
4 AM
4h 40m
★
6 AM
4h 53m
8 AM
5h 20m
10 AM
5h 3m
12 PM
5h 0m
3 PM
5h 4m
5 PM
5h 19m
8 PM
4h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ganado, AZ
Denitsa Kireva
Scottsdale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
Spanning 324 miles, this journey from Ganado to Scottsdale takes you across the heart of the Desert Southwest. Expect a travel time of approximately 4 hours and 53 minutes, making it a manageable, albeit full, day trip. You will primarily navigate the Purple Heart Trail, I-40, and Navajo Boulevard during your trek. With an estimated fuel cost of $63, it is wise to budget accordingly before you head out. While the route is doable in one day, the length suggests you should be prepared for steady time behind the wheel. Given the desert setting, ensure your vehicle is well-maintained for the nearly five-hour haul.
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
162 miles from Ganado, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 26m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since the highway share is 0%, you should anticipate a more technical experience navigating local roads and secondary routes. The drive lacks long, uninterrupted highway stretches, meaning you will be making frequent adjustments to your speed and steering. As you transition from the high desert of Ganado toward the Scottsdale area, the road conditions shift frequently, requiring a steady hand. This is not a route for cruising on autopilot; it is a journey that keeps you engaged with the road surface and local traffic patterns.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Purple Heart Trail 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 4h 53m 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 Ganado, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 40 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Navajo Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Holbrook-Springerville Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Show Low-Holbrook Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Heber Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Heber-Holbrook Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West 3rd Street North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ganado, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.
1
Start on Post Office Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Post Office Road
2
Continue straight
38 mi
·
56 min
3
Take the ramp right
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail
46 mi
·
45 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 40 Business, AZ 77 South, AZ 377 South, US 180 East: Show Low, Heber
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 40 Business, AZ 77 South, AZ 377 South, US 180 East: Show Low, Heber
6
Turn left onto Navajo Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Navajo Boulevard
7
Continue on Holbrook-Springerville Highway
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Holbrook-Springerville Highway
8
Continue on Show Low-Holbrook Highway
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Show Low-Holbrook Highway
9
Turn right onto Heber Road
31 mi
·
36 min
·
Heber Road
10
Turn straight onto Heber-Holbrook Highway
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Heber-Holbrook Highway
11
At the end of the road, turn right onto West 3rd Street North
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
West 3rd Street North
12
Continue on Highway 277
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 277
13
At the end of the road, turn right onto Highway 260
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Highway 260
14
Continue on Hwy 260
16 mi
·
22 min
·
Hwy 260
15
Continue on Payson-Heber Highway
13 mi
·
17 min
·
Payson-Heber Highway
16
Continue on Payson-Show Low Highway
24 mi
·
30 min
·
Payson-Show Low Highway
17
Turn left onto South Beeline Highway
73 mi
·
1 hr 26 min
·
South Beeline Highway
18
Turn right onto East McDowell Road
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
East McDowell Road
19
Take the ramp right toward AZ 101 Loop North
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
AZ 101 Loop North
20
Merge slight left onto Pima Freeway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Pima Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward Chaparral Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Chaparral Road
22
Turn left onto East Chaparral Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chaparral Road
23
Turn left
62 ft
·
5 sec
24
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
For the best experience, plan for at least one stop to break up the nearly five-hour duration. Because this route is a turn-heavy local drive, departing early in the morning will help you navigate the more technical sections while visibility is at its peak. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge, as the $63 estimate can fluctuate based on your vehicle's performance and local pump prices. Since you have a single planned stop, use that time to stretch and refresh before tackling the remaining miles. A practical tip for this specific route is to familiarize yourself with the turns on Navajo Boulevard before you depart, as the lack of highway miles means you will be relying on local signage throughout the trip.
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 162 miles from Ganado, AZ, or about 2h 26m 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 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 162 miles or 2h 26m 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
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scottsdale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ganado, 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 Ganado, AZ
This is one driving day of about 324 miles and 4h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Ganado, 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 162 mi from Ganado, AZ · 2h 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
162 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 162 miles from Ganado, 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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Scottsdale, 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
$64.48 one way
$128.96 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
113 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $68.09 | $136.18 |
| premium | $5.59 | $71.27 | $142.53 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $71.98 | $143.96 |
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: 113.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 97.2 | 1 | $34.02 | $15.55 |
| Efficient EV | 81 | 0 | $28.35 | $12.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 129.6 | 1 | $45.36 | $20.74 |
Gas CO2
113 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Scottsdale, AZ
Afternoon in Scottsdale on Sunday
Local time
4:08 PM
MST
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
63°F
Mesa, AZ
162 mi in
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
20 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
4h 53m 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 Ganado, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ covers 324 miles and takes about 4h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Purple Heart Trail, I 40, Navajo Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 162 miles from Ganado, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $64.48 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 4h 53m 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 Ganado, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ganado, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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