The drive from Maryvale, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ covers 308.2 miles and takes about 6h 19m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Arizona Veterans Highway, Purple Heart Trail, Winslow–Kayenta Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 90.6 miles on Arizona Veterans Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $61.40 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
154.1 miles from Maryvale, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 44m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 19m. Total distance: 308.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 19m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 19m drive with frequent turns across 308.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Arizona Veterans Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 90.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near West Indian School Road.
Driving Effort5/10
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 308.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.5 miles (West Indian School Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (North Black Canyon Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|West Indian School Road
Turn left onto West Indian School Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.2 mi into trip|~8m in|North Black Canyon Highway
Turn left onto North Black Canyon Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4.6 mi into trip|~9m in|I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway
Merge onto I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
140.8 mi into trip|~2h 30m in
Take the exit toward I 40 East, Albuquerque
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 40 East, Albuquerque
5
263 mi into trip|~4h 44m in|AZ 264 / Arizona State Highway 264
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 264 / Arizona State Highway 264
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Maryvale, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Albuquerque along the way.
The midpoint is around 154.1 miles from Maryvale, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Arizona Veterans Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 90.6 miles.
Arriving in Cottonwood, AZ
The final approach into Cottonwood, 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 Cottonwood, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff...
Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have lived and traveled throughout Walnut Canyon’s dynamic landscape. Vibrant communities built their homes in the cliffs and farmed along the canyon’s rim. T...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
$25
near mile 148.8
The lava flow lies on the land like a dream, a wonderland of rock. A thousand years ago the ground was torn open and lava erupted into the sky, forever changing the landscape and the lives of the peop...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
$25
near mile 148.8
Water flows under and through this landscape, feeding the growth of people and towns. The Verde Valley is watered by snowmelt, summer monsoons, and springs that well up from the ancient sedimentary ro...
16 mi from route
~39 min detour
$10
near mile 95.7
Nestled between the Painted Desert and ponderosa highlands of northern Arizona, Wupatki National Monument is an unlikely landscape for a thriving community. The early 1100's marked a time of cooler an...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$25
near mile 148.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$61.40 one way
$122.79 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg108 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$64.98
$129.95
premium
$5.59
$67.84
$135.68
diesel
$5.61
$68.05
$136.09
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$61
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$86–$111
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
92.5
1
$32.36
$14.79
Efficient EV
77.1
0
$26.97
$12.33
EV Truck/SUV
123.3
1
$43.15
$19.72
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 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 as of Apr 13, 2026
Origin
Maryvale, AZ
Morning
in Maryvale on Friday
Local time
8:36 AM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cottonwood, AZ
Morning
in Cottonwood on Friday
Local time
9:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
63°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 13 to 24 mph20% chanceLive 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 later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
30 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 19m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Maryvale, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ covers 308.2 miles and takes about 6h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Arizona Veterans Highway, Purple Heart Trail, Winslow–Kayenta Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 154.1 miles from Maryvale, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $61.40 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 308.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.5 miles (West Indian School Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (North Black Canyon Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Maryvale, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Albuquerque along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Montezuma Castle National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
