The drive from Mesa, AZ to Holbrook, AZ covers 172.7 miles and takes about 3h 37m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Beeline Highway, AZ 260, Heber Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 68.4 miles on Beeline Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86.4 miles from Mesa, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 45m into the drive
.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Mesa, AZ to Holbrook, AZ covers 172.7 miles and takes about 3h 37m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Beeline Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 68.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Mesa Drive.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Mesa, AZ to Holbrook, AZ is easy. At 3h 37m with 32% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Mesa Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (East McKellips Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Mesa Drive
Turn right onto North Mesa Drive
Navigation decision point
4
2 mi into trip|~3m in|East McKellips Road
Turn left onto East McKellips Road
Navigation decision point
3
3 mi into trip|~5m in|AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive
Turn right onto AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive
Navigation decision point
4
76.7 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|AZ 260
Turn right onto AZ 260
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
129.7 mi into trip|~2h 44m in|AZ 277 / Highway 277
Turn left onto AZ 277 / Highway 277
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Beeline Highway
68.4 mi
1h 20m
AZ 260
53 mi
1h 11m
Heber Road
30.9 mi
36m
West 3rd Street North
4.9 mi
6m
North Beeline Highway
4.5 mi
5m
Heber-Holbrook Highway
2.9 mi
3m
North Mesa Drive
2 mi
3m
Highway 277
1.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Beeline Highway
— 68.4 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mesa, AZ and Holbrook, AZ.
1
Start on East University Drive
73 ft·5 sec·East University Drive
2
Turn right onto North Mesa Drive
2.0 mi·3 min·North Mesa Drive
3
Turn left onto East McKellips Road
1.0 mi·1 min·East McKellips Road
4
Turn right onto AZ 87
0.7 mi·1 min·North Country Club Drive
5
Continue on AZ 87
4.5 mi·5 min·North Beeline Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
Continue on AZ 87
68 mi·1 hr 20 min·Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto AZ 260
53 mi·1 hr 11 min·AZ 260
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto AZ 277
1.9 mi·3 min·Highway 277
9
Continue on AZ 277
4.9 mi·6 min·West 3rd Street North
10
Turn left onto AZ 377
2.9 mi·3 min·Heber-Holbrook Highway
11
Turn straight onto AZ 377
31 mi·36 min·Heber Road
12
Turn left onto AZ 77
1.6 mi·2 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
13
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.5 mi·56 sec·Holbrook-Springerville Highway
14
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.2 mi·21 sec·Navajo Boulevard
15
Arrive at destination
I 40 Bus; AZ 77; US 66 Hist
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 86.4 miles from Mesa, AZ, or about 1h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.4 miles.
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 38 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86.4 miles or 1h 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Holbrook, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mesa, 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 Mesa, AZ
This is one driving day of about 172.7 miles and 3h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Mesa, 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.
The longest stretch is on Beeline Highway for about 68.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 86.4 mi from Mesa, AZ
· 1h 45m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Petrified Forest National Park
National Park
A landscape where deep time lies fully on display, Petrified Forest National Park blends colorful badlands, vast grasslands, and one of the world’s largest and most vivid collections of petrified wood...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
$25
near mile 172.7
Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant gr...
23 mi from route
~57 min detour
$10
near mile 29.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.40 one way
$68.81 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$36.41
$72.82
premium
$5.59
$38.01
$76.03
diesel
$5.61
$38.13
$76.26
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.8
0
$18.13
$8.29
Efficient EV
43.2
0
$15.11
$6.91
EV Truck/SUV
69.1
0
$24.18
$11.05
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Mesa, AZ
Night
in Mesa on Friday
Local time
11:41 PM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Holbrook, AZ
Night
in Holbrook on Friday
Local time
11:41 PM
MST
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Payson, AZ
86 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
17 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
3h 37m 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 Mesa, AZ to Holbrook, AZ covers 172.7 miles and takes about 3h 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Beeline Highway, AZ 260, Heber Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 86.4 miles from Mesa, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.40 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Mesa, AZ to Holbrook, AZ is easy. At 3h 37m with 32% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Mesa Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (East McKellips Road): Navigation decision point; at 3 miles (AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive): Navigation decision point.
The route from Mesa, AZ to Holbrook, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
