Origin
Prescott Valley, AZ
Late night in Prescott Valley on Saturday
Local time
12:17 AM
MST
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 38m
Distance
87.3 mi
141 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Prescott Valley, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Flagstaff, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Prescott Valley, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ covers 87.3 miles and takes about 1h 38m 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, Dewey-Copper Canyon Highway, Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 60.9 miles on Arizona Veterans Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.39 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.
Midpoint
43.7 miles from Prescott Valley, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .
Flagstaff is a city of over 75,000 people (2019) near the San Francisco Peaks mountain range of northern Arizona and the Grand Canyon. At an altitude of 6,990 ft (2,130 m), Flagstaff and much of the surrounding region are substantially cooler than the low desert that dominates the southern part of the state. Though still dry by east coast standards, enough rain and snow falls in the area to allow a forest of ponderosa pine trees to cover the landscape. Winters tend to be cold, and heavy snowfall is expected on an annual basis.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 38m. Total distance: 87.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 1h 38m drive with frequent turns across 87.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near North Robert Road.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Prescott Valley, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ is easy. At 1h 38m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (North Robert Road): Navigation decision point; at 8.3 miles (AZ 169 / Dewey-Copper Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point; at 23.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto North Robert Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto AZ 169 / Dewey-Copper Canyon Highway
Navigation decision point
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Merge onto I 17 / Arizona Veterans Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Veterans Highway | 60.9 mi | 1h 1m |
| Dewey-Copper Canyon Highway | 15.2 mi | 17m |
| Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway | 6.4 mi | 9m |
| South Milton Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| North Robert Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Prescott–Flagstaff Highway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Spouse Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Historic Route 66 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Prescott Valley, AZ and Flagstaff, AZ.
Start on East Spouse Drive
Turn left onto North Robert Road
Turn left onto AZ 69
Turn left onto AZ 169
Take the exit
Merge onto I 17
Continue on I 17; AZ 89A
Continue on I 17; AZ 89A
Continue on AZ 89A
Continue on I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 19 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.7 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Flagstaff, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Prescott Valley, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Prescott Valley, AZ
This is one driving day of about 87.3 miles and 1h 38m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.7 mi from Prescott Valley, AZ · 51m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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.
A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 43.7 miles from Prescott Valley, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Arizona Veterans Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.9 miles.
The final approach into Flagstaff, 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.
Regular Gas
$17.39 one way
$34.78 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $18.41 | $36.81 |
| premium | $5.59 | $19.22 | $38.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.27 | $38.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.17 | $4.19 |
| Efficient EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.9 | 0 | $12.22 | $5.59 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Prescott Valley on Saturday
Local time
12:17 AM
MST
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Flagstaff on Saturday
Local time
12:17 AM
MST
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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