Origin
Scottsdale, AZ
Night in Scottsdale on Friday
Local time
9:20 PM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scottsdale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
45.1 mi
73 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scottsdale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Blackwater, AZ
Yanming Guo
Trip Overview
The drive from Scottsdale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ covers 45.1 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway, Price Freeway, South Arizona Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.9 miles on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Scottsdale, AZ
Full guide →Scottsdale is a city in the state of Arizona. Scottsdale is home to many galleries, high quality resorts, and golf courses. It is also one of the wealthier parts of the Phoenix Metro Area.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 45.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 3m highway drive covering 45.1 miles, with most of the trip on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway and Price Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.9 miles on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 16.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway and Price Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 1 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles (Price Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 16.5 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
15.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Price Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Price Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
5
16.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
18.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward AZ 87: Arizona Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 47
Toward AZ 87: Arizona Avenue
5
18.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Turn right onto AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Junction I-10-Mesa Highway | 16.9 mi | 24m |
| Price Freeway | 10.7 mi | 12m |
| South Arizona Avenue | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| Pima Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Blackwater School Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Santan Freeway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| East Chaparral Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Hunt Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
— 16.9 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scottsdale, AZ and Blackwater, AZ.
1
Start on this road
64 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East Chaparral Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chaparral Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
4
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto Price Freeway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Price Freeway
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
7
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Santan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 47
Toward AZ 87: Arizona Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto AZ 87
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
South Arizona Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto AZ 87; BIA 56
263 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Hunt Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto AZ 87
17 mi
·
24 min
·
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
12
Turn left onto Blackwater School Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Blackwater School Road
13
Arrive at destination
Blackwater School Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.6 mi from Scottsdale, AZ · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.6 miles from Scottsdale, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Blackwater, AZ
The final approach into Blackwater, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.98 one way
$17.97 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $9.51 | $19.02 |
| premium | $5.59 | $9.93 | $19.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.96 | $19.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.95 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.31 | $2.89 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Blackwater, AZ
Night in Blackwater on Friday
Local time
9:20 PM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 3m 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 Scottsdale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ covers 45.1 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Junction I-10-Mesa Highway, Price Freeway, South Arizona Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.6 miles from Scottsdale, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.98 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 1 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles (Price Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 16.5 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Santan Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Scottsdale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
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.
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