Origin
Scottsdale, AZ
Afternoon in Scottsdale on Sunday
Local time
4:08 PM
MST
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scottsdale, AZ to Bullhead City, AZ
Drive Time
4h 49m
Distance
234 mi
377 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 36m
★
6 AM
4h 50m
8 AM
5h 16m
10 AM
4h 59m
12 PM
4h 56m
3 PM
5h 0m
5 PM
5h 15m
8 PM
4h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scottsdale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Bullhead City, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
Traveling from Scottsdale to Bullhead City covers 234 miles and typically takes about 4 hours and 49 minutes. This trip remains entirely within the Desert Southwest, keeping you in a familiar, arid climate for the duration of your journey. You should budget approximately $47 for fuel to complete the trek. While the drive is manageable as a single-day commitment, be prepared for a turn-heavy local driving experience rather than a straightforward interstate cruise. It is a practical route for those heading toward the Colorado River, provided you account for the significant time spent on slower, winding roads.
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
117 miles from Scottsdale, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a varied driving experience that transitions from urban freeways to more technical regional roads. You will navigate using the Pima Freeway, the Purple Heart Trail, and the Wickenburg–Kingman Highway, with highways accounting for only 14% of the total distance. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 106.7-mile segment on the Wickenburg–Kingman Highway. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive, you will need to remain alert compared to a standard interstate highway trip. The road’s personality shifts from the high-speed corridors near Scottsdale to the more demanding, winding stretches that define the latter portion of your trip.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 45 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 106.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 234 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 25 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn left toward AZ 101 Loop North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
32.1 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Bell Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 14
Toward Bell Road
8
32.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Bell Road, Surprise Stadium
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Bell Road, Surprise Stadium
6
76.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 43m in
|
US 93 / Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 93 / Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the none lane.
8
204.1 mi into trip
|
~4h 11m in
Take the exit toward AZ 68 West: Bullhead City, Laughlin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 67
Toward AZ 68 West: Bullhead City, Laughlin
Towns Along This Route
Between Scottsdale, AZ and Bullhead City, AZ, road signs point toward Surprise Stadium, Las Vegas and Laughlin.
Surprise Stadium
32.5 mi in
|
~38m
Las Vegas
200.4 mi in
|
~4h 5m
|
via US 93
Laughlin
204.1 mi in
|
~4h 11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Wickenburg–Kingman Highway | 106.7 mi | 2h 9m |
| Pima Freeway | 22.8 mi | 26m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 21.5 mi | 21m |
| Grand Avenue | 21 mi | 26m |
| Bullhead City-Kingman Highway | 18.3 mi | 21m |
| Phoenix–Wickenburg Highway | 9 mi | 10m |
| Bullhead City–Kingman Highway | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| Agua Fria Freeway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
Longest stretch:
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
— 106.7 mi, about 2h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scottsdale, AZ and Bullhead City, AZ.
1
Start on this road
64 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto East Chaparral Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chaparral Road
Use the none lane.
3
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
23 mi
·
26 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the none lane.
5
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
Use the none lane.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 14
Toward Bell Road
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Toward Bell Road, Surprise Stadium
Use the right lane.
8
Turn straight onto West Bell Road
6.4 mi
·
11 min
·
West Bell Road
Use the none lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
1 min
Toward US-60 West
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto US 60
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 60
159 ft
·
3 sec
·
Phoenix–Wickenburg Highway
12
Continue on US 60
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the none lane.
13
Continue on US 60
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Phoenix–Wickenburg Highway
14
Continue on US 60
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
Wickenburg–Phoenix Highway
Use the none lane.
15
Continue on US 60
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the none lane.
16
Continue on US 60
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
·
Phoenix-Wickenburg Highway
Use the none lane.
17
Continue on US 60
8.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Phoenix–Wickenburg Highway
Use the none lane.
18
Continue on US 60
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Wickenburg Way
19
Enter roundabout onto US 93
2 ft
·
0 sec
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
20
Continue on US 93
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
21
Keep slight right at fork onto US 93
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 93
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
23
Keep slight right at fork onto US 93
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
24
Enter roundabout onto US 93
100 ft
·
4 sec
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
25
Continue on US 93
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
26
Enter roundabout onto US 93
155 ft
·
6 sec
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
27
Continue on US 93
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
28
Turn left onto US 93
112 ft
·
4 sec
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
29
Keep slight right at fork onto US 93
101 mi
·
1 hr 58 min
·
Wickenburg–Kingman Highway
Use the none lane.
30
Continue on US 93
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Wickenburg-Kingman Highway
31
Take the exit onto US 93
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 93
Toward I 40 West
32
Merge onto I 40; US 93
22 mi
·
21 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
33
Take the exit onto US 93
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
US 93
Exit 48
Toward US 93: Beale Street, Las Vegas
34
Turn slight right onto US 93
222 ft
·
7 sec
·
US 93
Exit 48
Toward US 93: Beale Street, Las Vegas
Use the right lane.
35
Merge onto US 93
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Beale Street
Use the right lane.
36
Continue on US 93
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hoover Dam–Kingman Highway
37
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 67
Toward AZ 68 West: Bullhead City, Laughlin
Use the right lane.
38
Continue on AZ 68
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Bullhead City–Kingman Highway
39
Continue on AZ 68
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Bullhead City-Kingman Highway
40
Continue on AZ 68
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Bullhead City–Kingman Highway
41
Continue on AZ 68
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Bullhead City-Kingman Highway
42
Continue on AZ 68
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Bullhead City–Kingman Highway
43
Continue on AZ 95
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Mohave Valley Highway
44
Turn left onto 4th Street
20 ft
·
0 sec
·
4th Street
45
Arrive at destination
4th Street
Trip Plan
Since the route requires nearly five hours of travel time, aim to depart early in the day to avoid fatigue on the more technical, turn-heavy sections. You are limited to one recommended stop, so choose your break point carefully to balance your energy levels. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge during the 106.7-mile stretch on the Wickenburg–Kingman Highway, as service options may be spaced out. Given the total duration and the nature of the terrain, maintaining a steady, moderate pace is your best strategy. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, so use your single scheduled stop to stretch and reset before tackling the final miles into Bullhead City.
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 117 miles from Scottsdale, AZ, or about 2h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106.7 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 80 miles or 1h 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 117 miles or 2h 31m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bullhead City, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Scottsdale, 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 Scottsdale, AZ
This is one driving day of about 234 miles and 4h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Scottsdale, 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 Wickenburg–Kingman Highway for about 106.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 117 mi from Scottsdale, AZ · 2h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
117 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 117 miles from Scottsdale, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Wickenburg–Kingman Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 106.7 miles.
Arriving in Bullhead City, AZ
The final approach into Bullhead City, 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 Bullhead City, AZ.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.57 one way
$93.14 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
82 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $49.18 | $98.35 |
| premium | $5.59 | $51.47 | $102.94 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $51.99 | $103.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 81.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 70.2 | 0 | $24.57 | $11.23 |
| Efficient EV | 58.5 | 0 | $20.47 | $9.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 93.6 | 1 | $32.76 | $14.98 |
Gas CO2
82 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Bullhead City, AZ
Afternoon in Bullhead City on Sunday
Local time
4:08 PM
MST
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 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 49m 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 Scottsdale, AZ to Bullhead City, AZ covers 234 miles and takes about 4h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Wickenburg–Kingman Highway, Pima Freeway, Purple Heart Trail. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 117 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 $46.57 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 demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 234 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Scottsdale, AZ and Bullhead City, AZ, road signs point toward Surprise Stadium, Las Vegas and Laughlin.
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