The drive from Three Points, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ covers 127.6 miles and takes about 2h 31m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, South Sandario Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 38.1 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $25.42 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
63.8 miles from Three Points, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 22m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 127.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 31m drive with frequent turns across 127.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 38.1 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 24.6 miles in near North Sandario Road.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 127.6 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 24.6 miles (North Sandario Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 107.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 107.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
24.6 mi into trip|~36m in|North Sandario Road
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
107.2 mi into trip|~2h 6m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
8
107.4 mi into trip|~2h 6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 161B
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
7
111.2 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|Price Freeway
Take the exit onto Price Freeway toward AZ 101 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 50A
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
126.5 mi into trip|~2h 28m in
Take the exit toward Chaparral Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 46
Toward Chaparral Road
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38.1 mi
38m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
36.1 mi
36m
South Sandario Road
18.3 mi
29m
Price Freeway
10.5 mi
12m
West Ajo Highway
6.3 mi
7m
Pima Freeway
4.9 mi
5m
North Sanders Road
4 mi
6m
Santan Freeway
3.1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 38.1 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Three Points, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 86
6.3 mi·7 min·West Ajo Highway
2
Turn left onto South Sandario Road
18 mi·29 min·South Sandario Road
3
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
94 ft·4 sec·North Sandario Road
4
Continue on North Sandario Road
1.5 mi·2 min·North Sandario Road
5
Turn left onto West Avra Valley Road
1.0 mi·1 min·West Avra Valley Road
6
Turn right onto North Sanders Road
4.0 mi·6 min·North Sanders Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto West Marana Road
0.5 mi·53 sec·West Marana Road
8
Continue on Marana Main Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Marana Main Street
9
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
189 ft·6 sec·North Sandario Road
10
Continue on North Sandario Road
0.3 mi·59 sec·North Sandario Road
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
12
Merge onto I 10
36 mi·36 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·14 sec
Exit 161A-BToward AZ 202 LoopUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 161BToward AZ 202 Loop EastUse the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
3.1 mi·3 min·Santan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit onto Price Freeway
1.2 mi·1 min·Price Freeway
Exit 50AToward AZ 101 Loop NorthUse the slight right lane.
18
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
9.3 mi·10 min·Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
4.9 mi·5 min·Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 46Toward Chaparral RoadUse the slight right lane.
21
Turn left onto East Chaparral Road
0.7 mi·1 min·East Chaparral Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
22
Turn left
64 ft·4 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 63.8 miles from Three Points, AZ, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 38.1 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 28 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 63.8 miles or 1h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scottsdale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Three Points, 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 Three Points, AZ
This is one driving day of about 127.6 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Three Points, 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 Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway for about 38.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 63.8 mi from Three Points, AZ
· 1h 22m into the drive
The midpoint is around 63.8 miles from Three Points, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Scottsdale, AZ
The final approach into Scottsdale, 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 Scottsdale, 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.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 79.2
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
27 mi from route
~67 min detour
$25
near mile 13.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.42 one way
$50.84 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg45 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$26.90
$53.80
premium
$5.59
$28.09
$56.17
diesel
$5.61
$28.17
$56.34
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.3
0
$13.40
$6.12
Efficient EV
31.9
0
$11.17
$5.10
EV Truck/SUV
51
0
$17.86
$8.17
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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
Three Points, AZ
Afternoon
in Three Points on Friday
Local time
12:03 PM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scottsdale, AZ
Afternoon
in Scottsdale on Friday
Local time
12:03 PM
MST
Current temp
92°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
2h 31m 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 Three Points, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ covers 127.6 miles and takes about 2h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, South Sandario Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 63.8 miles from Three Points, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.42 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 127.6 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 24.6 miles (North Sandario Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 107.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 107.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Three Points, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Saguaro National Park.
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.
