Origin
Yuma, AZ
Morning in Yuma on Monday
Local time
7:25 AM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ
Drive Time
9h 32m
Distance
484.6 mi
780 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$96
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 24m
★
6 AM
9h 33m
8 AM
9h 50m
10 AM
9h 39m
12 PM
9h 37m
3 PM
9h 40m
5 PM
9h 49m
8 PM
9h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yuma, AZ
cottonbro studio
Cottonwood, AZ
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ covers 484.6 miles and takes about 9h 32m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Winterhaven Drive, Kumeyaay Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $96.44 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
242.3 miles from Yuma, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 46m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 9h 32m drive with frequent turns across 484.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Winterhaven Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 32m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Winterhaven Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Kumeyaay Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 85 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Pima Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 85 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Oglesby Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Winterhaven Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and Cottonwood, AZ.
1
Start on North 4th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
North 4th Avenue
2
Continue on Winterhaven Drive
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Winterhaven Drive
3
Take the ramp slight right
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Kumeyaay Highway
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Kumeyaay Highway
5
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
114 mi
·
1 hr 59 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit slight right toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
85: Phoenix, Ajo
7
Continue on East Pima Street
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
East Pima Street
8
Continue on Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
9
Turn left onto Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
10
Continue on Arizona State Highway 85
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Arizona State Highway 85
11
Continue on Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
12
Continue on South Oglesby Road
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Oglesby Road
13
Keep slight right to continue on I 10 East: Phoenix
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 East: Phoenix
14
Merge slight left onto Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
15
Take the exit slight right toward AZ 303 Loop North
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
AZ 303 Loop North
16
Merge slight left onto Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
34 mi
·
39 min
·
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
17
Take the exit slight left toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 17 North: Flagstaff
18
Keep slight left to continue on I 17 North: Flagstaff
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 17 North: Flagstaff
19
Merge slight left onto Black Canyon Freeway
16 mi
·
16 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
20
Continue on Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
8.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
21
Continue on Arizona Veterans Highway
13 mi
·
13 min
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
22
Keep slight left to continue on Arizona Veterans Highway
77 mi
·
1 hr 17 min
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
23
Continue on Prescott–Flagstaff Highway
0.6 mi
·
44 sec
·
Prescott–Flagstaff Highway
24
Take the exit slight right toward I 40 East, Albuquerque
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 40 East, Albuquerque
25
Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail
61 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
26
Take the exit slight right toward AZ 87 North: Second Mesa
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
AZ 87 North: Second Mesa
27
Turn left onto Winslow–Kayenta Highway
39 mi
·
45 min
·
Winslow–Kayenta Highway
28
Continue on AZ 87
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
AZ 87
29
Continue on Winslow–Kayenta Highway
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Winslow–Kayenta Highway
30
At the end of the road, turn right onto Arizona State Highway 264
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Arizona State Highway 264
31
Turn left onto Indian Route 60
6.6 mi
·
16 min
·
Indian Route 60
32
Continue on Hopi Route 65
8.4 mi
·
20 min
·
Hopi Route 65
33
Continue on Navajo Route 65
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Navajo Route 65
34
Continue on Indian Route 65
2.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Indian Route 65
35
Continue on Navajo Route 65
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Navajo Route 65
36
At the end of the road, turn right onto Navajo Route 4
4.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Navajo Route 4
37
Continue on Indian Route 4
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Indian Route 4
38
Continue on Navajo Route 4
6.4 mi
·
15 min
·
Navajo Route 4
39
Turn right
0.3 mi
·
1 min
40
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 242.3 miles from Yuma, AZ, or about 4h 46m into the drive.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 107 miles or 2h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 242.3 miles or 4h 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 242.3 miles or 4h 46m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cottonwood, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yuma, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Yuma, AZ
Aim for roughly 242 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Cottonwood, AZ
Aim for roughly 242 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 107 miles from Yuma, AZ.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 242.3 mi from Yuma, AZ · 4h 46m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
242 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Surprise, AZOvernight Options
Night 1
242 mi · about 4.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near Surprise, AZ after about 242 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 107 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 242.3 miles from Yuma, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 242 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.
Arriving in Cottonwood, AZ
The final approach into Cottonwood, 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 Cottonwood, AZ.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Cottonwood, AZ with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$96.44 one way
$192.89 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
170 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $101.84 | $203.68 |
| premium | $5.59 | $106.59 | $213.19 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $107.66 | $215.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$96
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$226–$336
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 169.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 145.4 | 1 | $50.88 | $23.26 |
| Efficient EV | 121.2 | 1 | $42.40 | $19.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 193.8 | 2 | $67.84 | $31.01 |
Gas CO2
170 kg
EV CO2
57 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Cottonwood, AZ
Morning in Cottonwood on Monday
Local time
8:25 AM
MDT
Current temp
40°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
19 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
9h 32m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ covers 484.6 miles and takes about 9h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Winterhaven Drive, Kumeyaay Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 242 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 242.3 miles from Yuma, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $96.44 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 32m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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