Origin
Yuma, AZ
Afternoon in Yuma on Sunday
Local time
3:46 PM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ
Drive Time
5h 12m
Distance
278.3 mi
448 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$55
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 59m
★
6 AM
5h 13m
8 AM
5h 40m
10 AM
5h 22m
12 PM
5h 20m
3 PM
5h 24m
5 PM
5h 38m
8 PM
5h 5m
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
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ covers 278.3 miles and takes about 5h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Blue Star Memorial Highway, Arizona Veterans Highway, Bob Stump Memorial Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 114.2 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $55.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
139.2 miles from Yuma, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 32m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 12m drive with frequent turns across 278.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Blue Star Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 114.2 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 115.1 miles in near I 8 Business.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 278.3 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 115.1 miles (I 8 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 119.3 miles (AZ 85 / Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 152.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 23 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
115.1 mi into trip
|
~2h in
|
I 8 Business
Take the exit onto I 8 Business toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo
5
119.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 8m in
|
AZ 85 / Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
Turn left onto AZ 85 / Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
152.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
7
163.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 1m in
Take the exit toward AZ 303 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 124A
Toward AZ 303 Loop North
6
199.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
Towns Along This Route
Between Yuma, AZ and Cottonwood, AZ, road signs point toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo, Gilda Bend, Finnie Flat, 260 To 89A and Payson - among others.
85: Phoenix
115.1 mi in
|
~2h
|
via I 8 Business
Ajo
115.1 mi in
|
~2h
|
via I 8 Business
Gilda Bend
115.3 mi in
|
~2h
|
via I 8 Bus; US 80 Hist
Finnie Flat
264.1 mi in
|
~4h 50m
260 To 89A
264.1 mi in
|
~4h 50m
Payson
264.1 mi in
|
~4h 50m
Jerome
264.1 mi in
|
~4h 50m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | 114.2 mi | 1h 59m |
| Arizona Veterans Highway | 38.2 mi | 38m |
| Bob Stump Memorial Parkway | 34.2 mi | 39m |
| Arizona State Highway 85 | 28.1 mi | 32m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 16.4 mi | 16m |
| Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway | 12.3 mi | 18m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 10.4 mi | 10m |
| Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway | 8.9 mi | 9m |
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 114.2 mi, about 1h 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and Cottonwood, AZ.
1
Start on I 8 BUS
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
North 4th Avenue
2
Continue on I 8 BUS
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Winterhaven Drive
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
4
Merge onto I 8
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Kumeyaay Highway
5
Continue on I 8
114 mi
·
1 hr 59 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit onto I 8 Business
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
I 8 Business
Toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo
7
Continue on I 8 Bus; US 80 Hist
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
East Pima Street
Toward AZ-85: Phoenix, Gilda Bend
Use the none lane.
8
Continue on AZ 85
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
Use the none lane.
9
Turn left onto AZ 85
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on AZ 85
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Arizona State Highway 85
Use the none lane.
11
Continue on AZ 85; US 80 Hist
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
Use the none lane.
12
Continue on AZ 85
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Oglesby Road
Use the none lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 10
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
1.7 mi
·
2 min
Exit 124A
Toward AZ 303 Loop North
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
34 mi
·
39 min
·
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
Use the none lane.
17
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
Use the straight lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
19
Merge onto I 17
16 mi
·
16 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the none lane.
20
Continue on I 17
8.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on I 17
13 mi
·
13 min
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 17
25 mi
·
24 min
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward Finnie Flat, 260 to 89a, Cottonwood, Payson, Jerome
24
Turn left onto AZ 260
421 ft
·
11 sec
·
Finnie Flat Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
25
Continue on AZ 260
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
Use the straight lane.
26
Enter roundabout onto AZ 260
169 ft
·
7 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
27
Continue on AZ 260
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
28
Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 260
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
29
Enter roundabout onto AZ 260
171 ft
·
7 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
30
Continue on AZ 260
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
31
Enter roundabout onto AZ 260
171 ft
·
2 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
32
Continue on AZ 260
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
33
Enter roundabout onto AZ 260
145 ft
·
6 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
34
Continue on AZ 260
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
35
Enter roundabout onto AZ 260
169 ft
·
7 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
36
Continue on AZ 260
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
37
Enter roundabout onto AZ 260
144 ft
·
6 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
38
Continue on AZ 260
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
39
Enter roundabout onto AZ 260
188 ft
·
8 sec
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
40
Continue on AZ 260
4.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Camp Verde-Bridgeport Highway
41
Continue on AZ 260
420 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Main Street
42
Continue on AZ 89A
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
43
Arrive at destination
US 89A Historic
Trip Plan
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 139.2 miles from Yuma, AZ, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 114.2 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 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.2 miles or 2h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 13m
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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Yuma, AZ
This is one driving day of about 278.3 miles and 5h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Yuma, 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 Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 114.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 139.2 mi from Yuma, AZ · 2h 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
139 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 139.2 miles from Yuma, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Blue Star Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 114.2 miles.
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.
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
$55.39 one way
$110.77 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
97 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $58.49 | $116.97 |
| premium | $5.59 | $61.22 | $122.43 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $61.83 | $123.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 83.5 | 1 | $29.22 | $13.36 |
| Efficient EV | 69.6 | 0 | $24.35 | $11.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 111.3 | 1 | $38.96 | $17.81 |
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
33 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
Afternoon in Cottonwood on Sunday
Local time
3:46 PM
MST
Current temp
46°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
13 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
5h 12m 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 Yuma, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ covers 278.3 miles and takes about 5h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Blue Star Memorial Highway, Arizona Veterans Highway, Bob Stump Memorial Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 139.2 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 $55.39 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 23 significant decision points across 278.3 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 115.1 miles (I 8 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 119.3 miles (AZ 85 / Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 152.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Yuma, AZ and Cottonwood, AZ, road signs point toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo, Gilda Bend, Finnie Flat, 260 To 89A and Payson - among others.
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