Origin
Anthem, AZ
Night in Anthem on Saturday
Local time
9:20 PM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Anthem, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
38.3 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Anthem, AZ
cottonbro studio
Scottsdale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 38.3-mile drive from Anthem, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 47 minutes. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 84% of the journey on freeways like the Pima Freeway and Black Canyon Freeway. Budget around $8 for fuel for this relatively short hop within the Desert Southwest region. Given its brevity, you won't need to split this into multiple days; it's a quick connection between two points in Arizona.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pima Freeway | 21.8 mi | 25m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| North Black Canyon Highway | 2.8 mi | 2m |
| East Chaparral Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 41st Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| West Anthem Way | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pima Freeway
— 21.8 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Anthem, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.
1
Start on this road
241 ft
·
19 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
78 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn right onto North 41st Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North 41st Drive
4
Turn right onto West Anthem Way
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
West Anthem Way
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 17 South: Phoenix
6
Merge onto I 17
2.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Black Canyon Highway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on I 17
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 214C
Toward AZ 101 Loop West, AZ 101 Loop East
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Toward AZ 101 Loop East
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 46
Toward Chaparral Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto East Chaparral Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chaparral Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Turn left
64 ft
·
4 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Anthem, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 37.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Anthem Way
Turn right onto West Anthem Way
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 17 / North Black Canyon Highway
Merge onto I 17 / North Black Canyon Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
8
13.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward AZ 101 Loop West, AZ 101 Loop East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 214C
Toward AZ 101 Loop West, AZ 101 Loop East
7
14.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 101 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward AZ 101 Loop East
7
37.2 mi into trip
|
~44m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.63 one way
$15.26 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.07 | $16.15 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.43 | $16.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Scottsdale, AZ
Night in Scottsdale on Saturday
Local time
9:20 PM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
85°F
Cave Creek, AZ
19 mi in
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
33 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
47m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 38.3-mile journey. The roads are predominantly fast-paced freeways, including the Pima Freeway and Black Canyon Freeway. You'll encounter an 84% highway share, with the longest uninterrupted stretch spanning 21.8 miles on the Pima Freeway. The character of the drive remains consistent, offering a direct and efficient passage between Anthem and Scottsdale.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.8 mi on Pima Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pima Freeway and Black Canyon Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West Anthem Way.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 38.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West Anthem Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (I 17 / North Black Canyon Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 47m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.8 miles on Pima Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Scottsdale, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West Anthem Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (I 17 / North Black Canyon Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Scottsdale, AZ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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