Origin
Black Canyon City, AZ
Late night in Black Canyon City on Sunday
Local time
3:31 AM
MST
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Black Canyon City, 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
1h 1m
Distance
52.3 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Black Canyon City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Scottsdale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 52.3-mile drive from Black Canyon City, AZ, to Scottsdale, AZ, is easily manageable in about 1 hour. Primarily utilizing the Black Canyon Freeway and Pima Freeway, this route is focused on efficient travel. With a fuel cost estimated at $10, it's an economical option for a day trip. Since the journey is so short and direct, it makes for a perfect segment of a larger trip or a quick hop between two points within the Desert Southwest region. You'll find this drive to be a practical way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pima Freeway | 21.8 mi | 25m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 20.7 mi | 22m |
| North Black Canyon Highway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| South Old Black Canyon Highway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| East Chaparral Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Palm Lane | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pima Freeway
— 21.8 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Black Canyon City, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.
1
Start on East Palm Lane
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Palm Lane
2
Turn left onto South Old Black Canyon Highway
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
South Old Black Canyon Highway
3
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
this road
4
Merge onto I 17
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
5
Continue on I 17
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on I 17
3.2 mi
·
3 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
26 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.2 miles from Black Canyon City, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 28 and 51.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
28 mi into trip
|
~31m 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
28.4 mi into trip
|
~32m 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
5
29.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.3 mi into trip
|
~59m 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
5
51.7 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
East Chaparral Road
Turn right onto East Chaparral Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.42 one way
$20.84 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $11.03 | $22.05 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.51 | $23.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.55 | $23.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.32 | $3.35 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Scottsdale, AZ
Late night in Scottsdale on Sunday
Local time
3:31 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
30 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
1h 1m 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 81% of this 52.3-mile journey. The route largely follows major freeways, offering a consistent driving pace. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 21.8 miles on the Pima Freeway, allowing for a solid period of cruising. While primarily an interstate-style drive, the transition between the Black Canyon Freeway and the Pima Freeway marks a change in the immediate surroundings, though the overall character remains that of efficient, high-speed travel.
81% 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?
7/10
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 28 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.3 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 28 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Scottsdale, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1894
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.
Top landmarks
- • Taliesin West — Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and school, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
- • Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art — art museum
- • Little Red Schoolhouse — now used as the Scottsdale Historical Museum, NRHP-listed
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 1h 1m. Total distance: 52.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). 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 28 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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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