Traveling from Chandler to Chinle covers 303.2 miles and typically takes about 6 hours and 31 minutes. Since the entire trip stays within the Desert Southwest, you will experience a consistent regional landscape as you transition from the Valley to the high desert. This route is best suited as a one-day journey, though the significant drive time means you should plan for a full day behind the wheel. Expect to budget roughly $60 for fuel to complete the trip. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive, it requires more active attention than a standard interstate cruise. It is a straightforward trek, but prepare yourself for a long haul through the Arizona landscape.
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
151.6 miles from Chandler, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 16m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Beeline Highway
68.4 mi
1h 20m
Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
68.2 mi
1h 41m
AZ 260
53 mi
1h 11m
Purple Heart Trail
45.7 mi
45m
Heber Road
30.9 mi
36m
South Country Club Drive
6.8 mi
12m
US 191
5.9 mi
6m
West 3rd Street North
4.9 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
Beeline Highway
— 68.4 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chandler, AZ and Chinle, AZ.
1
Start on East Chandler Boulevard
0.1 mi·41 sec·East Chandler Boulevard
2
Continue on East Chandler Boulevard
0.2 mi·19 sec·East Chandler Boulevard
3
Turn right onto AZ 87
4.0 mi·6 min·North Arizona Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on AZ 87
6.8 mi·12 min·South Country Club Drive
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on AZ 87
4.5 mi·5 min·North Beeline Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
Continue on AZ 87
68 mi·1 hr 20 min·Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto AZ 260
53 mi·1 hr 11 min·AZ 260
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto AZ 277
1.9 mi·3 min·Highway 277
9
Continue on AZ 277
4.9 mi·6 min·West 3rd Street North
10
Turn left onto AZ 377
2.9 mi·3 min·Heber-Holbrook Highway
11
Turn straight onto AZ 377
31 mi·36 min·Heber Road
12
Turn left onto AZ 77
1.6 mi·2 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
13
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.5 mi·56 sec·Holbrook-Springerville Highway
14
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.9 mi·1 min·Navajo Boulevard
15
Take the exit onto AZ 77
0.6 mi·1 min·AZ 77
16
Merge onto I 40; AZ 77
46 mi·45 min·Purple Heart Trail
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Toward US 191 North: Ganado
18
Turn left onto US 191
38 mi·56 min·Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
19
Turn left onto US 191; SR 264
5.9 mi·6 min·US 191; SR 264
20
Enter roundabout onto US 191; SR 264
55 ft·0 sec·Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
21
Continue on US 191; SR 264
30 mi·45 min·Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
22
Turn right onto N7
1.6 mi·2 min·Navajo Route 7
23
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi·55 sec·Main Street
24
At end of road, turn right onto 4th Avenue
149 ft·6 sec·4th Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
4th Avenue
Trip Plan
To tackle this 6.5-hour drive successfully, aim for an early departure to maximize daylight hours. You are limited to one planned stop based on the route profile, so choose your break point wisely to manage fatigue. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge, especially since you have a $60 budget to cover the entire 303.2-mile distance. Because this route involves winding local roads, stay alert for changing speed limits and tighter curves that differ significantly from interstate driving. Prioritizing consistent pacing will help you maintain comfort throughout the day, ensuring you arrive in Chinle without feeling overly rushed or exhausted.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 151.6 miles from Chandler, AZ, or about 3h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.4 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 67 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 151.6 miles or 3h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chinle, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chandler, 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 Chandler, AZ
This is one driving day of about 303.2 miles and 6h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 miles from Chandler, 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 Beeline Highway for about 68.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 303.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue
Turn right onto AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
84 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|AZ 260
Turn right onto AZ 260
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
180.7 mi into trip|~3h 52m in|AZ 77
Take the exit onto AZ 77
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
227 mi into trip|~4h 39m in
Take the exit toward US 191 North: Ganado
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 191 North: Ganado
5
303.2 mi into trip|~6h 31m in|4th Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto 4th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.40 one way
$120.80 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg106 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$63.92
$127.85
premium
$5.59
$66.74
$133.48
diesel
$5.61
$66.94
$133.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 106.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91
1
$31.84
$14.55
Efficient EV
75.8
0
$26.53
$12.13
EV Truck/SUV
121.3
1
$42.45
$19.40
Gas CO2
106 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Chandler, AZ
Evening
in Chandler on Saturday
Local time
6:11 PM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Partly Sunny
SW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Chinle, AZ
Evening
in Chinle on Saturday
Local time
7:11 PM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Payson, AZ
152 mi in
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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
50 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
6h 31m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Petrified Forest National Park
National Park
A landscape where deep time lies fully on display, Petrified Forest National Park blends colorful badlands, vast grasslands, and one of the world’s largest and most vivid collections of petrified wood...
5 mi from route
~14 min detour
$25
near mile 198.7
This canyon is home to Diné families who raise livestock, grow crops and live here. People have lived in these canyons for nearly 5,000 years, which is longer than anyone has lived continuously on the...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
near mile 303.2
Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant gr...
23 mi from route
~58 min detour
$10
near mile 41.8
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This journey is defined by its technical nature rather than high-speed highway cruising, with only 21% of the trip consisting of major highway travel. You will navigate a mix of roads, including the Beeline Highway, AZ 260, and the Chambers-Mexican Water Highway. Expect a turn-heavy experience that demands your focus, particularly during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 68.4 miles on the Beeline Highway. As you progress, the road shifts from the urban outskirts of Chandler into more remote segments. Be ready to adjust your driving style as you transition between these different road types throughout the day.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.4 mi on Beeline Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 31m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 15 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 84 miles (AZ 260): Lane positioning matters here; at 180.7 miles (AZ 77): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument (duh-SHAY) is a national monument within the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona.
The park preserves ruins of the indigenous tribes that lived in the area, from the Ancestral Puebloans (formerly known as Anasazi) to the Navajo, and reflects one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes of North America.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.4 miles on Beeline Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Chinle, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 84 miles (AZ 260): Lane positioning matters here; at 180.7 miles (AZ 77): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Petrified Forest National Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument and Tonto National Monument (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.5 hours each way, a round trip means 13.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Chinle, AZ before the return drive.
