Origin
Cottonwood, AZ
Night in Cottonwood on Saturday
Local time
9:46 PM
MST
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cottonwood, AZ to Flagstaff, 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 18m
Distance
63.5 mi
102 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cottonwood, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Flagstaff, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Cottonwood to Flagstaff covers a 63.5-mile span that typically takes about 1 hour and 18 minutes to complete. Because this is a relatively short trip, you can easily manage the entire journey in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Arizona Veterans Highway, East Cornville Road, and South Milton Road. Budgeting approximately $13 for fuel should keep your vehicle ready for the climb. Since both cities are located within the Desert Southwest, you can expect a consistent regional atmosphere throughout your travel. This route works best as a straightforward, efficient transit between two distinct Arizona hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Veterans Highway | 46.3 mi | 46m |
| East Cornville Road | 12.7 mi | 21m |
| South Milton Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Mingus Avenue Extension Bridge | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Prescott–Flagstaff Highway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Mingus Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Historic Route 66 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Arizona Veterans Highway
— 46.3 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cottonwood, AZ and Flagstaff, AZ.
1
Start on US 89A Historic
121 ft
·
6 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn right onto East Mingus Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Mingus Avenue
3
Continue on Mingus Avenue Extension Bridge
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Mingus Avenue Extension Bridge
4
Continue on CR 30
13 mi
·
21 min
·
East Cornville Road
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
6
Merge onto I 17
46 mi
·
46 min
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
7
Continue on I 17; AZ 89A
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
Prescott–Flagstaff Highway
8
Continue on I 17; AZ 89A
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
9
Continue on AZ 89A
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
South Milton Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist
449 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Historic Route 66
11
Arrive at destination
US 180; I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.8 miles from Cottonwood, 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
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Mingus Avenue
Turn right onto East Mingus Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
14.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
14.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 17 / Arizona Veterans Highway
Merge onto I 17 / Arizona Veterans Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.65 one way
$25.30 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $13.39 | $26.78 |
| premium | $5.59 | $13.98 | $27.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.02 | $28.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.67 | $3.05 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.56 | $2.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.4 | 0 | $8.89 | $4.06 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Flagstaff, AZ
Night in Flagstaff on Saturday
Local time
9:46 PM
MST
Current temp
64°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
14 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
1h 18m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route contains no highway-only segments. You will spend the bulk of your time on the Arizona Veterans Highway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 46.3 miles. The road demands your focus as you navigate the curves that define this regional path. Transitioning from the local roads onto South Milton Road brings you toward your destination, signaling the end of the more technical stretches. Prepare for a driving experience that prioritizes local navigation over high-speed highway travel.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.3 mi on Arizona Veterans Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Mingus Avenue.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Cottonwood, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ is easy. At 1h 18m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Mingus Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 14.7 miles (I 17 / Arizona Veterans Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
About the Cities
Arriving in Flagstaff, AZ
Full guide →Flagstaff is a city of over 75,000 people (2019) near the San Francisco Peaks mountain range of northern Arizona and the Grand Canyon. At an altitude of 6,990 ft (2,130 m), Flagstaff and much of the surrounding region are substantially cooler than the low desert that dominates the southern part of the state. Though still dry by east coast standards, enough rain and snow falls in the area to allow a forest of ponderosa pine trees to cover the landscape. Winters tend to be cold, and heavy snowfall is expected on an annual basis.
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 18m. Total distance: 63.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.3 miles on Arizona Veterans Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (East Mingus Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 14.7 miles (I 17 / Arizona Veterans Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Flagstaff, 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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