Holbrook, AZ to Chandler, AZ is 179.9 miles and takes about 3h 51m via South Beeline Highway, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Desert Southwest region of Arizona to another part of the same region. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns and local road segments, rather than a continuous interstate journey. Given the relatively short duration and the nature of the route, it's best suited for a single-day adventure, allowing you to arrive in Chandler with plenty of time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
90 miles from Holbrook, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South Beeline Highway
73.1 mi
1h 26m
Heber Road
30.9 mi
36m
Payson-Show Low Highway
24.2 mi
30m
Hwy 260
15.9 mi
22m
Payson-Heber Highway
12.7 mi
17m
North Country Club Drive
6.8 mi
12m
West 3rd Street North
4.9 mi
6m
North Arizona Avenue
4 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
South Beeline Highway
— 73.1 mi, about 1h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Holbrook, AZ and Chandler, AZ.
1
Start on I 40 Bus; AZ 77; US 66 Hist
0.2 mi·21 sec·North Navajo Boulevard
2
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.5 mi·56 sec·Holbrook-Springerville Highway
3
Continue on AZ 77
1.6 mi·2 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
4
Turn right onto AZ 377
31 mi·36 min·Heber Road
5
Turn straight onto AZ 377
2.9 mi·3 min·Heber-Holbrook Highway
6
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 277
4.9 mi·6 min·West 3rd Street North
7
Continue on AZ 277
1.9 mi·3 min·Highway 277
8
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 260
0.2 mi·19 sec·Highway 260
9
Continue on AZ 260
16 mi·22 min·Hwy 260
10
Continue on AZ 260
13 mi·17 min·Payson-Heber Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on AZ 260
24 mi·30 min·Payson-Show Low Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto AZ 87
73 mi·1 hr 26 min·South Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on AZ 87
6.8 mi·12 min·North Country Club Drive
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on AZ 87
4.0 mi·6 min·North Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto East Chandler Boulevard
149 ft·12 sec·East Chandler Boulevard
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
East Chandler Boulevard
Trip Plan
For this 179.9-mile trip, leaving in the morning from Holbrook is advisable to maximize daylight. Since it's a single-day drive and takes under 4 hours, you won't need to split it, giving you flexibility. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before heading out, as the longest stretch is over 70 miles. A good point to remember is that the "turn-heavy" nature of this route means checking your navigation frequently will be more important than on a pure highway drive.
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 90 miles from Holbrook, AZ, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.1 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 40 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 90 miles or 1h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chandler, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Holbrook, 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 Holbrook, AZ
This is one driving day of about 179.9 miles and 3h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Holbrook, 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 South Beeline Highway for about 73.1 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 179.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
2.4 mi into trip|~3m in|AZ 377 / Heber Road
Turn right onto AZ 377 / Heber Road
Navigation decision point
4
36.2 mi into trip|~44m in|AZ 277 / West 3rd Street North
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 277 / West 3rd Street North
Navigation decision point
4
43.1 mi into trip|~54m in|AZ 260 / Highway 260
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 260 / Highway 260
Navigation decision point
4
96 mi into trip|~2h 5m in|AZ 87 / South Beeline Highway
Turn left onto AZ 87 / South Beeline Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
179.9 mi into trip|~3h 50m in|East Chandler Boulevard
Turn left onto East Chandler Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.84 one way
$71.68 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg63 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$37.93
$75.86
premium
$5.59
$39.60
$79.20
diesel
$5.61
$39.72
$79.44
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54
0
$18.89
$8.64
Efficient EV
45
0
$15.74
$7.20
EV Truck/SUV
72
0
$25.19
$11.51
Gas CO2
63 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Holbrook, AZ
Evening
in Holbrook on Saturday
Local time
7:49 PM
MST
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Chandler, AZ
Evening
in Chandler on Saturday
Local time
7:49 PM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Payson, AZ
90 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
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 51m 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.
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...
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...
22 mi from route
~56 min detour
$10
near mile 147.1
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...
28 mi from route
~70 min detour
Free
near mile 185.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive offers a "turn-heavy local drive" profile, meaning you'll experience a mix of road types rather than a steady highway cruise. Only 10% of the route is on highways, so be prepared for more varied driving conditions. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 73.1 miles on South Beeline Highway. As you progress, the road will likely shift from more open stretches to navigating local roads, so staying attentive to your GPS will be key.
Only 10% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73.1 mi on South 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 2.4 miles in near AZ 377 / Heber Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 51m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (AZ 377 / Heber Road): Navigation decision point; at 36.2 miles (AZ 277 / West 3rd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 43.1 miles (AZ 260 / Highway 260): Navigation decision point.
Holbrook is a town on Route 66 in the Mogollon Rim in Eastern Arizona, once known as the "town too rough for women and churches." The town makes a convenient base for visiting Petrified Forest National Park.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 73.1 miles on South 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (AZ 377 / Heber Road): Navigation decision point; at 36.2 miles (AZ 277 / West 3rd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 43.1 miles (AZ 260 / Highway 260): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Petrified Forest National Park, Tonto National Monument and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Chandler, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
