This 124.9-mile drive from Prescott, AZ to Buckeye, AZ is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 31 minutes. You'll spend about 37% of your time on highways, with the majority of the journey following roads like the Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway and the Bob Stump Memorial Parkway. Considering an estimated fuel cost of $25, this route offers a straightforward and budget-friendly excursion within the Desert Southwest region. It’s a practical option for a quick transition between these two Arizona locales, perfect for those looking for a direct and efficient travel day.
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
62.4 miles from Prescott, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 16m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
33.8 mi
46m
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
32.2 mi
37m
Arizona Veterans Highway
16.7 mi
16m
Black Canyon Freeway
13.9 mi
14m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
8.5 mi
9m
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
5.8 mi
5m
South Miller Road
3.9 mi
6m
North Black Canyon Highway
3.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
— 33.8 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Prescott, AZ and Buckeye, AZ.
1
Start on East Goodwin Street
78 ft·7 sec·East Goodwin Street
2
Turn right onto South Cortez Street
0.1 mi·34 sec·South Cortez Street
3
Turn right onto East Gurley Street
1.2 mi·2 min·East Gurley Street
4
Continue on AZ 69
1.2 mi·2 min·Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
5
Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 69
33 mi·44 min·Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
Use the straight lane.
6
Merge onto I 17
17 mi·16 min·Arizona Veterans Highway
7
Continue on I 17
5.8 mi·5 min·Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 17
10 mi·10 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on I 17
3.2 mi·3 min·North Black Canyon Highway
Use the slight right lane.
10
Continue on I 17
3.4 mi·3 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·38 sec
Exit 221Toward AZ 303 Loop SouthUse the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
0.6 mi·1 min·AZ 303 Loop
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi·45 sec
14
Continue on this road
411 ft·7 sec·this road
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·21 sec
16
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
0.2 mi·12 sec·Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
17
Take the exit
0.7 mi·47 sec
18
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·19 sec·this road
19
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
32 mi·36 min·Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Exit 104BToward I 10 West: Los AngelesUse the slight right lane.
21
Merge onto I 10
8.5 mi·9 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
22
Take the exit
0.5 mi·59 sec
Exit 114Toward BuckeyeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on South Miller Road
3.9 mi·6 min·South Miller Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
24
Continue on North 1st Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North 1st Street
25
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
0.4 mi·55 sec·East Monroe Avenue
Use the left lane.
26
Arrive at destination
US 80 Hist
Trip Plan
With a duration of just over 2.5 hours and a fuel cost around $25, this is a flexible drive that doesn't require extensive planning. You can easily complete this trip in one day without needing an overnight stop. Consider departing in the morning to enjoy cooler temperatures, especially if traveling during warmer months. The longest stretch is 33.8 miles, so plan for your first fuel or rest stop after that segment if needed. Since it's a relatively short journey, you have the advantage of being able to adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 62.4 miles from Prescott, AZ, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.8 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 27 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.4 miles or 1h 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 2h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buckeye, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Prescott, 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 Prescott, AZ
This is one driving day of about 124.9 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Prescott, 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 Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway for about 33.8 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 2.5 and 119.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.5 mi into trip|~4m in|AZ 69 / Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 69 / Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
74.8 mi into trip|~1h 29m in
Take the exit toward AZ 303 Loop South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 221
Toward AZ 303 Loop South
6
75.3 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|AZ 303 Loop
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
110.1 mi into trip|~2h 10m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 104B
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
7
119.6 mi into trip|~2h 21m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 114
Toward Buckeye
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.88 one way
$49.76 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$26.33
$52.66
premium
$5.59
$27.49
$54.99
diesel
$5.61
$27.58
$55.15
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.5
0
$13.11
$6.00
Efficient EV
31.2
0
$10.93
$5.00
EV Truck/SUV
50
0
$17.49
$7.99
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Prescott, AZ
Late night
in Prescott on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
MST
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Buckeye, AZ
Late night
in Buckeye on Tuesday
Local time
5:23 AM
MST
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
7 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
2h 31m 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.
Tuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
Water flows under and through this landscape, feeding the growth of people and towns. The Verde Valley is watered by snowmelt, summer monsoons, and springs that well up from the ancient sedimentary ro...
20 mi from route
~49 min detour
$10
near mile 12.9
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$10
near mile 17.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route. While 37% of the journey utilizes highway sections, you'll also encounter other road types, creating a varied drive. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll navigate measures 33.8 miles along the Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway. This suggests a blend of faster-paced highway travel and potentially more winding or local road segments as you progress from Prescott toward Buckeye. The profile is described as 'Mixed drive,' indicating that the road conditions and speeds will likely change throughout the 2-hour and 31-minute trip.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.8 mi on Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near AZ 69 / Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 124.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (AZ 69 / Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 74.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 75.3 miles (AZ 303 Loop): Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 124.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.8 miles on Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway. 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 Buckeye, 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 2.5 miles (AZ 69 / Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 74.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 75.3 miles (AZ 303 Loop): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Tuzigoot National Monument and Montezuma Castle National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buckeye, AZ before heading back.
