Origin
San Tan Valley, AZ
Morning in San Tan Valley on Sunday
Local time
7:39 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Tan Valley, 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
Distance
42.5 mi
68 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Tan Valley, AZ
Mark Direen
Scottsdale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 42.5-mile drive from San Tan Valley to Scottsdale, Arizona, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour. You'll navigate primarily via the Superstition Freeway and Pima Freeway, with a short segment on North Ironwood Road. With a fuel cost estimated at $8, this is an economical trip perfect for a single day. The drive offers a mixed experience, fitting for a quick excursion within the Desert Southwest region. Consider this route for a convenient commute or a short scenic outing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Superstition Freeway | 12.2 mi | 14m |
| Pima Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| North Ironwood Road | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Santan Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Price Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Gateway Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| North Gantzel Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| East Combs Road | 2 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Superstition Freeway
— 12.2 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Tan Valley, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.
1
Start on East Skyline Drive
151 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Skyline Drive
2
Continue on North Schnepf Road
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North Schnepf Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto East Combs Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Combs Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto North Gantzel Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Gantzel Road
5
Continue on North Ironwood Road
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North Ironwood Road
6
Turn left onto AZ 24
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Gateway Expressway
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 4
8
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
9
Continue on AZ 24
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Gateway Freeway
10
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
this road
Exit 3
11
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
this road
12
Continue on AZ 24
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Gateway Freeway
13
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
this road
Exit 2
14
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
this road
15
Continue on AZ 24
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Gateway Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Toward AZ 202 Loop North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Santan Freeway
18
Take the exit
1.5 mi
·
3 min
Exit 30B
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto US 60
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
1.6 mi
·
2 min
Exit 176B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
Use the slight right lane.
21
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 46
Toward Chaparral Road
Use the slight right lane.
24
Turn left onto East Chaparral Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chaparral Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
25
Turn left
64 ft
·
4 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.2 miles from San Tan Valley, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 41.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
East Combs Road
Turn left onto East Combs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
14.8 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward AZ 202 Loop North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward AZ 202 Loop North
7
18.6 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 30B
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
7
32.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward AZ 101 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 176B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
41.4 mi into trip
|
~58m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.47 one way
$16.93 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.96 | $17.92 |
| premium | $5.59 | $9.36 | $18.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.38 | $18.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.46 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.95 | $2.72 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Morning in Scottsdale on Sunday
Local time
7:39 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
2 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 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?
The character of this drive is a blend of efficient freeway travel and local road navigation, with 60% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 12.2 miles on the Superstition Freeway, allowing for consistent speed. As you transition towards Scottsdale, the route incorporates Pima Freeway and North Ironwood Road, offering a slightly varied driving experience before reaching your destination. This mixed profile means you'll get a taste of both high-speed transit and more localized road conditions.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.2 mi on Superstition Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 miles in near East Combs Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 2 miles (East Combs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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. Total distance: 42.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.2 miles on Superstition 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 2 miles (East Combs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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