Scottsdale to Saint Michaels is 269 miles and takes about 5h 26m via Purple Heart Trail and AZ 260, with a fuel budget near $52 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona, transitioning from the Desert Southwest's arid landscapes to areas with different terrain. With a recommended one-day drive, it's well-suited for a straightforward excursion. You'll spend about 30% of your time on highways, with the remainder on surface roads, offering a mixed driving experience. Plan for a budget-friendly trip with a modest fuel cost.
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
134.5 miles from Scottsdale, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 50m into the drive
.
Step-by-step road directions between Scottsdale, AZ and Saint Michaels, AZ.
1
Start on this road
64 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto East Chaparral Road
0.6 mi·1 min·East Chaparral Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
4
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
2.3 mi·2 min·Pima Freeway
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Exit 49Toward McDowell RoadUse the slight right lane.
6
Turn left onto East McDowell Road
2.7 mi·4 min·East McDowell Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7
Turn left onto AZ 87
4.2 mi·4 min·North Beeline Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Continue on AZ 87
68 mi·1 hr 20 min·Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto AZ 260
53 mi·1 hr 11 min·AZ 260
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto AZ 277
1.9 mi·3 min·Highway 277
11
Continue on AZ 277
4.9 mi·6 min·West 3rd Street North
12
Turn left onto AZ 377
2.9 mi·3 min·Heber-Holbrook Highway
13
Turn straight onto AZ 377
31 mi·36 min·Heber Road
14
Turn left onto AZ 77
1.6 mi·2 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
15
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.5 mi·56 sec·Holbrook-Springerville Highway
16
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.9 mi·1 min·Navajo Boulevard
17
Take the exit onto AZ 77
0.6 mi·1 min·AZ 77
18
Merge onto I 40; AZ 77
70 mi·1 hr 9 min·Purple Heart Trail
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
Toward BIA 12 North: Window Rock
20
Turn left onto N12
23 mi·32 min·Navajo Route 12
21
Turn left
0.1 mi·28 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 26m estimated drive time, starting your drive from Scottsdale in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight. This route has only one recommended stop, so be sure to plan your breaks accordingly. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move onto surface roads where services might be less frequent than on the highway. The $52 fuel cost is an estimate, so it's wise to check current prices. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility in your departure time and how you manage any unscheduled stops.
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 134.5 miles from Scottsdale, AZ, or about 2h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 69.9 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 59 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134.5 miles or 2h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Michaels, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Scottsdale, 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 Scottsdale, AZ
This is one driving day of about 269 miles and 5h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Scottsdale, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 69.9 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 0.6 and 175.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward AZ 101 Loop South
Navigation decision point
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
7
3.3 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit toward McDowell Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 49
Toward McDowell Road
4
3.6 mi into trip|~5m in|East McDowell Road
Turn left onto East McDowell Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
6.3 mi into trip|~9m in|AZ 87 / North Beeline Highway
Turn left onto AZ 87 / North Beeline Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
175.6 mi into trip|~3h 41m in|AZ 77
Take the exit onto AZ 77
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$54.85 one way
$109.70 round trip
$5.18/gal25.4 MPG avg94 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.48
$58.08
$116.16
premium
$5.74
$60.74
$121.47
diesel
$6.18
$65.44
$130.88
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
80.7
0
$28.25
$12.91
Efficient EV
67.3
0
$23.54
$10.76
EV Truck/SUV
107.6
1
$37.66
$17.22
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Scottsdale, AZ
Night
in Scottsdale on Sunday
Local time
10:40 PM
MST
Current temp
64°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
ENE 10 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Saint Michaels, AZ
Night
in Saint Michaels on Sunday
Local time
11:40 PM
MDT
Current temp
38°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
0 mph19% chanceLive 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
26 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
5h 26m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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
~12 min detour
$25
near mile 194.8
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 37.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll encounter a mix of highway and surface roads on this 269-mile drive. About 30% of the route involves highway driving, offering a more direct path for stretches. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 69.9 miles along the Purple Heart Trail. Expect to transition from more open highway cruising to surface roads, which may involve more varied speed limits and potentially more local traffic.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 69.9 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 269 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (East McDowell Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
7,543 ft1,259 ft
Total Climb
7,849 ft
Total Descent
2,363 ft
Highest Point
7,543 ft
~115.3 mi in
Elevation Range
6,284 ft
Notable High Points
7,543 ft at ~115.3 miles+1,051 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Scottsdale, AZ to Saint Michaels, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Bia 12 North: Window Rock along the way.
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
St. Michaels is in Maryland, a state in the United States of America.
St. Michaels is a collage of churches, manicured colonial, federal and Victorian homes, historic heritage, diverse artistic talents, and pleasant Southern culture. It is also the proud cradle and repository of the Chesapeake's maritime history.
It's a town in constant contrast, from horse-and-buggy, steamboats, watermen's deadrises, century-old log canoes and ancient buggies to ATM's, the Internet, luxury Town Cars and fancy cabin cruisers.
It's a shopping mecca with a wide array of fashionable clothing, antique and artisan shops aimed at ardent collectors. It's a galaxy of specialty food shops (including candy and ice cream) and superb nationally-renowned restaurants destined to delight even the most demanding gourmet. Of course, succulent Chesapeake seafood, fresh from the harbors, is the regional specialty.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 26m. Total distance: 269 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). 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 69.9 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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. There are 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (East McDowell Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Petrified Forest National Park and Tonto National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Saint Michaels, AZ before the return drive.
