Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Show Low, AZ to Lake Havasu City, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 6m
Distance
343.5 mi
553 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$61
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 54m
★
6 AM
6h 7m
8 AM
6h 32m
10 AM
6h 16m
12 PM
6h 13m
3 PM
6h 17m
5 PM
6h 31m
8 PM
5h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Show Low, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Show Low, AZ to Lake Havasu City, AZ is 343.5 miles and takes about 6h 6m via Purple Heart Trail and others, with a fuel budget near $68 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive takes you across the Desert Southwest, transitioning from high desert landscapes to lower desert terrain as you head west. The route primarily utilizes surface roads, offering a more grounded perspective of the Arizona landscape. With a recommended one-day drive, it's a straightforward trip that doesn't require an overnight stop, making it convenient for those looking to reach their destination efficiently.
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
171.7 miles from Show Low, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 6m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Heart Trail | 274 mi | 4h 35m |
| Show Low-Holbrook Highway | 37.1 mi | 44m |
| Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway | 17.7 mi | 22m |
| North Penrod Road | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Acoma Boulevard West | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Arizona State Highway 77 | 2 mi | 2m |
| West Hopi Drive | 1.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Purple Heart Trail
— 274 mi, about 4h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Show Low, AZ and Lake Havasu City, AZ.
1
Start on US 60; AZ 77; AZ 260
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Deuce of Clubs
2
Turn left onto AZ 77
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
North Penrod Road
3
Continue on AZ 77
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Show Low-Holbrook Highway
4
Continue on AZ 77
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Main Street
5
Continue on AZ 77
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Show Low-Holbrook Highway
6
Continue on AZ 77
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
South Main Street
7
Continue on AZ 77
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
Show Low-Holbrook Highway
8
Continue on AZ 77
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Arizona State Highway 77
9
Continue on AZ 77
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Show Low-Holbrook Highway
10
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Holbrook-Springerville Highway
11
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Navajo Boulevard
12
Turn left onto US 180; I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Hopi Drive
13
Take the ramp onto US 180; I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Holbrook-Springerville Highway
14
Merge onto I 40; US 180
274 mi
·
4 hr 35 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 9
Toward AZ 95 South: Lake Havasu City, Parker
16
Turn left onto AZ 95
18 mi
·
22 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
17
Turn left onto Acoma Boulevard West
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Acoma Boulevard West
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto Smoketree Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Smoketree Avenue North
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto Mescal Loop
51 ft
·
2 sec
·
Mescal Loop
20
Arrive at destination
Mescal Loop
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour duration, starting your drive in Show Low, AZ, in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost of around $68, you can plan your stops strategically, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 274-mile stretch on the Purple Heart Trail, as services might be less frequent. Since this is a one-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your timing based on traffic or if you decide to linger at a brief point of interest along the way.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 171.7 miles from Show Low, AZ, or about 3h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 274 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 76 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 171.7 miles or 3h 6m 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 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Havasu City, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Show Low, 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 Show Low, AZ
This is one driving day of about 343.5 miles and 6h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 76 miles from Show Low, 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 274 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
172 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 76 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 171.7 miles from Show Low, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 274 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Meteor Crater Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Haviland Rest Area (I-40 Westbound)
0.1 mi from route
Haviland Rest Area (I-40 Eastbound)
0.1 mi from route
Meteor Crater Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Parks Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Parks Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Rocky Mountain Truck Centers
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Pride Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.8 mi from route
Jack Hardie Park
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.7 mi from route
~2 min detour
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Hours: 6 am–9 pm
+19284538686
Visit websitePete's Route 66 Gas Station Museum
4.2
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Around the midpoint, short detour
Halfway reset
1.4 mi from route
~4 min detour
Williams, Arizona
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+19286352675
Visit websiteLake Havasu Museum of History & Havasu Rocks
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.6 mi from route
~4 min detour
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Hours: 11 am–3 pm
+19288544938
Visit websiteNavajo County Historical Society
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
First break
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
Holbrook, Arizona
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+19285246558
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 343.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
AZ 77 / North Penrod Road
Turn left onto AZ 77 / North Penrod Road
Navigation decision point
4
47 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
US 180; I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist / West Hopi Drive
Turn left onto US 180; I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist / West Hopi Drive
Navigation decision point
6
323.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 38m in
Take the exit toward AZ 95 South: Lake Havasu City, Parker
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward AZ 95 South: Lake Havasu City, Parker
6
341.2 mi into trip
|
~6h 2m in
|
Acoma Boulevard West
Turn left onto Acoma Boulevard West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
343.3 mi into trip
|
~6h 6m in
|
Smoketree Avenue North
Turn left onto Smoketree Avenue North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.87 one way
$121.74 round trip
$4.50/gal
25.4 MPG avg
120 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.82 | $65.18 | $130.37 |
| premium | $5.04 | $68.19 | $136.37 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $64.86 | $129.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$61
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$86–$111
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 120.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 103.1 | 1 | $36.07 | $16.49 |
| Efficient EV | 85.9 | 0 | $30.06 | $13.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 137.4 | 1 | $48.09 | $21.98 |
Gas CO2
120 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Show Low, AZ
Evening in Show Low on Saturday
Local time
6:27 PM
MST
Current temp
58°F
Chance Rain Showers
S 6 mph
29% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 3:29AM MST until July 17 at 6:30AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:36AM MST until July 17 at 5:30AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
Destination
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Evening in Lake Havasu City on Saturday
Local time
6:27 PM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
ESE 13 mph
37% chance
Live forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 3:29AM MST until July 17 at 6:30AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 2:36AM MST until July 17 at 5:30AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
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
31 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
6h 6m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Walnut Canyon National Monument
National Monument
Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have lived and traveled throughout Walnut Canyon’s dynamic landscape. Vibrant communities built their homes in the cliffs and farmed along the canyon’s rim. T...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
$25
near mile 130.3
View on nps.gov
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
National Monument
The lava flow lies on the land like a dream, a wonderland of rock. A thousand years ago the ground was torn open and lava erupted into the sky, forever changing the landscape and the lives of the peop...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
$25
near mile 130.3
View on nps.gov
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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
$25
near mile 47.4
View on nps.gov
Wupatki National Monument
National Monument
Nestled between the Painted Desert and ponderosa highlands of northern Arizona, Wupatki National Monument is an unlikely landscape for a thriving community. The early 1100's marked a time of cooler an...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$25
near mile 130.3
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is almost entirely surface roads, with 100% of the drive not on a limited-access highway. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 274 miles on the Purple Heart Trail. Expect to encounter a rural cruising feel for the majority of the trip. The transition from the Show Low-Holbrook Highway to the Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway marks a shift in the type of surface road you'll be navigating.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 274 mi on Purple Heart Trail.
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 0.7 miles in near AZ 77 / North Penrod Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 6m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 9 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (AZ 77 / North Penrod Road): Navigation decision point; at 47 miles (US 180; I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist / West Hopi Drive): Navigation decision point; at 323.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,873 ft
739 ft
Total Climb
1,975 ft
Total Descent
7,568 ft
Highest Point
6,873 ft
~171.7 mi in
Elevation Range
6,134 ft
Notable High Points
6,873 ft at ~171.7 miles
+594 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Show Low, AZ to Lake Havasu City, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Parker along the way.
Parker
323.2 mi in
|
~5h 38m
About the Cities
Arriving in Lake Havasu City, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1978
Lake Havasu City is a city in Mohave County in western Arizona. It is known best for being the home of the 1831 London Bridge, which Robert McCulloch, the founder of the city, bought from the British government in 1967.
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 6h 6m. Total distance: 343.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 6m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 274 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 20 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lake Havasu City, 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. There are 20 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (AZ 77 / North Penrod Road): Navigation decision point; at 47 miles (US 180; I 40 Bus; US 66 Hist / West Hopi Drive): Navigation decision point; at 323.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Petrified Forest National Park (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lake Havasu City, AZ before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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