Origin
Thatcher, AZ
Late night in Thatcher on Tuesday
Local time
1:49 AM
MST
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thatcher, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 24m
Distance
157.2 mi
253 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 12m
★
6 AM
3h 24m
8 AM
3h 48m
10 AM
3h 33m
12 PM
3h 30m
3 PM
3h 34m
5 PM
3h 47m
8 PM
3h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thatcher, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Scottsdale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Thatcher to Scottsdale is 157.2 miles and takes about 3h 24m via East Center Street and the Superstition Freeway, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, traversing Arizona from one point to another. Expect a route that involves frequent turns, typical of a local drive, rather than a long, straight highway. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this is easily manageable as a single-day excursion, making it a convenient option for getting from Thatcher to Scottsdale.
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
78.6 miles from Thatcher, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 43m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Center Street | 66.5 mi | 1h 21m |
| Phoenix–Globe Highway | 42.9 mi | 55m |
| Superstition Freeway | 21.9 mi | 25m |
| Pima Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Globe-Lordsburg Highway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| US 60 | 4 mi | 7m |
| Price Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| East Ash Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
East Center Street
— 66.5 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thatcher, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.
1
Start on US 70
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
2
Continue on US 70
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Globe-Lordsburg Highway
3
Continue on US 70
66 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
·
East Center Street
4
Continue on US 70; AZ 77
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
East Ash Street
5
Turn right onto South Hill Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Hill Street
6
Turn left onto East Oak Street
366 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Oak Street
7
Turn right onto North Broad Street
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
North Broad Street
8
Continue on US 60
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broad Street
9
Continue on US 60
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
US 60
10
Continue on US 60
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Live Oak Street
11
Continue on US 60
43 mi
·
55 min
·
Phoenix–Globe Highway
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on US 60; US 80 Hist
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
1.6 mi
·
2 min
Exit 176B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 46
Toward Chaparral Road
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn left onto East Chaparral Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chaparral Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
18
Turn left
64 ft
·
4 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a drive time under 3.5 hours, you have a lot of flexibility for when you depart Thatcher. Leaving in the morning will give you ample daylight to reach Scottsdale, and you can decide on stops as needed. Since this is not an extensive journey, you won't need to plan for an overnight stay. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially before departing Thatcher, as the $31 budget is an estimate and local roads can be less predictable for gas availability than major interstates.
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 78.6 miles from Thatcher, AZ, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.5 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 35 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.6 miles or 1h 43m 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 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scottsdale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Thatcher, 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 Thatcher, AZ
This is one driving day of about 157.2 miles and 3h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Thatcher, 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 East Center Street for about 66.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
79 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 78.6 miles from Thatcher, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before East Center Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 66.5 miles.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 74.3 and 156.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
74.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 35m in
|
East Oak Street
Turn left onto East Oak Street
Navigation decision point
4
74.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 35m in
|
North Broad Street
Turn right onto North Broad Street
Navigation decision point
7
147 mi into trip
|
~3h 10m 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
5
148.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 13m in
|
AZ 101 Loop / Price Freeway
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Price Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
156.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 21m 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
$31.32 one way
$62.63 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
55 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $33.14 | $66.28 |
| premium | $5.59 | $34.60 | $69.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $34.71 | $69.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 55 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 47.2 | 0 | $16.51 | $7.55 |
| Efficient EV | 39.3 | 0 | $13.75 | $6.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 62.9 | 0 | $22.01 | $10.06 |
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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
Late night in Scottsdale on Tuesday
Local time
1:49 AM
MST
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Miami, AZ
79 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
32 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 24m 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.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
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...
21 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 113.9
View on nps.gov
Tonto National Monument
National Monument
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
~54 min detour
$10
near mile 86.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features a significant portion on local roads, indicated by its 'turn-heavy local drive' profile. While 21% of the route utilizes highways like the Superstition Freeway, much of your time will be spent navigating city streets and county roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 66.5 miles on East Center Street, giving you a sense of the local road network's character. Be prepared for varying speeds and more frequent adjustments as you transition between different road types.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 66.5 mi on East Center Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 74.3 miles in near East Oak Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 24m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 74.3 miles (East Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 74.4 miles (North Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 147 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Thatcher, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1881
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 3h 24m. Total distance: 157.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 66.5 miles on East Center Street. 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 74.3 miles (East Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 74.4 miles (North Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 147 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Tonto National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Scottsdale, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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