Albuquerque to Scottsdale drive: Best stops, distance & time

The distance from Albuquerque to Scottsdale by car is 406 miles, with a 6h21m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Albuquerque to Scottsdale drive are El Malpais National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park and the Mogollon Rim.

Planning an Albuquerque to Scottsdale road trip itinerary

The Albuquerque to Scottsdale drive connects the biggest city in New Mexico to moneyed-up Arizona.

Fabulous Albuquerque experiences include a sunrise hot air balloon flight, old town ghost walks, nature tours by bike and guided hops between craft breweries . You can also pay a visit to the castle-like Turquoise Museum and old town food tours focusing on New Mexican flavours.

Great Albuquerque accommodation choices include the historic, adobe-style Casas de Suenos and the old town’s art-filled Hotel Chaco.

Scottsdale is an upmarket city in the Greater Phoenix area, known for its restaurants, golf courses and spa resorts.

Great Scottsdale experiences include an old town tour in a stretch limo golf cart. There are also food tours and Segway tours.

If you wish to explore the surrounding desert scenery, you can do so on an e-bike tour, a sunset jeep adventure or a guided hike.

Fantastic Scottsdale accommodation choices include the Hotel Valley Ho for its weekend pool parties and the Talking Stick Resort for its golf course.

Albuquerque to Scottsdale distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Albuquerque to Scottsdale is 406 miles. That makes for a driving time of around six hours and 21 minutes.

The best stops to add to an Albuquerque to Scottsdale road trip itinerary are El Malpais National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park and the Mogollon Rim.

Albuquerque to Scottsdale road trip attractions: El Malpais National Monument

A short diversion to the south from San Rafael, El Malpais National Monument covers a landscape formed by volcanoes. Get a special permit, and you can go caving in the lava tubes. Otherwise, there are several satisfying hiking trails. The 4.8 mile return hike to the top of cinder cone El Calderon is arguably the highlight.

The most popular sight is the Ice Cave by the Bandera Volcano. This is privately owned, and there’s a small charge to enter.

Best stops between Albuquerque and Scottsdale: Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona gets its name from the vast fossil deposits of petrified wood. Most come from the Late Triassic period, and the short walk to the Giant Logs is arguably the best place to see what it’s all about.

But this national park has much more to it than the petrified wood. It is part of the Painted Desert, and several walking trails show off the multi-coloured Badlands. Try the one mile Blue Mesa Loop or 1.2-mile Tawa Trail from Tawa Point to the Painted Desert Visitor Center for particularly impressive, yet accessible, scenery.

Albuquerque to Scottsdale drive: The Mogollon Rim

The Mogollon Rim is an enormous escarpment, dropping dramatically from the Colorado Plateau. It stretches for around 200 miles in northern Arizona.

The Mogollon Rim Visitor Center, explaining the geology and environment, is on the AZ-260 near Hunter Creek. A short branch-off will take you to the Rim Lakes Vista Overlook. A paved, accessible walking trail here brings superb views over Woods Canyon Lake and the surrounding landscape.