Commute from Prescott to Tucson: is there a way around Phoenix? (Scottsdale: suburbs, deal)

[cazboy]

I was just wondering if there is a way to avoid driving through Phoenix, when making the drive from Prescott to Tucson. I might be becoming a lightweight in my old age, but I always get white-knuckles and tense dodging all the traffic.

What about the road off of I-17 that takes you to Cave Creek (I forget what it's called right now)? Is that a viable option?

[coatimundi]

Lots of backroads, but that only goes so far. The problem is that SR 69 is only accessible from I-17. There's just no other way to get to that road from the south aside from some roads that you shouldn't drive on without 4x4 (Bloody Basin Road, Crown King, etc.). The alternative is SR 89 to Congress via Yarnell, then either taking the 303, Sun Valley Parkway, or another back road out of Wickenburg. I don't know if you've ever been on SR 89 there though, but "white knuckle" is definitely a term I would use to describe it.

The route you allude to by going through Cave Creek is one I've used before to go around Phoenix. It takes you mostly through suburbs. You follow Carefree Highway east to Scottsdale Road, then south to Rio Verde Road, which ends in Rio Verde. From there, you can go south skirting McDowell Mountain Park and through Fountain Hills on a paved road, or through the cotton fields and fruit trees on the reservation on a dirt road. That gets you to SR 87, which you can then take a little north/east (out of the way) to Bush Highway, which skirts around Saguaro Lake. After that, drop to Usury Pass then to US 60. You take US 60 east to SR 79, or you can drive through the sprawl madness and make it to Hunt Highway. Follow 87 through Coolidge from there, and that takes you right to I-10.
This probably seems like the most complex route imaginable, but I've taken it three times, but not since the 202 was finished. I hate driving through Phoenix that much. Each time, it added at least an hour to the drive time. I would use it more as a scenic route than anything. It's very pleasant most of the time, but probably not a viable alternative.

[vjsoto]

Originally Posted by cazboy

I was just wondering if there is a way to avoid driving through Phoenix, when making the drive from Prescott to Tucson. I might be becoming a lightweight in my old age, but I always get white-knuckles and tense dodging all the traffic.

What about the road off of I-17 that takes you to Cave Creek (I forget what it's called right now)? Is that a viable option?

Not to many options if you want the drive to go quickly. If your just looking to avoid downtown Phoenix, take I-17 south to the 101 loop. 101 will end at 202. On 202, it's a quick drive back to I-10, and then south to Tucson. It's probably something like a 4 hour drive.

If you are trying to avoid interstate travel, your probably best off starting off driving south to Wickenburg, from there to Gila Bend, then I-8 back to I-10 to Tucson. Drive time will be closer to 6 hours. If you want to avoid I-8 and the rest of I10, you could continue south from Gila Bend to Ajo, and from Ajo to Tucson, but that will add another 40 minutes or so.

The eastern route would still take you down 17 to 101, but from 101, you would go east on 60 to AZ-79 south through Florence to Tucson. That would take ~4.5 hours.

There are other alternate routes, but your talking about some serious drive time with anything else.

[Boompa]

I think the short answer is NO

[cazboy]

Thank you, folks! Yes, I guess the short answer is NO. But I might try the 101 loop since that seems to allow me to avoid downtown Phoenix. And it's simple enough for my pea brain.

Coatimundi, the route you describe really sounds complicated! But I suspect it's like anything else, not a big deal after a few times. Still, though, I don't think I'll try it.

Thanks to all who saw my question and took time to answer!

[observer53]

Originally Posted by cazboy

Thank you, folks! Yes, I guess the short answer is NO. But I might try the 101 loop since that seems to allow me to avoid downtown Phoenix. And it's simple enough for my pea brain.

Coatimundi, the route you describe really sounds complicated! But I suspect it's like anything else, not a big deal after a few times. Still, though, I don't think I'll try it.

Thanks to all who saw my question and took time to answer!

If you take the 101 Loop, do NOT get off at the first exit labeled for the 202 as you are southbound. The 202 as well, is a loop, at least a partial one. You have to keep going south on the 101 through Tempe, and take the 202 exit (westbound) that is past Chandler Blvd. That will take you back to the 10, and on your way to Tucson.

[cazboy]

Originally Posted by observer53

If you take the 101 Loop, do NOT get off at the first exit labeled for the 202 as you are southbound. The 202 as well, is a loop, at least a partial one. You have to keep going south on the 101 through Tempe, and take the 202 exit (westbound) that is past Chandler Blvd. That will take you back to the 10, and on your way to Tucson.

Oh boy, I am glad that you specified that little detail! I would have gotten all messed up.

Thanks, observer53.

[Boompa]

Good luck

[vjsoto]

Originally Posted by observer53

If you take the 101 Loop, do NOT get off at the first exit labeled for the 202 as you are southbound. The 202 as well, is a loop, at least a partial one. You have to keep going south on the 101 through Tempe, and take the 202 exit (westbound) that is past Chandler Blvd. That will take you back to the 10, and on your way to Tucson.

Correct, you would want to drive south on 101 until it ends (where you are forced to exit back into 202). If you exit before then, you've exited too soon.

[cazboy]

Hi everybody, this is just a little update. I took the route basically described by vjsoto, and guess what! It's GREAT! Thanks to the 101 loop, we completely avoided downtown Phoenix. Also, we were able to avoid most of 10, as well.

This board ROCKS! Thank you, ladies & gentlemen.