How far is Mesa, AZ from Chinle, AZ?

The driving distance from Mesa, AZ to Chinle, AZ is about 295.9 miles (476.2 km), with a travel time of about 06h 18m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 228.5 miles (367.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 37m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
295.9 mi
06h 18m
Flight
228.52 mi
367.76 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Mesa.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
228.52 mi
Kilometers
367.76 km
Flight Time
00h 27m

Driving Distance

Road route
295.9 mi
Kilometers
476.21 km
Drive Time
06h 18m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 18m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chinle
Thu, Apr 23, 10:12 AM MDT
Return by in Mesa
Thu, Apr 23, 3:30 PM MST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Mesa
2026-04-23T02:53
Arrive Chinle
Thu, Apr 23, 9:12 AM MST
Route Timing
06h 18m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:19 PM to 2:49 PM MDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:22 PM MST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Mesa
8:00 PM MST
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Snowflake
AZ

Town in Arizona, United States of America

From Mesa
148 mi
03h 09m
To Chinle
147.9 mi
03h 09m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
89°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM MST
Wind
0 to 5 mph SSW
Destination
68°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
5 to 14 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Mesa and Chinle.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mesa and Chinle.

  1. 1

    Start on East University Drive

    22 m · 6 sec · East University Drive

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Mesa Drive

    2 mi · 4 min · North Mesa Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East McKellips Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · East McKellips Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North Country Club Drive

    1.2 km · 1 min · North Country Club Drive

  5. 5

    Continue on North Beeline Highway

    4.5 mi · 5 min · North Beeline Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Beeline Highway

    68.4 mi · 1 hr 20 min · Beeline Highway

  7. 7

    Turn right

    53 mi · 1 hr 11 min

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Highway 277

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Highway 277

  9. 9

    Continue on West 3rd Street North

    4.9 mi · 7 min · West 3rd Street North

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Heber-Holbrook Highway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Heber-Holbrook Highway

  11. 11

    Turn straight onto Heber Road

    30.9 mi · 36 min · Heber Road

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Show Low-Holbrook Highway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Show Low-Holbrook Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Holbrook-Springerville Highway

    2841 ft · 57 sec · Holbrook-Springerville Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on Navajo Boulevard

    1.4 km · 2 min · Navajo Boulevard

  15. 15

    Take the exit right

    3058 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

    45.7 mi · 46 min · Purple Heart Trail

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward US 191 North: Ganado

    1307 ft · 38 sec

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Chambers-Mexican Water Highway

    37.9 mi · 56 min · Chambers-Mexican Water Highway

  19. 19

    Turn left

    5.9 mi · 7 min

  20. 20

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Chambers-Mexican Water Highway

    17 m · 1 sec · Chambers-Mexican Water Highway

  21. 21

    Exit the roundabout onto Chambers-Mexican Water Highway

    30.3 mi · 45 min · Chambers-Mexican Water Highway

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Navajo Route 7

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Navajo Route 7

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1208 ft · 55 sec · Main Street

  24. 24

    At the end of the road, turn right onto 4th Avenue

    45 m · 7 sec · 4th Avenue

  25. 25

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 4th Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Mesa and Chinle.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
25 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Beeline Highway
68.4 mi · 23%
Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
68.2 mi · 23%
Purple Heart Trail
45.7 mi · 15%
Heber Road
30.9 mi · 10%
West 3rd Street North
4.93 mi · 2%
North Beeline Highway
4.52 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Beeline Highway

Continue on Beeline Highway

68.4 mi · 01h 20m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 18m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 38m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+67.4 mi
228.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Snowflake
03h 09m from Mesa
Leave By
11:22 PM MST
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Mesa and Sunny near Chinle.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Mesa to Chinle?

The road trip is about 295.9 miles (476.2 km) and usually takes 06h 18m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Snowflake is a useful midpoint, sitting about 148 miles from Mesa and 147.9 miles from Chinle.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 228.5 miles (367.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 67.4 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $51.69 one way or $103.38 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 92.8 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Mesa and Chinle, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Mesa and Sunny near Chinle.

Stop Ideas Near Snowflake

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Snowflake, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Snowflake.

RAIL

Winslow

80 mi away
501 East Second Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Mesa and Chinle. Straight-line distance: 228.52 mi (367.76 km).

Mesa

#1 Mesa

The fourth most populous city in Arizona and the center of the Mesa metropolitan area.

Population528,159
Coordinates33.4222700, -111.8226400
Altitude378
CountryUnited States
Chinle

#2 Chinle

Census designated place in Apache County, Arizona, United States

Population4,518
Coordinates36.1544500, -109.5526100
Altitude1683
CountryUnited States
Start: Mesa (-111.82264, 33.42227)
End: Chinle (-109.55261, 36.15445)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 476 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 55m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 41m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.44 gal
39.53 L · about $51.69
Round trip
$103.38
20.88 gal · 79.06 L
Estimated CO2
92.8 kg one way
Round trip: 185.6 kg / 409 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $51.69 $103.38
Mid-grade $5.34 $55.73 $111.46
Premium $5.57 $58.11 $116.22
Diesel $6.37 $66.46 $132.92

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Arizona · Apr 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Mesa, AZ and Chinle, AZ. The current time in Mesa is 02:53:18, although it is 03:53:18 in Chinle.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.