Holbrook AZ to Phoenix via Payson or via Pinetop / Globe?

[IronQQQ]

Planning a trip in July or Aug. I'm looking at a leg from Albuquerque via Holbrook AZ to Phoenix. Wife is looking for a scenic route (have a 7 yr old with us). I'm thinking in general of overnighting in Holbrook and then to Phoenix. The question is whether I go via Payson (AZ-266 to AZ-87) or via Show Low / Pinetop, Globe, then into Phoenix (AZ-77, US-60). I'm thinking the later is more scenic?

Option 1: Albuquerque to Holbrook (overnight) via Payson to PHX is the natural route as there is a SuC at Payson. I'm thinking I should't be concerned with the drive with a charge in Payson. Are road conditions decent? Route does look a bit twisty.

Option 2: Is the Holbrook to Show Low / Pinetop, Globe, Phoenix doable? ABRP says I can leave 100% at Holbrook and get to Phoenix Camelback I'm in a 2019 M3 Long Range RWD. 290 mi full rated ranged with 19" and heavy inefficient Bridgestone Quietracks. ABRP says I can leave Holbrook 100% and arrive at Phoenix Camelback with 17% at 279 Wh/mi reference consumption. I'm weary of the prediction on downhill routes. On twisties, I find the regen to be much less than predicted, even by the in car nav.

Option 3: Albuquerque to Holbrook and overnight at Pinetop. Destination charge overnight at the Quality Inn to 90%, then next day visit Globe and other towns along the way. ABRP says I should roll into PHX with 27%.

thoughts and suggestions? Thanks.

 

[dgpcolorado]

This is in the category of "suggestion" since I've only done your route 1, a moderately scenic and easy drive through the mountains via Payson.

Albuquerque to Holbrook strikes me as a rather short day, only 233 miles, about three hours. So, I'll suggest a side trip through Petrified Forest National Park, just east of Holbrook. You could do it on your way, if so a brief stop to charge in Gallup NM would help. However, it might be better to get to your Holbrook stop then do a loop through the park from there.

Petrified Forest National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Park Hours: 8am to 5pm, MST. Don't forget that Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings.<br /><br />Petrified Forest is best known for its Triassic fossils. It's like having two parks in one, an ecosystem over 200 million years old with plants and animals now represented in the surreal...

www.nps.gov

Summer in Arizona: expect it to be hot, although Pinetop is at 6800 feet and would be cooler. But you likely know that! July and August are "monsoon" season. Afternoon thunderstorms are a possibility, especially in the mountains. That can be fun, unless out on a hike.

FWIW.

 

[PLUS EV]

In terms of road conditions, both routes are fine this time of year (gotta look out for snow December to March). Both routes are also quite scenic. The Pinetop route has more of a "in the mountains" feel to it, while the route through Payson is more "high desert" although it does also have a lot of forested areas along the way.

In terms of charging, the route through Payson is very simple with the supercharger there. But I think you'd be fine taking the other route in the downhill direction in summer. You won't be driving too fast on those roads either which will help. Uphill is a much different story!

Edit to add: Just refreshed my memory by looking at Google Maps. The drive from Pinetop-Lakeside down to Globe through Salt River Canyon is awesome! You can probably google some pictures to see what I'm talking about. IIRC there are also L2 chargers at a hotel in Globe if you go that way and are running low, but look at Plugshare to be sure my memory isn't failing.

Also, be sure to use the v3 charging stalls in Gallup and Holbrook. That will save you some time. I always see people charging on the v2 stalls when I'm at those superchargers. It's confusing how Tesla left a mix of v2 and v3 stalls.

 

[tmoz]

I just came back from Gallup, NM and took a side trip through the Petrified Forest NP. I don't think a 7 yr old would appreciate the views. There are many clearly marked waypoints of where to stop in the park, but July/Aug might be a deal breaker in terms of heat. An alternative is to visit Meteor Crater near Winslow and take 87 down to Payson. The 7 yr old might appreciate meteor crater more, and there is a lot less outdoors walking. The 60 route is nice too, as the Salt River CAnyon crossing is pretty cool too.

 

[IronQQQ]

In terms of road conditions, both routes are fine this time of year (gotta look out for snow December to March). Both routes are also quite scenic. The Pinetop route has more of a "in the mountains" feel to it, while the route through Payson is more "high desert" although it does also have a lot of forested areas along the way.

In terms of charging, the route through Payson is very simple with the supercharger there. But I think you'd be fine taking the other route in the downhill direction in summer. You won't be driving too fast on those roads either which will help. Uphill is a much different story!

Edit to add: Just refreshed my memory by looking at Google Maps. The drive from Pinetop-Lakeside down to Globe through Salt River Canyon is awesome! You can probably google some pictures to see what I'm talking about. IIRC there are also L2 chargers at a hotel in Globe if you go that way and are running low, but look at Plugshare to be sure my memory isn't failing.

Also, be sure to use the v3 charging stalls in Gallup and Holbrook. That will save you some time. I always see people charging on the v2 stalls when I'm at those superchargers. It's confusing how Tesla left a mix of v2 and v3 stalls.

Thank you for the info. This seems very promising.

 

[Sparky1]

In terms of road conditions, both routes are fine this time of year (gotta look out for snow December to March). Both routes are also quite scenic. The Pinetop route has more of a "in the mountains" feel to it, while the route through Payson is more "high desert" although it does also have a lot of forested areas along the way.

In terms of charging, the route through Payson is very simple with the supercharger there. But I think you'd be fine taking the other route in the downhill direction in summer. You won't be driving too fast on those roads either which will help. Uphill is a much different story!

Edit to add: Just refreshed my memory by looking at Google Maps. The drive from Pinetop-Lakeside down to Globe through Salt River Canyon is awesome! You can probably google some pictures to see what I'm talking about. IIRC there are also L2 chargers at a hotel in Globe if you go that way and are running low, but look at Plugshare to be sure my memory isn't failing.

Also, be sure to use the v3 charging stalls in Gallup and Holbrook. That will save you some time. I always see people charging on the v2 stalls when I'm at those superchargers. It's confusing how Tesla left a mix of v2 and v3 stalls.

I made this leg once in the other direction (Mesa to Holbrook via Globe and Salt River Canyon) due to a wildfire along the SR-87. I have a little more range with a dual motor model 3 and live in the Far East valley, so roughly 30 miles shorter than if you were near downtown Phx. I left home with 100% and got to Holbrook with around 10%.

Another option to consider if going through Pinetop-Lakeside and Globe is that there are some free L2 chargers on Main Street in the town of Superior, which is roughly 25 miles west of Globe. There are some small shops, coffee, and a good BBQ place right there, so you could make that a midday stop, grab some food, walk the Main Street shops, and grab maybe 50 miles of buffer if needed.

 

[ambudriver03]

Option 2 is quite viable. Going downhill is much much easier.

I've made the trip from scottsdale up 87 to showlow/strawberry and the roads were surprisingly good in summer.
Amazing if you compare them to California roads.

In winter I did it (scottsdale northeast) in my truck, and kept going until we hit the NM border (through a Blizzard).

The Payson charger is pretty basic, but going downhill especially you'll be able to extend your range.

If your vehicle is CCS capable, you might be interested in the adapter as there's an APS / Electrify America station in Show Low now. (or if you have the chademo, it's also an option)

 

[digitaldad]

Wife just made the ABQ/Holbrook/Payson to PHX trip last weekend...typically (always ICE before), I like going to Flagstaff then down 17 to PHX. Flag going up/through/down has always been pleasing to my eyes (cops norotious there on speed limits, mind you).

If you have the time though..go past Flag for 30 miles to Williams. They have a hotel, with train access to the Grand Canyon (or could drive to GC instead, then back through Flag to PHX).

Haven't route planned it but its an enjoyable trip if you have the time. Whatever you end up doing, enjoy yourselves and be safe!

 

[PLUS EV]

I like going to Flagstaff then down 17 to PHX. Flag going up/through/down has always been pleasing to my eyes (cops norotious there on speed limits, mind you).

Cops are notorious in Flagstaff period. You don't need to be speeding! Out of state plates are enough to get you a side of the highway search of your car. Hasn't seemed as bad when I've gone through during the pandemic. Hopefully they've gained a new-found respect for the 4th amendment.

 

[ambudriver03]

Got a ticket for 84 in a 75 near Winslow...

Semi trucks were going 80 and I just casually was going faster, so to pass...

You win this time Arizona...

 

[IronQQQ]

thanks for all your suggestions. With that, I have the confidence to make it through Globe, Superior .. the middle part of the state. we are staying in Pinetop at the Quality Inn with a J1772 and that should take care of it, before going into PHX. There's also a EVGo with Tesla adapter in Tempe just in case. I almost bought the South Korea CCS1 adapter, then I realized my old 2019 Long Range doesn't support CCS. I was trying to buy a set of 18" Aeros to get some more comfort and efficiency over my 19" sports with the horrible stiff and inefficient Bridgestone Quiettracks, but the deal fell through.

This is not our first trip out this way, but the first trip cutting through that middle mountainous part. I've taken the my 2019 Long range to Williams, Flagstaff, Sedona, Grand Canyon, PHX before... some of those places several times. The charging along the I-40 is still sparse... at least there's a second charger at Kingman now.

 

[ambudriver03]

The charging along the I-40 is still sparse... at least there's a second charger at Kingman now.

Last year when I charged at the old Kingman (6 Stall v2), I was getting a whole 7kw.

The car on the paired stall next to me was getting about 20.

Between all 6 cars, we figured out there was some issue at the transformer or the other equips, because there was less than 100kw available to all vehicles plugged in...

Full house, 110 degrees out... 7kw power in... Not good times.

 

[IronQQQ]

I did the trip last week. Thank you everyone for your inputs.

Charged up at Holbrook, drove the 60 miles or so into Pinetop and stayed 2 nights at the Quality Inn. The quality inn is a not so great motel but is in the Tesla destination charger map. They charge $20 a night to charge for guests and $25 for non guests.

I only charged on my last night and all 3 spaces where full including my car on a Sunday night. So call ahead to reserve your spot. Also the front desk will walk to the back of the hotel where the chargers are and flip the breakers at panel in the rear of the building to turn them on. They have cones to mark off the spaces.


I charged to 100% which is 291 mi full rated range in my 2019 Model 3 Long Range, RWD with 19" before leaving Pinetop. Drove US-60 all the way, stopping at Salt River Canyon, Globe, Miami and Superior, and arriving in Chandler near the mall with 40% SOC. This was distance of 187 miles 195 Wh//mi, 36 kWh. ABRP was right on the money, differing only by 1%. I used parameters of 6% degradation and 279 Wh/mi reference consumption with ABRP.

It was pretty hot all day with near triple digits in Chandler so the ac was blasting. My speeds were moderate and generally at the speed limit.


Arrival stats

vs ABRP

The not so Quality Inn

 

[Sparky1]

3 takeaways for me:
1. Solid efficiency coming down the hill using that route.
2. $20/night to charge at the non-quality inn is a rip-off and barely any cheaper for their valued guests vs. what they charge for a visitor.
3. I like the names on your trip odometer to track tire usage.

 

[IronQQQ]

3 takeaways for me:
1. Solid efficiency coming down the hill using that route.
2. $20/night to charge at the non-quality inn is a rip-off and barely any cheaper for their valued guests vs. what they charge for a visitor.
3. I like the names on your trip odometer to track tire usage.

Ahh.. I forgot one thing. The in car nav predicted Arrival 52% SoC to Tempe SuC. Why I didn't input Chandler and take a pic, I don't can't remember, but distance to Tempe and Chandler is about the same. vs. 41% of ABRP. My experience is that the car usually overestimates the downhill regen unless the road fairly straight and speeds are moderate and steady.

A couple of other points,

1. US-60 was a much better road than I had anticipated. It is a US highway, so perhaps it generally should have decent highway conditions, but I was not familiar with that region and it did leave me apprehensive before the trip.

2. Supercharger build out: Once Globe AZ gets built per the Tesla map, this should solve a lot of issues north and south bound, especially for those coming up from Phoenix. An additional build up of even 72 kW chargers at Show Low / Pinetop would solve a lot of issues for Phoenix Tucson drivers and those staying in Pinetop for a few day. While washing my car at the car wash next to the not so Quality Inn, a BMW X5 driver asked me if there was a SuC here. He was a Phoenix Tesla owner and did not think he could charge up there so he opted for his ICE.

3. I don't know how much electricity costs on central AZ, but I paid $20 to the no so Quality Inn and charged 49 kWh. Comparing it to Holbrook SuC at $0.45 /kWh, I got $22.05 of value from the $20 fee. I do like that you can call to reserve which is a necessity when your destination has no DCFC near by... vs gambling for a free space when you get to an unreserved hotel spot.

The not so Quality Inn had all 3 spaces taken up on Saturday night, but I didn't need to charge nor did I want to pay to charge on Sat. On Sunday, it was full too, including myself, a red MY guest had called ahead, and a 3rd spot rented out to non-guests from Tucson who were driving the rented Spirit of Tesla MX (we see here in the forums) and a MYP which they would switch to charge. The motel owner told me the charging spots get full on the weekends.

Also, on the trip out to ABQ, I charged up at Kingman, took some detours. Being too close for comfort if I were to roll into Flagstaff (not to mention hotels were $300-350), I overnighted at Williams at the Holiday Inn Express with 3X level 2 chargers, I was lucky to get a spot that night and all spots were filled. Had I not had a spot overnight, I would have had to charge in the morning and roll into Flagstaff SuC. With a full charge leaving Williams, I could skip Flagstaff, a charger which I do not like.

On the return leg from New Mexico trip I stayed at the La Quinta in Holbrook which had a Blink charger. It was $0.49 a kWh, more than the Holbrook SuC at $0.45, but I was able to charge up in the evening and not waste time waiting at the SuC. Both Blink spots were full and the Blinks do charge an "Occupancy" (parking) fee when not taking charge... but the $2.50 hr parking did not deter a Volt who had accumulated 5 hrs of parking.

In summary, I don't mind paying if the cost is not excessive and even better if you can reserve your spot, as this is a huge time saver. As EVs become more common, the ability to reserve a spot is a luxury probably worth money.

 

[comanchepilot]

Gonna add my 5 cents: Globe has been on the 'next year' supercharger location list for 6 or 7 years now. Globe is desperately needed in Eastern AZ because coming out of Phoenix or up from Tucson you're gaining 4000' in the case of Tucson and 5500 in the case of Phoenix into Show Low via salt river canyon - only cold weather drains a battery more than coming up hill for an EV at speed - speed limit in some of those places is 65! So people are zooming at 70-75 at times on the long uphill straightaways on 77 outta Globe into Show Low. You gain it back coming down hill but hills kill EV range.

I've only seen Model S LR and Long Range or Performance 3's in the Salt River Canyon because of that lack of charging. My next step is to buy a CCS charging adapter and put it in my mobile charger kit. This way I can use the DCFC at Electrify America in Globe and up in Show Low - I can easily make it to my BIL's house in Lakeside but it would take a day to charge it back up at the destination charger at the Quality Inn. . . .whereas the EA charger in Show Low will give me enough power in 30 min to drive around town and then get home back to Tucson . . .

 

[tmoz]

Show Low & Globe would be nice.

 

[DeepBlueMN]

Albuquerque to Gallup/Holbrook in the summer is a breeze; no problems aside from way too many semis on I-40. In winter, just Albuquerque to Gallup, 130 miles, can be a challenge, starting with a cold overnight battery, high west winds, 80+ mph speeds, I have pulled into Gallup with a way lower SOC than I was planning to! (Even with a normally indicated 290+ EPA range)
I have done ABQ to PHX, via Payson, and the reverse, a dozen times; it is a pretty easy one day drive and smooth charging experience.
Show Low to Globe is a beautiful drive through the Salt River Canyon area; take lots of pictures!
Make sure to get the ECU upgrade from Tesla before your trip, and get the Tesla CCS adapter, that way you can charge in Show Low and not have any worries at all, plus extra charge for any side trips. I upgraded my 2019 LR 3 and love having that extra charging option! (Well, when EA actually has working chargers that is…)

 

[JssonB]

Show Low & Globe would be nice.

I agree. I voted for a Show low one but I didn't see a globe station to vote on.

Vote for charging locations.

 

[lkdorlig]

Three new Electrify America chargers 350Kw at Chalo's Casa Reynoso Mexican Cafe, $0.48/kWh
902 E Ash Street, Globe, Arizona 85501-1818