Description: Detailed large map of Arizona State, USA showing cities, towns, county formations, roads highway, US highways and State routes.
Looking at the Arizona map above. We will follow the border with California and Nevada along the blue Colorado River, step inland through Mohave, La Paz, and Yuma counties, climb into Yavapai and Coconino, then travel the northern corridor across Navajo and Apache. I will point to exact labels, cities, water bodies, interstates, and county boundaries so you can read the sheet like a local guide.
Arizona is framed by California and Nevada to the west, Utah on the north, New Mexico on the east, and Mexico along the south. On this map the Colorado River is the bold western line, forming a near continuous blue boundary from Lake Powell at the Utah line through Lake Mead and Lake Mohave to Parker and Yuma. The state is organized into counties with distinct pastel fills. Interstates and U.S. highways stitch those counties to key cities including Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott, Yuma, Kingman, Holbrook, St. Johns, Globe, Safford, Nogales, Bisbee, and more.
Although this is a road and county map, you can still spot Arizona’s two-part structure. The Colorado Plateau occupies the north and northeast with high country around Flagstaff, Page, and Holbrook. The Basin and Range and Sonoran Desert fill the south and west, including Yuma, Phoenix, Casa Grande, and Tucson. The Transition Zone through Yavapai and Gila bridges both. Keep that mental model as you trace roads and counties.
Start at the top left where the thick gray border touches Nevada. The large yellow block is Mohave County. The map shows Lake Mead filling the Colorado upstream of Hoover Dam, then thinning into Lake Mohave between steep canyon walls. The towns Kingman, Bullhead City, and Lake Havasu City are marked along this corridor. Las Vegas sits just outside the state in Nevada, and you can see why US 93 and the river corridor connect these economies. The highway trace runs from Kingman toward Las Vegas, while Interstate 40 crosses Mohave east-west to Flagstaff. For travelers, Mohave County on the map is your gateway to river recreation, dam reservoirs, and desert highways that jump off toward California and Nevada.
South along the river the county color switches to pink for La Paz County. The map places Parker right on the Colorado and Quartzsite at an interstate crossroads. US 95 hugs the river to connect river towns and snowbird parks. Interstate 10 shows up as the strong east-west lifeline riding the desert floor from California into Maricopa County. On the ground this is a classic low desert view with distant ranges and sand washes that the map simplifies into clean lines and spaced road nodes.
Farther south the county color changes again for Yuma County and the city of Yuma, a key crossing near the Mexico line. Notice how the Gila River line approaches from the east and meets the Colorado near Yuma. Interstate 8 is the long east-west route that leaves California at El Centro, passes Yuma, then heads for Gila Bend and the Phoenix area. The map also shows agricultural canals and a denser road web around Yuma compared with open desert elsewhere. For residents this web tracks irrigation districts and border ports. For map readers the heavy interstate and the two-river confluence are your anchors.
Turn inland to Yavapai County with its county seat Prescott. Look at how the roads radiate from Prescott toward Chino Valley, Prescott Valley, Camp Verde, and Sedona just off the county line. The Verde River winds north-south in blue, a hint of the greener riparian belt that slices the dry uplands. AZ 89A and I-17 are implied corridors here, climbing and dropping through the Mogollon Rim escarpment area although the rim itself is not labeled. Yavapai’s position on the map makes sense of the transition idea. It sits between the plateau highlands and the desert basins, which is why curves and switchbacks show up in this road net.
Northeast of Yavapai the large green county is Coconino. The dot for Flagstaff lies along Interstate 40, the main east-west highway across northern Arizona. From Flagstaff, a major route runs north toward Page and Lake Powell. The reservoir is clearly drawn along the Utah line with many coves, and the tiny dam-neck near Glen Canyon is the reason for that shape. US 89 is the classic link between Flagstaff and Page, while I-40 ties Flagstaff to Williams and the western counties. Even on a county map, Coconino’s sheer size tells you why it is a hub for national parks, forests, and high elevation travel that differs from the Phoenix and Tucson deserts.
East of Coconino, the tall blue county is Navajo County. The map marks Holbrook along Interstate 40 with Winslow to the west. Roads fan north toward Kayenta and reservation lands that continue into Utah. The Little Colorado River runs through this region although it is not always a solid blue due to intermittent flow. The map captures the structural reality of northern Arizona where towns are spaced along I-40 like caravanserai on a historic trade route.
On the far northeast the lavender block is Apache County with St. Johns as a county seat and Window Rock off to the northeast just beyond the page edge. US 191 and US 60 cross this region to tie into New Mexico, and you can see Gallup right across the line. The pale highway lines and modest number of junctions tell you what travelers already know. This is big country with long miles between service centers, shaped by the high Colorado Plateau climate and vast tribal lands.
Put your finger on Interstate 40 west of Kingman. Slide along the line through Seligman, Williams, Flagstaff, Winslow, and Holbrook. Keep sliding to the state border near Gallup. That single line is the northern backbone, carrying freight and road trippers across the plateau. Connectors such as US 89 to Page and AZ 87 from Winslow to the Mogollon country create the lattice that opens side excursions to forests and canyons.
At the same time, the map makes it easy to locate water. Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, and Lake Powell define the west and north edges. Roosevelt Lake and San Carlos Lake sit to the east of Phoenix on the Salt and Gila tributary systems. These blue patches matter for planning because they indicate recreation hubs and strategic crossings.
Center the map on the large label PHOENIX. The surrounding county color is green for Maricopa County. A dense grid of roads and freeway loops marks the urban footprint. Interstate 10 drops in from the west and exits to the southeast toward Tucson. Interstate 17 climbs north to Flagstaff. US 60 runs east through Mesa, Apache Junction, and on toward Globe. The Salt River and canal alignments cut across the basin, which explains why highways bend and why the grid opens up in certain quadrants. When you read the Phoenix area on this map, think in terms of radial freeways that aim at the rim country and concentric loops that route around the city core.
Southeast of Maricopa the pastel block is Pinal County. You will see Casa Grande, Florence, and Coolidge in a triangle connected by state routes that parallel the Gila River valley. I-10 cuts through Pinal on its way to Tucson. The spacing of towns tells a simple farming and logistics story. Settlements line up along water sources and rail or highway junctions where the basin floor is most workable.
To the east the blue county is Gila with Globe marked as a hub at the junction of routes from Phoenix, the San Carlos country, and the White Mountains. Roads here bend tightly on the map. That was the cartographer’s hint that elevation changes are real and that this is the Transition Zone between desert and high forest. For field trips this is where students can experience desert creek canyons, upland pines, and mining towns inside one drive.
South of Pinal the pink county is Pima with Tucson labeled. Interstate 10 runs through Tucson east-west, while Interstate 19 runs south to the border at Nogales through Santa Cruz County. The Santa Cruz River valley is the thread that ties these place names together. If you trace the highway lines around Tucson you can see a less orthogonal web than Phoenix, reflecting mountain chains that hem in the basin and force routes through specific passes like Rillito and Cienega.
Directly on the border the small green county is Santa Cruz with Nogales at the line. The road from Tucson crosses the hills and reaches the port of entry. From a traveler’s view, this map shows the most straightforward international crossing in southern Arizona. The highway numbering and short distance between county seat dots confirm that the Tucson-Nogales corridor is built for trade and day travel.
East of Santa Cruz lies Cochise County that stretches from the border up to Willcox along I-10. The map labels Bisbee and Douglas near Mexico, each connected by curving two-lane routes. Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca sit west of Bisbee although not always labeled on simplified sheets. The spacing between towns and the few numbered highways tell you one truth. This is open grassland and sky island country where mountain ranges run southeast-northwest and roads must detour to find gaps.
North of Cochise you find Graham County with Safford near the Gila River. Just to the northeast the smaller yellow county is Greenlee with Clifton and the mining center near Morenci. US 70 passes Safford, while US 191 and local routes serve Greenlee to New Mexico. On the map these two counties show how river valleys create string-of-pearls towns, while mining roads climb into steep terrain.
Western counties on the Colorado River corridor: Mohave, La Paz, Yuma, with Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, and agricultural belts.
Central transition counties: Yavapai and Coconino, with Prescott, Flagstaff, and connections to Lake Powell and the Mogollon Rim area.
Northern corridor: Navajo and Apache, with Holbrook, Winslow, St. Johns, and long runs of I-40.
Phoenix basin: Maricopa as the freeway hub, with Pinal and Gila shaping the approach to mountain country.
Southern border counties: Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, with Tucson, Nogales, Bisbee, Douglas, Safford, Clifton and lines to New Mexico and Mexico.
Now that you can place counties and cities at a glance, we will use the same map to plan iconic drives, understand drainage systems, and see how borders shape movement. We will circle Phoenix and Tucson, cross to New Mexico and Utah, and then return to the Colorado River.
I-40 from Kingman to Holbrook: a high plateau route linking Route 66 towns. This is your corridor to Flagstaff and the northern parks.
I-17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff: a steep climb, ideal for seeing the transition from saguaro desert to ponderosa pine.
I-10 from California through Yuma, Phoenix, Casa Grande, Tucson, and into New Mexico: Arizona’s main freight spine.
I-19 from Tucson to Nogales: short international corridor, consistently shown on the map as a clean south line.
US 93 from Wickenburg to Kingman and the Nevada line: fast access to the Hoover Dam area and Las Vegas.
US 60 from Phoenix through Mesa to Globe, then east: a transition route from basin floor to mining rim country.
US 89 from Flagstaff to Page and Utah: climbs from volcanic highlands to the Lake Powell plateau.
US 191 through Greenlee, Graham, Apache, and Navajo: a long north-south traverse that proves how empty and beautiful eastern Arizona can be.
US 95 along the Colorado River in the west: river towns, boating access, and border backroads.
AZ 87 between Phoenix and Payson: also called the Beeline Highway, a direct shot to cooler forests.
AZ 260 east-west across the Rim country, stitching together forest communities beyond the scope of this simplified sheet.
AZ 82 and AZ 90 in Santa Cruz and Cochise: connectors from I-19 or I-10 to Sonoita, Patagonia, Sierra Vista, and Bisbee.
The western boundary is an atlas of reservoirs and river towns. Start at Lake Powell on the Utah line, trace the river south past Lees Ferry region, then follow it into Lake Mead and Lake Mohave at the Nevada line. Continue to Lake Havasu, then to Parker and Yuma. This string of blue water bodies explains both history and modern recreation. Dams shaped settlement patterns, road crossings, and county lines. The map keeps crossings few and far between, which matters for route planning.
East of Phoenix, spot Roosevelt Lake on the Salt River and San Carlos Lake on the Gila. The Salt River passes right through the Phoenix basin then joins the Gila. In Pinal, Gila, and Graham counties the river valleys act as travel corridors. That is why Casa Grande, Florence, Safford, and Globe line up near blue streams or reservoir edges on the map. When you plan a study trip, use those valleys to move between desert and mountain ecoregions inside a single day.
Use the county lines to plan which stretch of the Colorado you want. Bullhead City and Lake Mohave for powerboat canyons, Lake Havasu City for long lake runs, Parker for river floats and desert off-road staging. The California and Nevada lines on the map teach how a river boundary works across three states.
The Yuma region on the map shows a road grid packed into a narrow strip by the river. That footprint marks irrigated fields. Pair the map with a drive along I-8 to see winter vegetable agriculture and the site of historic crossings.
The Phoenix metro road tangle on the map is a lesson in how cities fill basins. Use the freeway spokes to reach trailheads at South Mountain, Estrella, McDowell, and Superstition areas. Read I-10 through Casa Grande to understand freight choke points and why logistic parks sit on the basin rim.
With Globe in the center and San Carlos Lake to the southeast, the map makes a triangle of mining, river valley, and mountain pass. This is where a student can compare desert scrub at low elevations with pines on higher roads within hours.
Use Flagstaff and Prescott as bases. The roads to Page, Williams, Camp Verde, and Sedona cross the rim break between plateau and basin. Follow the lines to experience changes in vegetation and temperature that are obvious even on this simplified sheet.
On the map the spaces between dots and the straight roads show what any traveler learns on a first trip. Eastern and northern Arizona are big, with long time gaps between services. Plan fuel and lodging along I-40, US 191, and connectors to New Mexico.
Tucson’s star-shaped road net and I-19 to Nogales show international trade routes. Bisbee, Douglas, Safford, and Clifton are tied to mining and ranch corridors. Use AZ 90 and AZ 82 to reach grassland valleys and isolated ranges known as sky islands.
Each county has a unique color on the map. Combine that color with city labels to memorize Arizona’s civic geography quickly. For example, Prescott in Yavapai, Flagstaff in Coconino, Holbrook in Navajo, St. Johns in Apache, Tucson in Pima. Practice sequencing counties along major highways. Along I-10 the chain is La Paz, Maricopa, Pinal, Pima, Cochise to the New Mexico line.
The wide gray line at the south is the international boundary with Mexico. Nogales is the main crossing on this sheet. The east state edge meets New Mexico, the north touches Utah, the west touches California and Nevada. This placement explains time zones, trade, and travel habits. The map shows how I-10 and I-40 knit Arizona into national networks.
If you are teaching or researching, build loops using the highway lattice. Examples:
Phoenix to Globe to Safford to Willcox then Tucson, back to Phoenix via Casa Grande for a desert to rim ecology loop.
Prescott to Jerome to Camp Verde to Flagstaff then south on I-17 to Phoenix for a transition zone transect.
Yuma up the Colorado River corridor to Lake Havasu City, cross to Kingman, then I-40 to Flagstaff and Page for a water resources and plateau loop.
Crossings over the Colorado are limited. Plan your bridge at Hoover Dam area, Laughlin Bullhead, Parker, or Yuma.
Steep climbs are implied where roads bend tightly near the Mogollon region. Expect grades from Camp Verde to Flagstaff and Globe into mountain passes.
Long gaps appear in eastern counties. The simple road web signals sparse services. Carry water, fuel, and allow daytime buffers.
Urban speed changes are built into Phoenix and Tucson. Freeway density near the city labels means traffic management zones and alternative loops exist if incidents occur.
International documentation is required where the map shows the border near Nogales and Douglas. The map’s clarity about route entries makes port planning simple.
The Map of Arizona on this page is a county road atlas layer that highlights interstates, U.S. highways, state routes, major cities, rivers, lakes, and borders with California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Mexico.
It supports trip planning between Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott, Yuma, Kingman, Nogales, Globe, Safford, Holbrook, and St. Johns.
It helps geography students visualize the Colorado Plateau, Mogollon Rim, Sonoran Desert, Transition Zone, and the way county lines organize civic life.
It includes river systems, especially the Colorado, Gila, Salt, Verde, and Little Colorado, with reservoirs like Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, Roosevelt Lake, and San Carlos Lake.
It brings highways, rivers, lakes, and city placement together with county boundaries so you can plan routes and understand regional structure.
Interstate 10 runs west to east from California through Phoenix and Tucson to New Mexico, Interstate 40 runs across northern Arizona, and Interstate 8 links Yuma with the Phoenix region.
It runs north from Phoenix to Flagstaff, linking the Sonoran Desert with the Colorado Plateau.
Trace the blue line from Lake Powell on the Utah border to Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, then along the river past Parker to Yuma.
Mohave, La Paz, and Yuma.
Phoenix is in Maricopa County near the center of the state, Tucson is in Pima County in the south.
Interstate 10 through Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties.
Follow Interstate 19 south from Tucson into Santa Cruz County to Nogales.
Use the corridor north from Flagstaff, commonly US 89, to Page on Lake Powell near the Utah line.
Prescott in Yavapai County connects by road to Chino Valley, Prescott Valley, Camp Verde, and the Phoenix basin.
Use the Hoover Dam and Kingman corridor or the Laughlin Bullhead crossing farther south.
Apache, Greenlee, Graham, and Cochise.
Both are in Navajo County along Interstate 40.
Interstate 40 connects Kingman, Williams, Flagstaff, Winslow, Holbrook, and the New Mexico state line.
Take the eastbound corridor through Mesa and Apache Junction to Globe in Gila County, commonly US 60.
Roosevelt Lake is northeast of Phoenix on the Salt River, San Carlos Lake is southeast of Globe on the Gila River.
It is implied by highway bends and the change from desert basins to high plateau routes near Flagstaff and Holbrook.
Santa Cruz with Nogales and Cochise with Douglas, while Yuma County also touches the border near San Luis.
Interstate 8 from Yuma toward Gila Bend, then connect into the Phoenix freeway system.
Use Interstate 17 to Flagstaff or take AZ 87 to Payson and the rim country.
From Tucson use I-10 to US 191 or US 70. From Phoenix use US 60 to Globe then US 70 to Safford with connectors to Clifton.
Corridors north from Flagstaff and Page, commonly US 89 and adjacent connectors.
Kingman in Mohave County is where Interstate 40 meets the route to Nevada, a key western junction.
Match city labels to counties such as Phoenix in Maricopa, Tucson in Pima, Prescott in Yavapai, Flagstaff in Coconino, Holbrook in Navajo, St. Johns in Apache, Globe in Gila, Safford in Graham, Clifton in Greenlee.
Phoenix to Prescott to Flagstaff to Sedona or Camp Verde then south on I-17 back to Phoenix.
Look for tight highway curves between the Phoenix basin and rim country and between Globe and higher passes.
Around Phoenix in Maricopa County.
Apache, Navajo, and parts of Mohave and La Paz.
Yes. Roosevelt Lake and San Carlos Lake in central and southeastern Arizona in addition to Lake Powell on the Utah line.
Interstate 10 from the Colorado River near Blythe through Phoenix and Tucson to the New Mexico border.
Physical Map of Arizona
Physical map and map image of Arizona.
Deserts and Arid Regions of Arizona
Geographical map showing deserts and arid regions of Arizona.
Regional Directory of United States of America
Information and guide about United States of America and websites with American topics.
Regional Directory of Europe
Information and guide about Europe and websites with European topics.
Regional Directory of Australia
Information and guide about Australia and websites with Australian topics.
