Origin
Apache Junction, AZ
Afternoon in Apache Junction on Thursday
Local time
4:20 PM
MST
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apache Junction, AZ to Goodyear, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
54.4 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apache Junction, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Goodyear, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 54.4-mile drive from Apache Junction to Goodyear, Arizona, can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 7 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 89% of the journey on major roads like the Superstition Freeway, Papago Freeway, and Maricopa Freeway. Expect your fuel costs to be around $11 for this relatively short excursion. Both your starting and ending points are within the Desert Southwest region, so you'll be traversing familiar arid landscapes throughout. This drive is ideal for those seeking efficient travel between two points in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a largely highway-focused experience on this route, with 89% of the drive utilizing major freeways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Superstition Freeway, Papago Freeway, and Maricopa Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22.6 miles along the Superstition Freeway, offering a chance to maintain a steady pace. While the exact scenery isn't described, this type of drive generally involves navigating urban and suburban corridors within the Phoenix area. The road network is designed for efficient travel, meaning you're unlikely to encounter many technical or slow-moving sections.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Superstition Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 22.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Superstition Freeway and Papago Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near South Ironwood Drive.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (South Ironwood Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
South Ironwood Drive
Turn left onto South Ironwood Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
6
31.3 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
33.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward Litchfield Road, Phoenix-Goodyear Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 128
Toward Litchfield Road, Phoenix-Goodyear Airpor...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Superstition Freeway | 22.6 mi | 26m |
| Papago Freeway | 20.5 mi | 23m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| South Ironwood Drive | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North Litchfield Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West Apache Trail | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| US 60 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Superstition Freeway
— 22.6 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apache Junction, AZ and Goodyear, AZ.
1
Start on North Apache Trail
196 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Apache Trail
2
Continue on North Apache Trail
376 ft
·
23 sec
·
North Apache Trail
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on US 80 Hist
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Apache Trail
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto South Ironwood Drive
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
South Ironwood Drive
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto US 60
23 mi
·
26 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 60
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 60
Toward I 10 North
8
Merge onto I 10; US 60
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
12
Continue on I 10
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 128
Toward Litchfield Road, Phoenix-Goodyear Airport
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn left onto North Litchfield Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
North Litchfield Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Continue on South Litchfield Road
337 ft
·
7 sec
·
South Litchfield Road
16
Arrive at destination
South Litchfield Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.2 mi from Apache Junction, AZ · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Apache Junction, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Goodyear, AZ
The final approach into Goodyear, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.84 one way
$21.67 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $11.47 | $22.94 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.97 | $23.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.01 | $24.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Goodyear, AZ
Afternoon in Goodyear on Thursday
Local time
4:20 PM
MST
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
27 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 7m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Apache Junction, AZ to Goodyear, AZ covers 54.4 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Superstition Freeway, Papago Freeway, Maricopa Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.2 miles from Apache Junction, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.84 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.4 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (South Ironwood Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Apache Junction, AZ to Goodyear, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Tonto National Monument.
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