Origin
Black Canyon City, AZ
Afternoon in Black Canyon City on Thursday
Local time
2:28 PM
MST
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Black Canyon City, AZ to Phoenix, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
55m
Distance
46.1 mi
74 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Black Canyon City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 46.1-mile drive from Black Canyon City to Phoenix, Arizona, can easily be completed in about 55 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 78% of it utilizing major freeways like the Black Canyon Freeway. With an estimated fuel cost of just $9, this is an economical option for a quick journey. You'll be traveling within the Desert Southwest region throughout, so expect consistent arid landscapes. This short distance means you won't need an overnight stop; you can focus on your destination in Phoenix.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 46.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this drive, with 78% of the 46.1 miles on fast-paced roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 35.3 miles along the Black Canyon Freeway. This section offers a consistent driving rhythm, largely on the Black Canyon Freeway and its related highways like North Black Canyon Highway and South Old Black Canyon Highway. The road's character remains consistent, providing a direct and efficient path south.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Black Canyon Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 35.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Black Canyon Freeway and North Black Canyon Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 42.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 46.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 42.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
42.6 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 200A
Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, L...
8
42.8 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
7
44.2 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward 7th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 144A
Toward 7th Avenue
9
44.5 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Keep slight right at fork toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State Universi...
5
45.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
North 1st Street
Turn right onto North 1st Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Black Canyon City, AZ and Phoenix, AZ, road signs point toward Los Angeles and Tucson.
Los Angeles
42.6 mi in
|
~48m
Tucson
42.8 mi in
|
~48m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Black Canyon Freeway | 35.3 mi | 38m |
| North Black Canyon Highway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| South Old Black Canyon Highway | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| North 1st Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Papago Freeway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| West Roosevelt Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Adams Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Black Canyon Freeway
— 35.3 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Black Canyon City, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.
1
Start on East Palm Lane
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Palm Lane
2
Turn left onto South Old Black Canyon Highway
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
South Old Black Canyon Highway
3
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
this road
4
Merge onto I 17
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
5
Continue on I 17
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on I 17
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Black Canyon Highway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on I 17
25 mi
·
28 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 200A
Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 10
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Papago Freeway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 144A
Toward 7th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto North 7th Avenue
445 ft
·
16 sec
·
North 7th Avenue
14
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Roosevelt Street
15
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
29 ft
·
0 sec
·
North 1st Avenue
16
Keep slight right at fork onto North 1st Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North 1st Avenue
17
Turn left onto West Adams Street
0.1 mi
·
40 sec
·
West Adams Street
18
Turn right onto North 1st Street
408 ft
·
18 sec
·
North 1st Street
19
Turn right onto East Washington Street
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Washington Street
20
Arrive at destination
West Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23 mi from Black Canyon City, AZ · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23 miles from Black Canyon City, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Phoenix, AZ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Phoenix, AZ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.18 one way
$18.37 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $9.72 | $19.44 |
| premium | $5.59 | $10.15 | $20.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.18 | $20.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.45 | $2.95 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Phoenix, AZ
Afternoon in Phoenix on Thursday
Local time
2:28 PM
MST
Current temp
93°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
35 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
55m 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 Black Canyon City, AZ to Phoenix, AZ covers 46.1 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Black Canyon Freeway, North Black Canyon Highway, South Old Black Canyon Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23 miles from Black Canyon City, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.18 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 is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 46.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
The main spots that need attention: at 42.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Black Canyon City, AZ and Phoenix, AZ, road signs point toward Los Angeles and Tucson.
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