Origin
Blackwater, AZ
Morning in Blackwater on Friday
Local time
6:05 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blackwater, AZ to Mesa, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
36.7 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blackwater, AZ
Yanming Guo
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Blackwater, AZ to Mesa, AZ covers 36.7 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway, South Arizona Avenue, South Country Club Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.9 miles on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.31 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 36.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Blackwater, AZ to Mesa, AZ covers 36.7 miles and takes about 59m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 7 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 16.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 3.7 miles in near AZ 87 / Junction I-10-Mesa Highway.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Blackwater, AZ to Mesa, AZ is easy. At 59m with 46% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles (AZ 87 / Junction I-10-Mesa Highway): Navigation decision point; at 20.6 miles (AZ 87; BIA 56 / East Hunt Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.6 miles (AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
AZ 87 / Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 87 / Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
Navigation decision point
3
20.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
AZ 87; BIA 56 / East Hunt Highway
Continue onto AZ 87; BIA 56 / East Hunt Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
20.6 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Turn right onto AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
35.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
West University Drive
Turn right onto West University Drive
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Junction I-10-Mesa Highway | 16.9 mi | 24m |
| South Arizona Avenue | 11 mi | 19m |
| South Country Club Drive | 4 mi | 7m |
| Blackwater School Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| West University Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Hunt Highway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East University Drive | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
— 16.9 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blackwater, AZ and Mesa, AZ.
1
Start on Blackwater School Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Blackwater School Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 87
17 mi
·
24 min
·
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
3
Continue on AZ 87; BIA 56
226 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Hunt Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto AZ 87
11 mi
·
19 min
·
South Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on AZ 87
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
South Country Club Drive
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto West University Drive
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West University Drive
7
Arrive at destination
East University Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.4 mi from Blackwater, AZ · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.4 miles from Blackwater, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Mesa, AZ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Mesa, 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
$7.31 one way
$14.62 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.74 | $15.47 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.10 | $16.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.14 | $2.35 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Mesa, AZ
Morning in Mesa on Friday
Local time
6:05 AM
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
1 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
59m 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 Blackwater, AZ to Mesa, AZ covers 36.7 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Junction I-10-Mesa Highway, South Arizona Avenue, South Country Club Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.4 miles from Blackwater, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.31 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.
The drive from Blackwater, AZ to Mesa, AZ is easy. At 59m with 46% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.7 miles (AZ 87 / Junction I-10-Mesa Highway): Navigation decision point; at 20.6 miles (AZ 87; BIA 56 / East Hunt Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.6 miles (AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Blackwater, AZ to Mesa, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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