Origin
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Morning in Catalina Foothills on Saturday
Local time
11:18 AM
MST
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Glendale, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 21m
Distance
123.3 mi
198 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 11m
★
6 AM
2h 21m
8 AM
2h 41m
10 AM
2h 28m
12 PM
2h 26m
3 PM
2h 29m
5 PM
2h 40m
8 PM
2h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Mark Direen
Glendale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Glendale, AZ covers 123.3 miles and takes about 2h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.8 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.56 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
61.7 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 49.8 mi | 50m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 38.1 mi | 38m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 12 mi | 13m |
| East River Road | 7.7 mi | 13m |
| Grand Avenue | 7.1 mi | 12m |
| Papago Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| North Hacienda del Sol Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 49.8 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Catalina Foothills, AZ and Glendale, AZ.
1
Start on North Hacienda del Sol Road
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Hacienda del Sol Road
2
Turn right onto East River Road
7.7 mi
·
13 min
·
East River Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto West Orange Grove Road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Orange Grove Road
4
Turn right onto North Casa Grande Highway
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
North Casa Grande Highway
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 10 West
6
Merge onto I 10
50 mi
·
50 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
38 mi
·
38 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
12 mi
·
13 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
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 143C
Toward 19th Avenue, Grand Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto North 19th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 19th Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
15
Turn slight left onto Grand Avenue
7.1 mi
·
12 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left / slight left lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
US 60
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 61.7 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 27 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.7 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Glendale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Catalina Foothills, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Catalina Foothills, AZ
This is one driving day of about 123.3 miles and 2h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 49.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
62 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 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 61.7 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 116 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
East River Road
Turn right onto East River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
109.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 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
111.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 2m 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
115.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 7m in
Take the exit toward 19th Avenue, Grand Avenue
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 143C
Toward 19th Avenue, Grand Avenue
6
116 mi into trip
|
~2h 8m in
|
North 19th Avenue
Turn right onto North 19th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.56 one way
$49.13 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
43 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $25.99 | $51.99 |
| premium | $5.59 | $27.14 | $54.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.22 | $54.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37 | 0 | $12.95 | $5.92 |
| Efficient EV | 30.8 | 0 | $10.79 | $4.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 49.3 | 0 | $17.26 | $7.89 |
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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
Glendale, AZ
Morning in Glendale on Saturday
Local time
11:18 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
37 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
2h 21m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
123.3 mi in 2h 21m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.8 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near East River Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 123.3 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.3 miles (East River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 109.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 111.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,575 ft
1,081 ft
Total Climb
96 ft
Total Descent
1,543 ft
Highest Point
2,575 ft
Elevation Range
1,494 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 21m. Total distance: 123.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.8 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Glendale, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (East River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 109.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 111.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Glendale, AZ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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