Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
31.9 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cave Creek, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Surprise, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Cave Creek, AZ to Surprise, AZ covers 31.9 miles and takes about 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Cave Creek Road, Agua Fria Freeway, West Bell Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.3 miles on East Cave Creek Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
Sun City is a suburb 20 miles (30km) northwest of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It was built as a planned retirement community in Maricopa County in the 1960s. An adjacent retirement community Sun City West was built in the late 1970s; there is also a Sun City Grand. Directly northwest of the three "Sun City" suburbs is Surprise, Arizona.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 31.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
The drive from Cave Creek, AZ to Surprise, AZ covers 31.9 miles and takes about 49m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.3 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 31.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Take the ramp toward AZ 101 Loop West
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Bell Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward Bell Road, Surprise Stadium
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto North El Mirage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Cave Creek, AZ to Surprise, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Surprise Stadium along the way.
Surprise Stadium
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Cave Creek Road | 12.3 mi | 21m |
| Agua Fria Freeway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| West Bell Road | 4.9 mi | 9m |
| Pima Freeway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| North El Mirage Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Paradise Lane | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Nash Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Cave Creek, AZ and Surprise, AZ.
Start on East Cave Creek Road
Take the ramp
Continue on this road
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto West Bell Road
Turn left onto North El Mirage Road
Turn right onto West Paradise Lane
Turn left onto North Nash Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.9 mi from Cave Creek, AZ · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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.
A short stop after about 31.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 15.9 miles from Cave Creek, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Surprise, 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.
Regular Gas
$6.35 one way
$12.71 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.73 | $13.45 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.02 | $14.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Cave Creek on Saturday
Local time
5:26 AM
MST
Current temp
56°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Surprise on Saturday
Local time
5:26 AM
MST
Current temp
56°F
Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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