Tuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
Water flows under and through this landscape, feeding the growth of people and towns. The Verde Valley is watered by snowmelt, summer monsoons, and springs that well up from the ancient sedimentary ro...
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 35m
Distance
133.8 mi
215 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
11 DC fast
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chino Valley, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Buckeye, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Chino Valley, AZ to Buckeye, AZ covers 133.8 miles and takes about 2h 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Bob Stump Memorial Parkway, Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway, Arizona Veterans Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.2 miles on Bob Stump Memorial Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.65 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
66.9 miles from Chino Valley, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 35m. Total distance: 133.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
The drive from Chino Valley, AZ to Buckeye, AZ covers 133.8 miles and takes about 2h 35m, 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 9.2 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 133.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 83.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 84.2 miles (AZ 303 Loop): Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 89A
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward AZ 303 Loop South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Buckeye
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Stump Memorial Parkway | 32.2 mi | 37m |
| Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway | 21.3 mi | 26m |
| Arizona Veterans Highway | 16.7 mi | 16m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 13.9 mi | 14m |
| Prescott–Ash Fork Highway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| Fain Road | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| Prescott–Flagstaff Highway | 6.3 mi | 7m |
Step-by-step road directions between Chino Valley, AZ and Buckeye, AZ.
Start on AZ 89
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
Continue on AZ 89
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
Continue on AZ 89
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
Continue on AZ 89
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
Continue on AZ 89
Turn left
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on AZ 89A
Continue on Fain Road
Turn left onto AZ 69
Merge onto I 17
Continue on I 17
Continue on I 17
Continue on I 17
Continue on I 17
Take the exit
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
Take the exit
Merge onto I 10
Take the exit
Continue on South Miller Road
Continue on North 1st Street
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
Arrive at destination
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.
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 29 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.9 miles or 1h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buckeye, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Chino Valley, 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 Chino Valley, AZ
This is one driving day of about 133.8 miles and 2h 35m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 66.9 mi from Chino Valley, AZ · 1h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
67 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 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 66.9 miles from Chino Valley, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Buckeye, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Buckeye, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Monument
Water flows under and through this landscape, feeding the growth of people and towns. The Verde Valley is watered by snowmelt, summer monsoons, and springs that well up from the ancient sedimentary ro...
National Monument
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Regular Gas
$26.65 one way
$53.31 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $28.21 | $56.42 |
| premium | $5.59 | $29.45 | $58.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.54 | $59.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
11 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Shops at Norterra - Tesla Supercharger
Phoenix, AZ
16 DCFC
Shell Gas Station - Tesla Supercharger
New River, AZ
10 DCFC
Shell & Subway Travel Center - Tesla Supercharger
Mayer, AZ
8 DCFC
Sands Surprise
SURPRISE, AZ
5 DCFC
Findlay Hyundai Prescott
Prescott, AZ
4 DCFC
Walmart 5329 (Anthem, AZ)
ANTHEM, AZ
4 DCFC
CircleK - Anthem, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
4 DCFC
View Point II Senior Community
Prescott Valley, AZ
2 DCFC
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40.1 | 0 | $14.05 | $6.42 |
| Efficient EV | 33.5 | 0 | $11.71 | $5.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.5 | 0 | $18.73 | $8.56 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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 Chino Valley on Saturday
Local time
2:51 AM
MST
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Buckeye on Saturday
Local time
2:51 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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