The drive from Chino Valley, AZ to Surprise, AZ covers 105.2 miles and takes about 2h 5m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway, Arizona Veterans Highway, Black Canyon Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.3 miles on Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.51 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
52.6 miles from Chino Valley, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 2m into the drive
.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 5m. Total distance: 105.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 5m drive with frequent turns across 105.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 21.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.9 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
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 19 significant decision points across 105.2 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 8.9 miles: Navigation decision point; 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.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
8.9 mi into trip|~10m in
Turn left toward AZ 89A|none
Navigation decision point
Toward AZ 89A|none
6
9.2 mi into trip|~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 89A
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward AZ 89A
7
83.7 mi into trip|~1h 33m in
Take the exit toward AZ 303 Loop South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 221
Toward AZ 303 Loop South
6
84.2 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|AZ 303 Loop
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
99.1 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Take the exit toward El Mirage Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123
Toward El Mirage Road
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
21.3 mi
26m
Arizona Veterans Highway
16.7 mi
16m
Black Canyon Freeway
13.9 mi
14m
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
12.3 mi
14m
Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
8.9 mi
10m
Fain Road
7.2 mi
8m
Prescott–Flagstaff Highway
6.3 mi
7m
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
5.8 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
— 21.3 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chino Valley, AZ and Surprise, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 89
2.8 mi·3 min·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
2
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
171 ft·2 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
3
Continue on AZ 89
0.8 mi·53 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
4
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
80 ft·0 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
5
Continue on AZ 89
3.7 mi·4 min·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
6
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
138 ft·2 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
7
Continue on AZ 89
0.9 mi·1 min·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
8
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
148 ft·2 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
9
Continue on AZ 89
0.6 mi·49 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
10
Turn left
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward AZ 89A|none
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward AZ 89A
12
Continue on AZ 89A
6.3 mi·7 min·Prescott–Flagstaff Highway
13
Continue on Fain Road
7.2 mi·8 min·Fain Road
14
Turn left onto AZ 69
21 mi·26 min·Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway
15
Merge onto I 17
17 mi·16 min·Arizona Veterans Highway
16
Continue on I 17
5.8 mi·5 min·Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 17
10 mi·10 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on I 17
3.2 mi·3 min·North Black Canyon Highway
Use the slight right lane.
19
Continue on I 17
3.4 mi·3 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.5 mi·38 sec
Exit 221Toward AZ 303 Loop SouthUse the slight right lane.
21
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
0.6 mi·1 min·AZ 303 Loop
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.6 mi·45 sec
23
Continue on this road
411 ft·7 sec·this road
24
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·21 sec
25
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
0.2 mi·12 sec·Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
26
Take the exit
0.7 mi·47 sec
27
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·19 sec·this road
28
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
12 mi·13 min·Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi·1 min
Exit 123Toward El Mirage RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·1 min·this road
Exit 123Toward El Mirage Road
31
Turn left onto North El Mirage Road
5.1 mi·9 min·North El Mirage Road
Use the right lane.
32
Turn right onto West Paradise Lane
0.5 mi·1 min·West Paradise Lane
33
Turn left onto North Nash Street
88 ft·3 sec·North Nash Street
34
Arrive at destination
North Nash Street
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 52.6 miles from Chino Valley, AZ, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.3 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 23 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.6 miles or 1h 2m 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 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Surprise, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 105.2 miles and 2h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Chino Valley, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway for about 21.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 52.6 mi from Chino Valley, AZ
· 1h 2m into the drive
The midpoint is around 52.6 miles from Chino Valley, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Surprise, AZ
The final approach into Surprise, 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 Surprise, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
17 mi from route
~43 min detour
$10
near mile 18.1
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...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$10
near mile 25.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.51 one way
$41.01 round trip
$4.95/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.34
$22.11
$44.22
premium
$5.57
$23.05
$46.11
diesel
$6.37
$26.37
$52.73
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.6
0
$11.05
$5.05
Efficient EV
26.3
0
$9.21
$4.21
EV Truck/SUV
42.1
0
$14.73
$6.73
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Chino Valley, AZ
Late night
in Chino Valley on Saturday
Local time
3:14 AM
MST
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Surprise, AZ
Late night
in Surprise on Saturday
Local time
3:14 AM
MST
Current temp
88°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
47 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 5m 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 Chino Valley, AZ to Surprise, AZ covers 105.2 miles and takes about 2h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cordes Junction-Prescott Highway, Arizona Veterans Highway, Black Canyon Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52.6 miles from Chino Valley, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.51 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 demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 105.2 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 8.9 miles: Navigation decision point; 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.
The route from Chino Valley, AZ to Surprise, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Tuzigoot National Monument and Montezuma Castle National Monument.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
