Origin
Desert Hills, AZ
Morning in Desert Hills on Saturday
Local time
6:24 AM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Desert Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 59m
Distance
224.1 mi
361 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$45
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 46m
★
6 AM
3h 59m
8 AM
4h 25m
10 AM
4h 8m
12 PM
4h 6m
3 PM
4h 10m
5 PM
4h 24m
8 PM
3h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Desert Hills, AZ
Mark Direen
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ covers 224.1 miles and takes about 3h 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Mountain View Drive, Thrasher Drive, London Bridge Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.64 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
112.1 miles from Desert Hills, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 59m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in Phoenix, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1868
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona, the most populous city in the American Southwest. Warm and sunny winter weather have ensured a thriving tourism industry, and the city has become the region's primary political, cultural, economic, and transportation center. Phoenix is extremely hot and dry in the summertime, so always have sunscreen with you! It had about 1,625,000 residents in 2021, and is the fifth largest city in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Arizona State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Arizona
- • Phoenix Art Museum — art museum in Phoenix, Arizona
- • St. Mary's Basilica — Roman Catholic church in Phoenix, Arizona
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 59m. Total distance: 224.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 59m drive with frequent turns across 224.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Mountain View Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 59m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain View Drive | — | — |
| Thrasher Drive | — | — |
| London Bridge Road | — | — |
| Chenoweth Road | — | — |
| Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway | — | — |
| Riverside Drive | — | — |
| Rio Vista Highway | — | — |
| California Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Mountain View Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Desert Hills, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.
1
Start on Bayshore Road
236 ft
·
10 sec
·
Bayshore Road
2
Continue on Mountain View Drive
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Mountain View Drive
3
At the end of the road, turn right onto Thrasher Drive
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Thrasher Drive
4
At the end of the road, turn right onto London Bridge Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
London Bridge Road
5
Turn left onto Chenoweth Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Chenoweth Road
6
Turn right onto Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
26 mi
·
33 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
7
Continue on Riverside Drive
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Riverside Drive
8
Turn straight onto Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
9
Continue on Rio Vista Highway
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Rio Vista Highway
10
Turn left onto California Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
California Avenue
11
Continue on Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
12
Continue on Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
13
Continue on North Central Boulevard
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
North Central Boulevard
14
Turn left onto East Main Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Street
15
Turn right onto Riggles Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Riggles Road
16
Take the ramp left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
17
Merge slight left onto Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
105 mi
·
1 hr 45 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
18
Continue on Papago Freeway
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Papago Freeway
19
Take the exit slight right toward 7th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
7th Avenue
20
Keep slight right to continue on 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities
21
Turn straight onto North 7th Avenue
446 ft
·
16 sec
·
North 7th Avenue
22
Turn left onto West Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Roosevelt Street
23
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
30 ft
·
1 sec
·
North 1st Avenue
24
Keep slight right to continue on North 1st Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North 1st Avenue
25
Turn left onto West Adams Street
0.1 mi
·
40 sec
·
West Adams Street
26
Turn right onto North 1st Street
410 ft
·
18 sec
·
North 1st Street
27
Turn right onto East Washington Street
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Washington Street
28
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 112.1 miles from Desert Hills, AZ, or about 1h 59m into the drive.
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 49 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 112.1 miles or 1h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Phoenix, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Desert Hills, 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 Desert Hills, AZ
This is one driving day of about 224.1 miles and 3h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Desert Hills, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 112.1 mi from Desert Hills, AZ · 1h 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
112 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 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 112.1 miles from Desert Hills, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Phoenix, AZ
The final approach into Phoenix, 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 Phoenix, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.64 one way
$89.29 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
78 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $47.25 | $94.49 |
| premium | $5.59 | $49.33 | $98.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $49.48 | $98.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 67.2 | 0 | $23.53 | $10.76 |
| Efficient EV | 56 | 0 | $19.61 | $8.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 89.6 | 1 | $31.37 | $14.34 |
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Phoenix, AZ
Morning in Phoenix on Saturday
Local time
6:24 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
7 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
3h 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 Desert Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ covers 224.1 miles and takes about 3h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Mountain View Drive, Thrasher Drive, London Bridge Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 112.1 miles from Desert Hills, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $44.64 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 59m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Desert Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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 EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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