Trip from Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ

Drive Time

40m

Distance

31.8 mi

51 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 37m ★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Fountain Hills, AZ, AZ

Fountain Hills, AZ

Brent Singleton

Downtown Phoenix, AZ, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Carter Marchant

Trip Overview

The drive from Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ covers 31.8 miles and takes about 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Saguaro Boulevard, East Shea Boulevard, Beeline Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.33 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

15.9 miles from Fountain Hills, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 20m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 40m drive with frequent turns across 31.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Saguaro Boulevard 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ is easy. At 40m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Saguaro Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
East Shea Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
Beeline Highway Unavailable Refreshing
North Country Club Drive Unavailable Refreshing
AZ 202 Unavailable Refreshing
Red Mountain Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
I 10 West Unavailable Refreshing
Papago Freeway Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: North Saguaro Boulevard — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fountain Hills, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.

1

Start on North Hamilton Drive

0.2 mi · 31 sec · North Hamilton Drive
2

At the end of the road, turn right onto North Saguaro Boulevard

3.3 mi · 5 min · North Saguaro Boulevard
3

Turn left onto East Shea Boulevard

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Shea Boulevard
4

Turn right onto Beeline Highway

11 mi · 13 min · Beeline Highway
5

Continue on North Country Club Drive

0.5 mi · 48 sec · North Country Club Drive
6

Take the exit right toward AZ 202 Loop West

0.4 mi · 49 sec · AZ 202 Loop West
7

Merge slight left onto Red Mountain Freeway

12 mi · 13 min · Red Mountain Freeway
8

Take the exit slight left toward I 10 West

1.0 mi · 1 min · I 10 West
9

Merge slight right onto Papago Freeway

0.7 mi · 50 sec · Papago Freeway
10

Take the exit slight right toward 7th Street

0.3 mi · 39 sec · 7th Street
11

Keep slight left to continue on 7th Street South, Downtown Cultural/Sports Facilitles

0.1 mi · 18 sec · 7th Street South, Downtown Cultural/Sports Facilitles
12

Turn straight onto North 7th Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · North 7th Street
13

Turn right onto East Washington Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Washington Street
14

Arrive at your destination

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 15.9 miles from Fountain Hills, AZ, or about 20m 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 31.8 miles or 40m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 15.9 miles or 20m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 34m

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 Fountain 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 Fountain Hills, AZ

This is one driving day of about 31.8 miles and 40m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fountain Hills, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 15.9 mi from Fountain Hills, AZ · 20m into the drive

Downtown Mesa, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mesa, AZ

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.

Popular next leg

Mesa, AZ to Phoenix, AZ

18.4 mi · 27m

Pacing Suggestions

Maryvale, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mesa, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.9 miles from Fountain 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

$6.33 one way

$12.66 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.34 $6.68 $13.37
premium $5.59 $6.99 $13.99
diesel $5.64 $7.06 $14.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$31–$56

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.5 0 $3.34 $1.53
Efficient EV 8 0 $2.78 $1.27
EV Truck/SUV 12.7 0 $4.45 $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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Fountain Hills, AZ

Afternoon in Fountain Hills on Sunday

Local time

4:17 PM

MST

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Phoenix, AZ

Afternoon in Phoenix on Sunday

Local time

4:17 PM

MST

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

63°F

Mesa, AZ

16 mi in

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

4 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

40m 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 Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ covers 31.8 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Saguaro Boulevard, East Shea Boulevard, Beeline Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.9 miles from Fountain Hills, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.33 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.
The drive from Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ is easy. At 40m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Fountain Hills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Phoenix, AZ to Fountain Hills, AZ

Plan the drive back the other way.

32.5 mi 43m

Explore more options from Fountain Hills, AZ or browse trips ending in Phoenix, AZ.

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