Origin
Glendale, AZ
Afternoon in Glendale on Thursday
Local time
1:45 PM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glendale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
62.2 mi
100 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glendale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Blackwater, AZ
Yanming Guo
Trip Overview
The drive from Glendale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ covers 62.2 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa Freeway, AZ 387 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.1 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 62.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Glendale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ covers 62.2 miles and takes about 1h 18m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 6.4 miles in near US 60 / West Thomas Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.2 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.4 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
6.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
US 60 / West Thomas Road
Turn left onto US 60 / West Thomas Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
6.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Turn right onto US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Navigation decision point
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 17 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 17 South
8
50 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 185
Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
6
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Fl...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Glendale, AZ and Blackwater, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge, Florence and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Coolidge
50 mi in
|
~59m
Florence
50.3 mi in
|
~1h
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
50.3 mi in
|
~1h
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 23.1 mi | 23m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 16.3 mi | 18m |
| AZ 387 | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| Grand Avenue | 5.9 mi | 10m |
| Blackwater School Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Junction I-10-Mesa Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| US 60 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 23.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, AZ and Blackwater, AZ.
1
Start on US 60
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Grand Avenue
2
Continue on US 60
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit onto US 60
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 60
Toward 27th Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Thomas Road
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Black Canyon Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 17 South
7
Merge onto I 17; US 60
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 17; US 60
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
23 mi
·
23 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 185
Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
298 ft
·
14 sec
Toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
12
Turn left onto AZ 387
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
13
Turn right onto AZ 387
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
AZ 387
14
Turn left onto AZ 87
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
15
Turn right onto Blackwater School Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Blackwater School Road
16
Arrive at destination
Blackwater School Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.1 mi from Glendale, AZ · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.1 miles from Glendale, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Blackwater, AZ
The final approach into Blackwater, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.39 one way
$24.78 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $13.11 | $26.23 |
| premium | $5.59 | $13.69 | $27.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.73 | $27.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.53 | $2.99 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.44 | $2.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.9 | 0 | $8.71 | $3.98 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Blackwater, AZ
Afternoon in Blackwater on Thursday
Local time
1:45 PM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 18m 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 Glendale, AZ to Blackwater, AZ covers 62.2 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa Freeway, AZ 387. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.1 miles from Glendale, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.39 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.2 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.4 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Between Glendale, AZ and Blackwater, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge, Florence and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
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