Origin
Glendale, AZ
Morning in Glendale on Friday
Local time
9:14 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glendale, AZ to San Carlos, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
29.7 mi
48 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glendale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
San Carlos, AZ
Andrea Hinojosa
Trip Overview
The drive from Glendale, AZ to San Carlos, AZ covers 29.7 miles and takes about 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maricopa Freeway, US 60, Grand Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.8 miles on Maricopa Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 29.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 42m highway drive covering 29.7 miles, with most of the trip on Maricopa Freeway and US 60. The longest continuous stretch is about 8.8 miles on Maricopa Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maricopa Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maricopa Freeway and US 60. 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
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 29.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
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 13 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
19.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
US 60
Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
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 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
7
26 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Alma School Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 178
Toward Alma School Road
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Glendale, AZ to San Carlos, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
Globe
19.4 mi in
|
~27m
|
via US 60
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maricopa Freeway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| US 60 | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Grand Avenue | 5.9 mi | 10m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| South Alma School Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| West Elliot Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Hartford Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Black Canyon Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Maricopa Freeway
— 8.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, AZ and San Carlos, 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
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 60
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
US 60
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 178
Toward Alma School Road
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto South Alma School Road
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
South Alma School Road
12
Turn left onto West Elliot Road
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
West Elliot Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto North Hartford Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Hartford Street
14
Turn right
141 ft
·
13 sec
15
Turn right
102 ft
·
7 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.92 one way
$11.83 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.26 | $12.52 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.54 | $13.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
San Carlos, AZ
Morning in San Carlos on Friday
Local time
9:14 AM
MST
Current temp
90°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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
42m 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 San Carlos, AZ covers 29.7 miles and takes about 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maricopa Freeway, US 60, Grand Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.8 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 $5.92 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 short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 29.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
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.
On the drive from Glendale, AZ to San Carlos, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
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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