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Trip from Glendale, AZ to Cactus Flat, AZ

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 1m

Distance

181.3 mi

292 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$36

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 48m ★
6 AM
4h 1m
8 AM
4h 27m
10 AM
4h 10m
12 PM
4h 8m
3 PM
4h 11m
5 PM
4h 26m
8 PM
3h 53m

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

city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Glendale, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Cactus Flat, AZ, AZ

Cactus Flat, AZ

🇻🇳🇻🇳 Việt Anh Nguyễn 🇻🇳🇻🇳

Trip Overview

The drive from Glendale, AZ to Cactus Flat, AZ covers 181.3 miles and takes about 4h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Grand Avenue, 27th Avenue, West Thomas Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.12 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

90.7 miles from Glendale, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 1m. Total distance: 181.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 1m 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 4h 1m drive with frequent turns across 181.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Grand Avenue 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.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 1m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Grand Avenue
27th Avenue
West Thomas Road
North Black Canyon Highway
I 17 South
Black Canyon Freeway
Maricopa Freeway
US 60 East

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Grand Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, AZ and Cactus Flat, AZ.

1

Start on Grand Avenue

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Grand Avenue
2

Continue on Grand Avenue

5.5 mi · 9 min · Grand Avenue
3

Take the exit straight toward 27th Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · 27th Avenue
4

Turn left onto West Thomas Road

0.2 mi · 27 sec · West Thomas Road
5

Turn right onto North Black Canyon Highway

0.3 mi · 28 sec · North Black Canyon Highway
6

Take the exit straight toward I 17 South

0.2 mi · 25 sec · I 17 South
7

Merge slight left onto Black Canyon Freeway

3.5 mi · 4 min · Black Canyon Freeway
8

Continue on Maricopa Freeway

8.8 mi · 10 min · Maricopa Freeway
9

Take the exit slight right toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe

28 mi · 32 min · US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
10

Continue on Phoenix–Globe Highway

43 mi · 55 min · Phoenix–Globe Highway
11

Continue on Live Oak Street

1.9 mi · 3 min · Live Oak Street
12

Continue on US 60

4.0 mi · 7 min · US 60
13

Continue on North Broad Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Broad Street
14

Turn left onto North Broad Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Broad Street
15

Turn left onto East Oak Street

367 ft · 9 sec · East Oak Street
16

Turn right onto South Hill Street

0.3 mi · 40 sec · South Hill Street
17

Turn left onto East Ash Street

2.3 mi · 4 min · East Ash Street
18

Continue on Globe-Lordsburg Highway

0.8 mi · 1 min · Globe-Lordsburg Highway
19

Keep slight left to continue on Globe-Lordsburg Highway

70 mi · 1 hr 27 min · Globe-Lordsburg Highway
20

Continue on West Main Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · West Main Street
21

Continue on West Thatcher Boulevard

2.3 mi · 4 min · West Thatcher Boulevard
22

Continue on West 5th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · West 5th Street
23

Turn right onto South 1st Avenue

5.4 mi · 8 min · South 1st Avenue
24

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 90.7 miles from Glendale, AZ, or about 2h 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 40 miles or 53m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 90.7 miles or 2h 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 17m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cactus Flat, AZ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Glendale, 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 Glendale, AZ

This is one driving day of about 181.3 miles and 4h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Glendale, 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 90.7 mi from Glendale, AZ · 2h into the drive

city in and county seat of Gila County, Arizona, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Globe, AZ

91 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

Queen Creek, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Globe, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 90.7 miles from Glendale, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cactus Flat, AZ

The final approach into Cactus Flat, 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 Cactus Flat, 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

$36.12 one way

$72.23 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 63 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $38.22 $76.45
premium $5.59 $39.91 $79.81
diesel $5.61 $40.03 $80.06

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$36

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$61–$86

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 63.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 54.4 0 $19.04 $8.70
Efficient EV 45.3 0 $15.86 $7.25
EV Truck/SUV 72.5 0 $25.38 $11.60

Gas CO2

63 kg

EV CO2

21 kg (67% 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

Glendale, AZ

Late night in Glendale on Friday

Local time

2:18 AM

MST

Current temp

92°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cactus Flat, AZ

Late night in Cactus Flat on Friday

Local time

2:18 AM

MST

Current temp

54°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

38 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

4h 1m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Cactus Flat, AZ covers 181.3 miles and takes about 4h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Grand Avenue, 27th Avenue, West Thomas Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 90.7 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 $36.12 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 1m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

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

The route from Glendale, AZ to Cactus Flat, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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