The drive from Maryvale, AZ to Saint Johns, AZ covers 229.7 miles and takes about 4h 56m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Globe-Show Low Highway, Phoenix–Globe Highway, Ortega Lake-St. Johns Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 83.5 miles on Globe-Show Low Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.77 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
114.8 miles from Maryvale, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 28m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 56m. Total distance: 229.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 56m drive with frequent turns across 229.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Globe-Show Low Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 83.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.2 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 229.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
3.2 mi into trip|~6m in
Turn left toward I 10 East: Tucson
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
5
3.7 mi into trip|~7m in|I 10 / Papago Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
12.2 mi into trip|~17m in|I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
13.5 mi into trip|~18m in|I 10; US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge onto I 10; US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
18.3 mi into trip|~24m 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
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 Maryvale, AZ to Saint Johns, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
The midpoint is around 114.8 miles from Maryvale, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Globe-Show Low Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 83.5 miles.
Arriving in Saint Johns, AZ
The final approach into Saint Johns, 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 Saint Johns, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 55.4
Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant gr...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
$10
near mile 87.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.77 one way
$89.55 round trip
$4.95/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.34
$48.27
$96.55
premium
$5.57
$50.34
$100.67
diesel
$6.37
$57.57
$115.14
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: 80.4 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.9
0
$24.12
$11.03
Efficient EV
57.4
0
$20.10
$9.19
EV Truck/SUV
91.9
1
$32.16
$14.70
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Maryvale, AZ
Late night
in Maryvale on Saturday
Local time
3:00 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Partly Sunny
SSE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Saint Johns, AZ
Late night
in Saint Johns on Saturday
Local time
3:00 AM
MST
Current temp
75°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
13 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 56m 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 Maryvale, AZ to Saint Johns, AZ covers 229.7 miles and takes about 4h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Globe-Show Low Highway, Phoenix–Globe Highway, Ortega Lake-St. Johns Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 114.8 miles from Maryvale, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $44.77 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 229.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Maryvale, AZ to Saint Johns, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Tonto National Monument.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
