Origin
Mesa, AZ
Evening in Mesa on Friday
Local time
6:58 PM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mesa, AZ to Carefree, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
33.3 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Carefree, AZ
Serg Alesenko
Trip Overview
The drive from Mesa, AZ to Carefree, AZ covers 33.3 miles and takes about 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pima Freeway, North Scottsdale Road, East McDowell Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.3 miles on Pima Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Mesa, AZ
Full guide →Mesa, population 518,000 (2019), is in Maricopa County. It is Arizona's third-largest city, and is part of the Greater Phoenix urban complex.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 33.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Mesa, AZ to Carefree, AZ covers 33.3 miles and takes about 49m, 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 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pima Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in near East McDowell Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 33.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 4.1 miles (East McDowell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
East McDowell Road
Turn left onto East McDowell Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the ramp toward AZ 101 Loop North
Navigation decision point
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
5
7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
21.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Scottsdale Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 34
Toward Scottsdale Road
5
21.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
North Scottsdale Road
Turn right onto North Scottsdale Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pima Freeway | 14.3 mi | 16m |
| North Scottsdale Road | 9.7 mi | 15m |
| East McDowell Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| North Mesa Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| North Tom Darlington Drive | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East McKellips Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Country Club Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Bloody Basin Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Pima Freeway
— 14.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mesa, AZ and Carefree, AZ.
1
Start on East University Drive
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
East University Drive
2
Turn right onto North Mesa Drive
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Mesa Drive
3
Turn left onto East McKellips Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East McKellips Road
4
Turn right onto AZ 87
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Country Club Drive
5
Continue on AZ 87
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
North Beeline Highway
6
Turn left onto East McDowell Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East McDowell Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
8
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 34
Toward Scottsdale Road
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn straight onto Pima Freeway
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Pima Freeway
11
Turn right onto North Scottsdale Road
9.7 mi
·
15 min
·
North Scottsdale Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on North Tom Darlington Drive
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Tom Darlington Drive
Use the left lane.
13
Turn slight right onto North Bloody Basin Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Bloody Basin Road
14
Arrive at destination
North Tranquil Trail
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.6 mi from Mesa, AZ · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.6 miles from Mesa, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Carefree, AZ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Carefree, AZ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.63 one way
$13.27 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.02 | $14.04 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.35 | $14.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Carefree, AZ
Evening in Carefree on Friday
Local time
6:58 PM
MST
Current temp
84°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
9 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
49m 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 Mesa, AZ to Carefree, AZ covers 33.3 miles and takes about 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pima Freeway, North Scottsdale Road, East McDowell Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.6 miles from Mesa, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.63 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 33.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 4.1 miles (East McDowell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 7 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Mesa, AZ to Carefree, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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