Origin
Mesa, AZ
Evening in Mesa on Friday
Local time
6:20 PM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mesa, AZ to Cave Creek, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
35.1 mi
57 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 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Cave Creek, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Mesa to Cave Creek covers 35.1 miles and typically takes about 53 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will navigate through the heart of the Desert Southwest using a combination of the Pima Freeway, North Scottsdale Road, and East McDowell Road. Because the entire journey is contained within the same region, you won’t experience drastic environmental shifts, keeping the drive straightforward and predictable. Budgeting around $7 for fuel is sufficient for the trip, allowing you to focus your resources on your destination. This route is efficient enough that you can easily head out and return home in the same day without needing to look for overnight accommodations.
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 53m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition from faster highway segments to local roads. About 41% of your journey is spent on major highways, with the longest uninterrupted stretch occurring over 14.3 miles on the Pima Freeway. You will find that the personality of the road shifts significantly as you move away from the high-speed freeway sections and onto the surface streets. While the freeway portions allow for steady momentum, the latter part of the drive requires more attention to local traffic patterns and intersections. It is a functional, balanced route that gets you from point A to point B without any overly technical or demanding terrain.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 15 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 9 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
6/10
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 35.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 9 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 | 2 mi | 4m |
| East Cave Creek Road | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| East McKellips Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Country Club Drive | 0.7 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 Cave Creek, 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
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
North Tom Darlington Drive
Use the left lane.
13
Turn straight onto North Tom Darlington Drive
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Tom Darlington Drive
14
Turn left onto East Cave Creek Road
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
East Cave Creek Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
East Cave Creek Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.6 mi from Mesa, AZ · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Mesa, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cave Creek, AZ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Cave Creek, 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
$6.99 one way
$13.98 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.40 | $14.80 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.73 | $15.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 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 | 10.5 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.25 |
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
Cave Creek, AZ
Evening in Cave Creek on Friday
Local time
6:20 PM
MST
Current temp
85°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
8 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
53m 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 Cave Creek, AZ covers 35.1 miles and takes about 53m 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 17.6 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 $6.99 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 35.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 Cave Creek, 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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