Origin
Mesa, AZ
Late night in Mesa on Friday
Local time
3:07 AM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mesa, AZ to Queen Creek, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
22.8 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Queen Creek, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Mesa, AZ to Queen Creek, AZ covers 22.8 miles and takes about 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Superstition Freeway, South Ellsworth Road, Santan Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.3 miles on Superstition Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.54 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 22.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Mesa, AZ to Queen Creek, AZ covers 22.8 miles and takes about 33m, 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.
Superstition Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Mesa Drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 22.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Mesa Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Mesa Drive
Turn left onto North Mesa Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward US 60 East: Globe
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 60 East: Globe
7
12.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward AZ Loop 202 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 190B
Toward AZ Loop 202 South
7
15.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward AZ 24 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 34A
Toward AZ 24 East
7
17.3 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Ellsworth Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward Ellsworth 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 Mesa, AZ to Queen Creek, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Az Loop 202 South along the way.
Az Loop 202 South
12.2 mi in
|
~16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Superstition Freeway | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| South Ellsworth Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Santan Freeway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| South Mesa Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Ellsworth Loop Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Mesa Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Gateway Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Ocotillo Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Superstition Freeway
— 9.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mesa, AZ and Queen Creek, AZ.
1
Start on East University Drive
73 ft
·
8 sec
·
East University Drive
2
Turn left onto North Mesa Drive
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
North Mesa Drive
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on South Mesa Drive
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
South Mesa Drive
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward US 60 East: Globe
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto US 60
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 190B
Toward AZ Loop 202 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Santan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Exit 34A
Toward AZ 24 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on AZ 24
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
Gateway Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1
Toward Ellsworth Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto South Ellsworth Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
South Ellsworth Road
12
Continue on South Ellsworth Loop Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Ellsworth Loop Road
13
Turn left onto East Ocotillo Road
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Ocotillo Road
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
East Ocotillo Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.54 one way
$9.08 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $4.81 | $9.61 |
| premium | $5.59 | $5.02 | $10.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.03 | $10.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Queen Creek, AZ
Late night in Queen Creek on Friday
Local time
3:07 AM
MST
Current temp
59°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
34 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
33m 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 Queen Creek, AZ covers 22.8 miles and takes about 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Superstition Freeway, South Ellsworth Road, Santan Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.4 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 $4.54 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 9 decision points packed into just 22.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Mesa Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Mesa, AZ to Queen Creek, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Az Loop 202 South along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
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. National park proximity is from the NPS API. 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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