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Trip from Payson, AZ to Maryvale, AZ

Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology

Drive Time

1h 57m

Distance

96.6 mi

155 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 49m ★
6 AM
1h 57m
8 AM
2h 14m
10 AM
2h 3m
12 PM
2h 2m
3 PM
2h 4m
5 PM
2h 13m
8 PM
1h 52m

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

town in Gila County, Arizona, United States

Payson, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

urban village in Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Maryvale, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 96.6-mile drive from Payson, AZ to Maryvale, AZ is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 57 minutes. You'll primarily navigate the South Beeline Highway, Red Mountain Freeway, and Papago Freeway, with about 19% of the journey on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $19 for this route. Given its relatively short duration and the absence of designated stops, this trip offers flexibility for when you depart and how you pace yourself. Both Payson and Maryvale are situated within the Desert Southwest region, so you'll remain in a familiar environment throughout your journey.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

48.3 miles from Payson, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 57m. Total distance: 96.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting a dynamic driving experience rather than a straightforward highway cruise. While 19% of the drive is on highways, the majority involves navigating local roads with frequent turns. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 72.4 miles along the South Beeline Highway. This means you'll be actively engaged with the road, adapting to changing conditions and directions throughout the trip, rather than settling into a long period of monotonous driving.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Beeline Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 72.4 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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 72.8 miles in.

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 96.6 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 72.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 73.2 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 85.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
72.8 mi into trip | ~1h 25m in

Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward AZ 202 Loop West
5
73.2 mi into trip | ~1h 26m in | AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway

Merge onto AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
85.2 mi into trip | ~1h 40m in

Take the exit toward I 10 West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 10 West
5
86.2 mi into trip | ~1h 41m 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 left lanes.
8
92.9 mi into trip | ~1h 49m in

Take the exit toward 51st Avenue, 59th Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 139 Toward 51st Avenue, 59th Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Beeline Highway 72.4 mi 1h 25m
Red Mountain Freeway 12 mi 13m
Papago Freeway 6.2 mi 7m
North 51st Avenue 2.2 mi 3m
North 55th Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
West Indian School Road 0.5 mi 1m
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel 0.5 mi <1m
North Country Club Drive 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: South Beeline Highway — 72.4 mi, about 1h 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Payson, AZ and Maryvale, AZ.

1

Start on AZ 87

72 mi · 1 hr 25 min · South Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
2

Continue on AZ 87

0.5 mi · 47 sec · North Country Club Drive
3

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
4

Merge onto AZ 202 Loop

12 mi · 13 min · Red Mountain Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Toward I 10 West Use the slight left lane.
6

Merge onto I 10

1.3 mi · 1 min · Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7

Continue on I 10

0.5 mi · 36 sec · Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
8

Continue on I 10

4.9 mi · 5 min · Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 56 sec
Exit 139 Toward 51st Avenue, 59th Avenue Use the slight right lane.
10

Turn right onto North 51st Avenue

2.2 mi · 3 min · North 51st Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Turn left onto West Indian School Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Indian School Road
Use the left lane.
12

Turn right onto North 55th Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · North 55th Avenue
13

Continue on North 55th Avenue

169 ft · 16 sec · North 55th Avenue
14

Arrive at destination

North 55th Avenue

Trip Plan

With a total duration of under two hours, this is a flexible drive where you can depart at your convenience. Consider starting earlier in the day to avoid potential afternoon heat in the Desert Southwest. Since there are no recommended stops and the longest continuous stretch is 72.4 miles, plan for a brief break if needed, perhaps before or after the longest segment on South Beeline Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $19, and it's always wise to fill up before heading out on local routes where services might be less frequent than on major interstates.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 48.3 miles from Payson, AZ, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.4 miles.

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 21 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 48.3 miles or 56m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 33m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Payson, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Payson, AZ

This is one driving day of about 96.6 miles and 1h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Payson, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on South Beeline Highway for about 72.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 48.3 mi from Payson, AZ · 56m into the drive

city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in Arizona, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Apache Junction, AZ

48 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

Tonto Basin, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 21 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Apache Junction, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 48.3 miles from Payson, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before South Beeline Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 72.4 miles.

Arriving in Maryvale, AZ

The final approach into Maryvale, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.24 one way

$38.49 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 34 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $20.37 $40.73
premium $5.59 $21.26 $42.53
diesel $5.61 $21.33 $42.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 33.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29 0 $10.14 $4.64
Efficient EV 24.2 0 $8.45 $3.86
EV Truck/SUV 38.6 0 $13.52 $6.18

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (68% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Payson, AZ

Late night in Payson on Friday

Local time

12:01 AM

MST

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Maryvale, AZ

Late night in Maryvale on Friday

Local time

12:01 AM

MST

Current temp

88°F

Partly Sunny

SSE 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 3:13AM PDT until April 17 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 3:13AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV

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

44 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 57m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Payson, AZ to Maryvale, AZ covers 96.6 miles and takes about 1h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are South Beeline Highway, Red Mountain Freeway, Papago Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 48.3 miles from Payson, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.24 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 96.6 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 72.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 73.2 miles (AZ 202 Loop / Red Mountain Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 85.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Payson, AZ to Maryvale, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Data sources

The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.

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