Origin
Payson, AZ
Night in Payson on Sunday
Local time
10:37 PM
MST
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Payson, AZ to Yuma, AZ
Drive Time
4h 21m
Distance
268.1 mi
431 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$53
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 8m
★
6 AM
4h 21m
8 AM
4h 48m
10 AM
4h 30m
12 PM
4h 28m
3 PM
4h 32m
5 PM
4h 46m
8 PM
4h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Payson, AZ
Barnabas Davoti
Yuma, AZ
cottonbro studio
Trip Overview
The drive from Payson, AZ to Yuma, AZ covers 268.1 miles and takes about 4h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Country Club Drive, AZ 202, Red Mountain Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $53.36 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
134.1 miles from Payson, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 10m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 21m drive with frequent turns across 268.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Country Club Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 21m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Payson, AZ to Yuma, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Country Club Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| AZ 202 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Red Mountain Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 10 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Papago Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| AZ 85 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
North Country Club Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Payson, AZ and Yuma, AZ.
1
Start on South Beeline Highway
72 mi
·
1 hr 25 min
·
South Beeline Highway
2
Continue on North Country Club Drive
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
North Country Club Drive
3
Take the exit right toward AZ 202 Loop West
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
AZ 202 Loop West
4
Merge slight left onto Red Mountain Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
5
Take the exit slight left toward I 10 West
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 West
6
Merge slight right onto Papago Freeway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
7
Continue on Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
8
Continue on Papago Freeway
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Papago Freeway
9
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit slight right toward AZ 85: Yuma, San Diego
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
AZ 85: Yuma, San Diego
11
Continue on South Oglesby Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
South Oglesby Road
12
Continue on Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
13
Continue on Arizona State Highway 85
28 mi
·
33 min
·
Arizona State Highway 85
14
Take the exit slight right toward AZ-85 South: Gila Bend
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
AZ-85 South: Gila Bend
15
Continue on Arizona State Highway 85
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Arizona State Highway 85
16
Continue on East Pima Street
2.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East Pima Street
17
Take the exit slight right toward I 8 West: San Diego
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 8 West: San Diego
18
Merge slight left onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
114 mi
·
1 hr 57 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
19
Take the exit slight right toward Giss Parkway
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Giss Parkway
20
Keep slight left
190 ft
·
5 sec
21
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Harold C Giss Parkway
249 ft
·
5 sec
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
22
Exit the rotary onto Harold C Giss Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
23
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Harold C Giss Parkway
121 ft
·
2 sec
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
24
Exit the roundabout onto Harold C Giss Parkway
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
25
Turn right onto South 4th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 4th Avenue
26
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 134.1 miles from Payson, AZ, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134.1 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Yuma, 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.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Payson, AZ
This is one driving day of about 268.1 miles and 4h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Payson, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 134.1 mi from Payson, AZ · 2h 10m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
134 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 134.1 miles from Payson, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Yuma, AZ
The final approach into Yuma, 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 Yuma, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$53.36 one way
$106.71 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
94 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $56.34 | $112.69 |
| premium | $5.59 | $58.97 | $117.94 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $59.56 | $119.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.4 | 0 | $28.15 | $12.87 |
| Efficient EV | 67 | 0 | $23.46 | $10.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.2 | 1 | $37.53 | $17.16 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Yuma, AZ
Night in Yuma on Sunday
Local time
10:37 PM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
63°F
Mesa, AZ
134 mi in
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
16 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
4h 21m 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 Payson, AZ to Yuma, AZ covers 268.1 miles and takes about 4h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Country Club Drive, AZ 202, Red Mountain Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 134.1 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 $53.36 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 is a straightforward 4h 21m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Payson, AZ to Yuma, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Payson, AZ to Yuma, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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