Origin
Peoria, AZ
Morning in Peoria on Saturday
Local time
8:23 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Peoria, 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
47m
Distance
32 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Peoria, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Carefree, AZ
Serg Alesenko
Trip Overview
The drive from Peoria, AZ to Carefree, AZ covers 32 miles and takes about 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Agua Fria Freeway, North Cave Creek Road, Pima Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.4 miles on Agua Fria Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Peoria, AZ
Full guide →Peoria is a city inside of Phoenix, Arizona. Many visitors come to the area during the spring to see their favorite professional baseball team during Spring Training in the Cactus League.
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 47m. Total distance: 32 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Peoria, AZ to Carefree, AZ covers 32 miles and takes about 47m, 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 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Agua Fria Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.4 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 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near North 91st Avenue.
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 32 miles you will encounter 7 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 1.4 miles (North 91st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Agua Fria Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
North 91st Avenue
Turn right onto North 91st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
AZ 101 Loop / Agua Fria Freeway
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Agua Fria Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
17.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Cave Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 28
Toward Cave Creek Road
6
18.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Cave Creek Road, National Memorial Cemetery
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Cave Creek Road, National Memorial Cemet...
5
28 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
East Carefree Highway
Turn right onto East Carefree Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 Peoria, AZ to Carefree, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward National Memorial Cemetery along the way.
National Memorial Cemetery
18.3 mi in
|
~22m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Agua Fria Freeway | 11.4 mi | 13m |
| North Cave Creek Road | 9.7 mi | 16m |
| Pima Freeway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| East Carefree Highway | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| North Tom Darlington Drive | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Grand Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North Bloody Basin Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North 91st Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Agua Fria Freeway
— 11.4 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Peoria, AZ and Carefree, AZ.
1
Start on North 83rd Avenue
128 ft
·
6 sec
·
North 83rd Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 60
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Avenue
3
Turn right onto North 91st Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
North 91st Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
5
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 28
Toward Cave Creek Road
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
507 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Cave Creek Road, National Memorial Cemetery
9
Turn slight left onto North Cave Creek Road
9.7 mi
·
16 min
·
North Cave Creek Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto East Carefree Highway
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
East Carefree Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto North Tom Darlington Drive
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Tom Darlington Drive
Use the left lane.
12
Turn slight right onto North Bloody Basin Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Bloody Basin Road
13
Arrive at destination
North Tranquil Trail
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16 mi from Peoria, AZ · 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16 miles from Peoria, 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
$6.37 one way
$12.75 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.75 | $13.49 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.07 | $14.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Morning in Carefree on Saturday
Local time
8:23 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
85°F
Cave Creek, AZ
16 mi in
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
47m 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 Peoria, AZ to Carefree, AZ covers 32 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Agua Fria Freeway, North Cave Creek Road, Pima Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16 miles from Peoria, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.37 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 32 miles you will encounter 7 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 1.4 miles (North 91st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Agua Fria Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Peoria, AZ to Carefree, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward National Memorial Cemetery along the way.
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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