Trip from Phoenix, AZ to Maricopa, AZ

Drive Time

45m

Distance

34.6 mi

56 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 42m ★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m

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

Downtown Phoenix, AZ, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Carter Marchant

Downtown Maricopa, AZ, AZ

Maricopa, AZ

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

If you are looking to travel from Phoenix to Maricopa, you are facing a quick 33.2-mile journey that typically takes about 41 minutes. This trip remains entirely within the Desert Southwest region of Arizona, making it an ideal candidate for a simple one-day outing. You will navigate primarily via local surface streets like South 1st Avenue, West Madison Street, and South 1st Street rather than utilizing major interstate corridors. With a fuel budget of just $6, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. Because the drive is short and direct, you can easily complete it without needing an overnight stay, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

17.3 miles from Phoenix, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 23m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish. Since the highway share for this 33.2-mile route is 0%, you won't be dealing with high-speed interstate cruising or long, monotonous stretches of pavement. Instead, the trip is defined by navigating through urban and local infrastructure, requiring your full attention at intersections. Because there is no extended highway time, the road personality is strictly functional and urban in nature. You will find that the rhythm of the drive stays consistent throughout the 41-minute duration as you transition between the specified local streets.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maricopa Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 14 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 around 0.1 miles in near South 1st Avenue.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 34.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (South 1st Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles (East Maricopa Freeway): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South 1st Avenue

Turn left onto South 1st Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South 1st Avenue

Keep slight left at fork onto South 1st Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6
2 mi into trip | ~5m in | East Maricopa Freeway

Turn left onto East Maricopa Freeway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
2 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the ramp toward I 17 South, US 60 East

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 17 South, US 60 East
7
18.5 mi into trip | ~24m in

Take the exit toward AZ 347 South

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 164 Toward AZ 347 South

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Maricopa Freeway 14 mi 16m
North Maricopa Road 11.8 mi 13m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway 2.2 mi 2m
North John Wayne Parkway 2.2 mi 4m
West Queen Creek Road 1.7 mi 2m
South 7th Street 0.9 mi 2m
East Lincoln Street 0.4 mi 1m
South 1st Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Maricopa Freeway — 14 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Phoenix, AZ and Maricopa, AZ.

1

Start on West Washington Street

322 ft · 18 sec · West Washington Street
2

Turn left onto South 1st Avenue

436 ft · 9 sec · South 1st Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Keep slight left at fork onto South 1st Avenue

350 ft · 14 sec · South 1st Avenue
4

Turn left onto West Madison Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · West Madison Street
5

At end of road, turn right onto South 1st Street

0.3 mi · 55 sec · South 1st Street
6

Turn left onto East Lincoln Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Lincoln Street
7

Turn right onto South 7th Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · South 7th Street
Use the right lane.
8

Turn left onto East Maricopa Freeway

290 ft · 8 sec · East Maricopa Freeway
Use the left lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward I 17 South, US 60 East Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto I 17; US 60

14 mi · 16 min · Maricopa Freeway
Use the none lane.
11

Continue on I 10

2.2 mi · 2 min · Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Exit 164 Toward AZ 347 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Turn right onto AZ 347

1.7 mi · 2 min · West Queen Creek Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14

Continue on AZ 347

12 mi · 13 min · North Maricopa Road
Use the none lane.
15

Continue on AZ 347

2.2 mi · 4 min · North John Wayne Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
16

Arrive at destination

AZ 347

Trip Plan

Given the short 41-minute duration, you have plenty of freedom to plan your departure time around traffic patterns rather than worrying about long-haul fatigue. You will not need to factor in any planned stops, as the entire distance is easily manageable in one go. Keep in mind that since the route relies exclusively on local roads, you should account for typical city stop-and-go travel times. Make sure to have your $6 for fuel ready before you head out, as this covers the expected costs for the full 33.2 miles. Since you are navigating through city streets, stay alert for frequent turns as you transition from South 1st Avenue to the final destination.

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 17.3 miles from Phoenix, AZ, or about 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14 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 34.6 miles or 45m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 17.3 miles or 23m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 38m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Phoenix, 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 Phoenix, AZ

This is one driving day of about 34.6 miles and 45m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Phoenix, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Maricopa Freeway for about 14 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 17.3 mi from Phoenix, AZ · 23m into the drive

Downtown Tempe, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tempe, AZ

17 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

Chandler, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 34.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chandler, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 17.3 miles from Phoenix, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Maricopa, AZ

The final approach into Maricopa, 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 Maricopa, 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

$6.89 one way

$13.77 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.34 $7.27 $14.54
premium $5.59 $7.61 $15.22
diesel $5.64 $7.69 $15.37

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$7

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$32–$57

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.4 0 $3.63 $1.66
Efficient EV 8.7 0 $3.03 $1.38
EV Truck/SUV 13.8 0 $4.84 $2.21

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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Phoenix, AZ

Afternoon in Phoenix on Sunday

Local time

4:05 PM

MST

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Maricopa, AZ

Afternoon in Maricopa on Sunday

Local time

4:05 PM

MST

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

7 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

45m 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 Phoenix, AZ to Maricopa, AZ covers 34.6 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maricopa Freeway, North Maricopa Road, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.3 miles from Phoenix, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.89 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 demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 34.6 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (South 1st Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles (East Maricopa Freeway): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Phoenix, AZ to Maricopa, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Maricopa, AZ to Phoenix, AZ

Plan the drive back the other way.

34.7 mi 45m

Explore more options from Phoenix, AZ or browse trips ending in Maricopa, AZ.

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