Trip from Phoenix, AZ to San Tan Valley, AZ

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

47.2 mi

76 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min

4 AM

1h 2m ★

6 AM

1h 8m

8 AM

1h 18m

10 AM

1h 11m

12 PM

1h 10m

3 PM

1h 12m

5 PM

1h 18m

8 PM

1h 4m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Phoenix, AZ

Carter Marchant

San Tan Valley, AZ

Brent Singleton

Trip Overview

Traveling from Phoenix to San Tan Valley covers 48.2 miles across the Desert Southwest, typically taking about 56 minutes. Because this is a short journey, it is best suited for a single-day trip rather than an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $9 for fuel to complete the drive. Navigating through local streets like South 1st Avenue and West Madison Street, you will find this route is straightforward for commuters or those visiting the area. It is a practical, no-frills connection between these two desert communities.

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

23.6 miles from Phoenix, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 30m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than an open highway cruise. With a 0% highway share, you will remain on surface streets for the entire 48.2-mile duration. The route relies on a series of local roads, including South 1st Street, meaning there is no single long, uninterrupted stretch to settle into. You will need to stay alert for frequent turns as you transition between the urban environment of Phoenix and the outskirts of San Tan Valley. It is a hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention on local navigation.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US 60 is the longest continuous segment at about 18.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 60 and Maricopa Freeway. 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 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 47.2 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 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.8 miles (US 60): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

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

Turn left onto South 1st Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

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

8.8 mi into trip | ~13m in | US 60

Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 154 Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe

27.4 mi into trip | ~34m 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

31 mi into trip | ~39m 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

Towns Along This Route

Between Phoenix, AZ and San Tan Valley, AZ, road signs point toward Globe and Az Loop 202 South.

Globe

8.8 mi in | ~13m | via US 60

Az Loop 202 South

27.4 mi in | ~34m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 60	18.7 mi	21m
Maricopa Freeway	6.5 mi	7m
North Ironwood Road	3.4 mi	5m
Santan Freeway	2.9 mi	3m
Gateway Freeway	2.5 mi	3m
East Combs Road	2 mi	3m
North Gantzel Road	2 mi	3m
North Schnepf Road	2 mi	4m

Longest stretch: US 60 — 18.7 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Phoenix, AZ and San Tan Valley, AZ.

Start on West Washington Street

322 ft · 18 sec · West Washington Street

Turn left onto South 1st Avenue

436 ft · 9 sec · South 1st Avenue

Use the left lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto South 1st Avenue

350 ft · 14 sec · South 1st Avenue

Turn left onto West Madison Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · West Madison Street

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

0.3 mi · 55 sec · South 1st Street

Turn left onto East Lincoln Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Lincoln Street

Turn right onto South 7th Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · South 7th Street

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto East Maricopa Freeway

290 ft · 8 sec · East Maricopa Freeway

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec

Toward I 17 South, US 60 East Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 17; US 60

6.5 mi · 7 min · Maricopa Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto US 60

19 mi · 21 min · US 60

Exit 154 Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min

Exit 190B Toward AZ Loop 202 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto AZ 202 Loop

2.9 mi · 3 min · Santan Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

1.2 mi · 2 min

Exit 34A Toward AZ 24 East Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on AZ 24

1.6 mi · 1 min · Gateway Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on this road

0.3 mi · 24 sec · this road

Exit 2

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 44 sec · this road

Continue on AZ 24

0.6 mi · 59 sec · Gateway Freeway

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 43 sec · this road

Exit 3

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 37 sec · this road

Continue on AZ 24

0.3 mi · 31 sec · Gateway Freeway

Continue on this road

0.3 mi · 34 sec · this road

Exit 4

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 40 sec · this road

Continue on AZ 24

0.4 mi · 39 sec · Gateway Expressway

Continue on AZ 24

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Gateway Expressway

Exit 5

Turn right onto North Ironwood Road

3.4 mi · 5 min · North Ironwood Road

Use the left lane.

Continue on North Gantzel Road

2.0 mi · 3 min · North Gantzel Road

Turn left onto East Combs Road

2.0 mi · 3 min · East Combs Road

Turn right onto North Schnepf Road

2.0 mi · 4 min · North Schnepf Road

Arrive at destination

East Skyline Drive

Trip Plan

Since this is a sub-one-hour trip, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure time, though avoiding local peak traffic hours is always a wise move. Because there are no designated stops on this route, make sure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave Phoenix to cover the $9 estimated cost comfortably. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of this path means your average speed will remain lower than on a standard interstate. Use a reliable GPS to track the transitions between South 1st Avenue and the connecting local streets to ensure you stay on course. This short distance allows you to easily fit the trip into a morning or afternoon schedule.

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 23.6 miles from Phoenix, AZ, or about 30m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18.7 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 47.2 miles or 1h 7m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 23.6 miles or 30m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 54m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Tan Valley, 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 47.2 miles and 1h 7m.

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 US 60 for about 18.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 23.6 mi from Phoenix, AZ · 30m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Queen Creek, AZ

24 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

Queen Creek, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 47.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gilbert, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from Phoenix, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in San Tan Valley, AZ

The final approach into San Tan Valley, 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 San Tan Valley, 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

$9.39 one way

$18.79 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.34	$9.92	$19.84
premium	$5.59	$10.38	$20.76
diesel	$5.64	$10.49	$20.97

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$34–$59

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	14.2	$4.96	$2.27
Efficient EV	11.8	$4.13	$1.89
EV Truck/SUV	18.9	$6.61	$3.02

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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

Evening in Phoenix on Sunday

Local time

5:55 PM

MST

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Tan Valley, AZ

Evening in San Tan Valley on Sunday

Local time

5:55 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

1h 7m 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 San Tan Valley, AZ covers 47.2 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 60, Maricopa Freeway, North Ironwood Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 23.6 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 $9.39 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.