Origin
Phoenix, AZ
Late night in Phoenix on Friday
Local time
2:26 AM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Phoenix, AZ to Blackwater, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
51.6 mi
83 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Blackwater, AZ
Yanming Guo
Trip Overview
The drive from Phoenix, AZ to Blackwater, AZ covers 51.6 miles and takes about 1h 4m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa Freeway, AZ 387 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.1 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 51.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Phoenix, AZ to Blackwater, AZ covers 51.6 miles and takes about 1h 4m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 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.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.1 miles (South 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (East Maricopa Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese 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.
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
8
39.4 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
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 185
Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Fl...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Phoenix, AZ and Blackwater, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge, Florence and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Coolidge
39.4 mi in
|
~45m
Florence
39.7 mi in
|
~46m
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
39.7 mi in
|
~46m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 23.1 mi | 23m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 14 mi | 16m |
| AZ 387 | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| Blackwater School Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| South 7th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Junction I-10-Mesa Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Lincoln Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 23.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Phoenix, AZ and Blackwater, 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 straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10
23 mi
·
23 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 185
Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
298 ft
·
14 sec
Toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
14
Turn left onto AZ 387
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
15
Turn right onto AZ 387
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
AZ 387
16
Turn left onto AZ 87
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
17
Turn right onto Blackwater School Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Blackwater School Road
18
Arrive at destination
Blackwater School Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.8 mi from Phoenix, AZ · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.8 miles from Phoenix, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Blackwater, AZ
The final approach into Blackwater, 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
$10.28 one way
$20.56 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $10.88 | $21.76 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.36 | $22.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.39 | $22.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.42 | $2.48 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.22 | $3.30 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Blackwater, AZ
Late night in Blackwater on Friday
Local time
2:26 AM
MST
Current temp
92°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
90°F
Guadalupe, AZ
26 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
1 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 4m 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 Blackwater, AZ covers 51.6 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Maricopa Freeway, AZ 387. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.8 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 $10.28 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 51.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.1 miles (South 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (East Maricopa Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Phoenix, AZ and Blackwater, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge, Florence and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Blackwater, AZ
Explore more options from Phoenix, AZ or browse trips ending in Blackwater, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.