Origin
San Carlos, AZ
Night in San Carlos on Thursday
Local time
10:22 PM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Carlos, AZ to Deer Valley, AZ
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
49m
Distance
39.1 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Carlos, AZ
Andrea Hinojosa
Deer Valley, AZ
Line Knipst
Trip Overview
The drive from San Carlos, AZ to Deer Valley, AZ covers 39.1 miles and takes about 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pima Freeway, Price Freeway, West Elliot Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28 miles on Pima Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.79 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 39.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 49m highway drive covering 39.1 miles, with most of the trip on Pima Freeway and Price Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 28 miles on Pima Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pima Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 28 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pima Freeway and Price Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West Elliot Road.
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 39.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (West Elliot Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Price Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Elliot Road
At end of road, turn left onto West Elliot Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
South Price Road
Turn right onto South Price Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
AZ 101 Loop / Price Freeway
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Price Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
36.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward 27th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23A
Toward 27th Avenue
5
38.2 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
North 35th Avenue
Turn right onto North 35th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pima Freeway | 28 mi | 32m |
| Price Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| West Elliot Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| West Beardsley Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North 35th Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Hartford Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Price Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Loughlin Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pima Freeway
— 28 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Carlos, AZ and Deer Valley, AZ.
1
Start on this road
294 ft
·
22 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto West Loughlin Drive
146 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Loughlin Drive
3
Turn left onto North Hartford Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Hartford Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto West Elliot Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Elliot Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto South Price Road
273 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Price Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Pima Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 23A
Toward 27th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto West Beardsley Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Beardsley Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto North 35th Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North 35th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
North 35th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.6 mi from San Carlos, AZ · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from San Carlos, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Deer Valley, AZ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Deer Valley, 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
$7.79 one way
$15.58 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.24 | $16.49 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.61 | $17.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.63 | $17.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.11 | $1.88 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Deer Valley, AZ
Night in Deer Valley on Thursday
Local time
10:22 PM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 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
49m 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 San Carlos, AZ to Deer Valley, AZ covers 39.1 miles and takes about 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pima Freeway, Price Freeway, West Elliot 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 19.6 miles from San Carlos, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.79 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 39.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (West Elliot Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Price Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from San Carlos, AZ to Deer Valley, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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