This 143.2-mile journey from Sells, AZ to Maryvale, AZ is a straightforward, single-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours to complete. You'll primarily be on Indian Route 15, the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, and the West Tucson-Ajo Highway, experiencing a mixed drive profile as you traverse the Desert Southwest. With an estimated fuel cost of $29, it's an economical option for a day excursion. This route is best suited for a single day, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay, making it a convenient travel day.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
71.6 miles from Sells, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 36m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h. Total distance: 143.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a varied driving experience on this route, with about 48% of it on highways. The drive includes a longest uninterrupted stretch of 46.8 miles on Indian Route 15, offering a chance to settle in. As you progress, the road will transition, presenting a mix of driving conditions. This changing road personality means you'll encounter both faster highway sections and potentially more technical local road segments, keeping your attention throughout the 3-hour duration.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Indian Route 15 is the longest continuous segment at about 46.8 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.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 143.2 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: Navigation decision point; at 79.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 129.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
6
79.2 mi into trip|~1h 46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 178B
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
6
129.6 mi into trip|~2h 40m in|I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
131.5 mi into trip|~2h 43m in|I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
139.6 mi into trip|~2h 52m in
Take the exit toward 51st Avenue, 59th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 139
Toward 51st Avenue, 59th Avenue
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Indian Route 15
46.8 mi
1h 4m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
37.5 mi
37m
West Tucson-Ajo Highway
21.2 mi
24m
Maricopa Freeway
12 mi
13m
Papago Freeway
9.5 mi
10m
South Chuichu Road
5.4 mi
8m
Phoenix Bypass Route
3 mi
3m
North 51st Avenue
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Indian Route 15
— 46.8 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sells, AZ and Maryvale, AZ.
1
Start on this road
19 ft·0 sec·this road
2
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·34 sec·this road
3
Turn right
0.1 mi·34 sec
4
Turn left onto Main Road
0.2 mi·45 sec·Main Road
5
Continue on BIA 19
0.6 mi·1 min·San Miguel Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto AZ 86
21 mi·24 min·West Tucson-Ajo Highway
7
Turn right onto BIA 15
47 mi·1 hr 4 min·Indian Route 15
8
Continue on BIA 15
5.4 mi·8 min·South Chuichu Road
9
Turn right onto West Hanna Street
1.0 mi·1 min·West Hanna Street
10
Turn left onto South Trekell Road
0.4 mi·47 sec·South Trekell Road
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 8 East: Tucson
12
Merge onto I 8
3.0 mi·3 min·Phoenix Bypass Route
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·2 min
Exit 178BToward I 10 West: Phoenix
14
Merge onto I 10
37 mi·37 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 10
12 mi·13 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi·2 min·Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi·3 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·36 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
19
Continue on I 10
4.9 mi·5 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Exit 139Toward 51st Avenue, 59th AvenueUse the slight right lane.
21
Turn right onto North 51st Avenue
2.2 mi·3 min·North 51st Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Turn left onto West Indian School Road
0.5 mi·1 min·West Indian School Road
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto North 55th Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·North 55th Avenue
24
Continue on North 55th Avenue
169 ft·16 sec·North 55th Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
North 55th Avenue
Trip Plan
For this 3-hour drive, consider an early morning departure to maximize your day and avoid potential afternoon heat in the Desert Southwest. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 46.8-mile stretch on Indian Route 15, as services might be less frequent. The estimated $29 fuel cost is manageable, but it's always wise to start with a full tank. This route is well-suited for a single day, so plan your arrival time accordingly.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.6 miles from Sells, AZ, or about 1h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 46.8 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 32 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 71.6 miles or 1h 36m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Maryvale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sells, 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 Sells, AZ
This is one driving day of about 143.2 miles and 3h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Sells, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Indian Route 15 for about 46.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 71.6 mi from Sells, AZ
· 1h 36m into the drive
The midpoint is around 71.6 miles from Sells, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Maryvale, AZ
The final approach into Maryvale, 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 Maryvale, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 88.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.53 one way
$57.05 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg50 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$30.19
$60.38
premium
$5.59
$31.52
$63.04
diesel
$5.61
$31.62
$63.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43
0
$15.04
$6.87
Efficient EV
35.8
0
$12.53
$5.73
EV Truck/SUV
57.3
0
$20.05
$9.16
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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 as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Sells, AZ
Late night
in Sells on Friday
Local time
12:14 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Maryvale, AZ
Late night
in Maryvale on Friday
Local time
12:14 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
5 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 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 Sells, AZ to Maryvale, AZ covers 143.2 miles and takes about 3h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Indian Route 15, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, West Tucson-Ajo Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 71.6 miles from Sells, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.53 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 143.2 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 79.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 129.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Sells, AZ to Maryvale, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not 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.
Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the
methodology page.
