The drive from Surprise, AZ to Chino Valley, AZ covers 104.9 miles and takes about 2h 3m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on AZ 69, Black Canyon Freeway, Bob Stump Memorial Parkway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.6 miles on AZ 69.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.90 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.5 miles from Surprise, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 2m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 3m. Total distance: 104.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Chino Valley, AZ covers 104.9 miles and takes about 2h 3m, 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 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
AZ 69 is the longest continuous segment at about 21.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near North El Mirage Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 104.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.5 miles (North El Mirage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 20.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|North El Mirage Road
At end of road, turn left onto North El Mirage Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5.5 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp toward AZ 303 Loop North
Navigation decision point
Toward AZ 303 Loop North
6
20.8 mi into trip|~29m in
Take the exit toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
6
60.6 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|AZ 69
Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 69 toward AZ 69 North: Cordes Lakes Rd, Prescott
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AZ 69 North: Cordes Lakes Rd, Prescott
6
95.7 mi into trip|~1h 52m in
Take the exit toward AZ 89: Prescott, Chino Valley
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 317
Toward AZ 89: Prescott, Chino Valley
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Surprise, AZ to Chino Valley, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Prescott along the way.
Prescott
60.6 mi in|~1h 11m|via AZ 69
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
AZ 69
21.6 mi
25m
Black Canyon Freeway
16.4 mi
16m
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
14.8 mi
17m
Arizona Veterans Highway
13.4 mi
13m
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
8.9 mi
9m
Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
8.8 mi
10m
Fain Road
7.6 mi
9m
Prescott–Flagstaff Highway
5.9 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
AZ 69
— 21.6 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surprise, AZ and Chino Valley, AZ.
1
Start on North Nash Street
88 ft·5 sec·North Nash Street
2
Turn right onto West Paradise Lane
0.5 mi·1 min·West Paradise Lane
3
At end of road, turn left onto North El Mirage Road
5.0 mi·8 min·North El Mirage Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·2 min
Toward AZ 303 Loop North
5
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
15 mi·17 min·Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
6
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 17 North: FlagstaffUse the straight lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·16 sec
Toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
8
Merge onto I 17
16 mi·16 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 17
8.9 mi·9 min·Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 17
13 mi·13 min·Arizona Veterans Highway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 69
22 mi·25 min·AZ 69
Toward AZ 69 North: Cordes Lakes Rd, Prescott
12
Turn right onto Fain Road
7.6 mi·9 min·Fain Road
13
Continue on AZ 89A
5.9 mi·6 min·Prescott–Flagstaff Highway
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·44 sec
Exit 317Toward AZ 89: Prescott, Chino Valley
15
Turn right onto AZ 89
0.5 mi·36 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
16
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
103 ft·1 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
17
Continue on AZ 89
0.9 mi·1 min·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
18
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
136 ft·1 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
19
Continue on AZ 89
3.7 mi·4 min·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
20
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
150 ft·2 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
21
Continue on AZ 89
0.8 mi·53 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
22
Enter roundabout onto AZ 89
151 ft·2 sec·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
23
Continue on AZ 89
2.8 mi·3 min·Prescott–Ash Fork Highway
24
Arrive at destination
AZ 89
Trip Plan
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 52.5 miles from Surprise, AZ, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.6 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 23 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.5 miles or 1h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chino Valley, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Surprise, 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 Surprise, AZ
This is one driving day of about 104.9 miles and 2h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Surprise, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on AZ 69 for about 21.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 52.5 mi from Surprise, AZ
· 1h 2m into the drive
The midpoint is around 52.5 miles from Surprise, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Chino Valley, AZ
The final approach into Chino 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 Chino Valley, 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.
Tuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
Water flows under and through this landscape, feeding the growth of people and towns. The Verde Valley is watered by snowmelt, summer monsoons, and springs that well up from the ancient sedimentary ro...
17 mi from route
~43 min detour
$10
near mile 86.8
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$10
near mile 79.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.90 one way
$41.79 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$22.12
$44.23
premium
$5.59
$23.09
$46.18
diesel
$5.61
$23.16
$46.32
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.5
0
$11.01
$5.04
Efficient EV
26.2
0
$9.18
$4.20
EV Truck/SUV
42
0
$14.69
$6.71
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Surprise, AZ
Afternoon
in Surprise on Friday
Local time
3:03 PM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Chino Valley, AZ
Afternoon
in Chino Valley on Friday
Local time
3:03 PM
MST
Current temp
41°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
47 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
2h 3m 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 Surprise, AZ to Chino Valley, AZ covers 104.9 miles and takes about 2h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are AZ 69, Black Canyon Freeway, Bob Stump Memorial Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 52.5 miles from Surprise, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.90 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 104.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.5 miles (North El Mirage Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 20.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Surprise, AZ to Chino Valley, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Prescott along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
