Trip from Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ

Drive Time

5h 6m

Distance

234.8 mi

378 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$47

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 53m ★

6 AM

5h 7m

8 AM

5h 33m

10 AM

5h 16m

12 PM

5h 13m

3 PM

5h 17m

5 PM

5h 32m

8 PM

4h 58m

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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Surprise, AZ

Kostiantyn Zavhorodnii

Clifton, AZ

Stephan Louis

Trip Overview

The drive from Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ covers 234.8 miles and takes about 5h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Globe-Lordsburg Highway, Phoenix–Globe Highway, US 60 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 71.2 miles on Globe-Lordsburg Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.73 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

117.4 miles from Surprise, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 34m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ covers 234.8 miles and takes about 5h 6m, 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 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Globe-Lordsburg Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 71.2 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 0.3 miles in near West Santa Fe Drive.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 234.8 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 0.3 miles (West Santa Fe Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (West Greenway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

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

0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Santa Fe Drive

At end of road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive

Navigation decision point

0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Greenway Road

Turn right onto West Greenway Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

14.5 mi into trip | ~20m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Phoenix

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 1B Toward I 10 East: Phoenix

29.5 mi into trip | ~38m 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 none / straight / slight right lanes.

35.5 mi into trip | ~45m 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

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.

Globe

35.5 mi in | ~45m | via US 60

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Globe-Lordsburg Highway	71.2 mi	1h 28m
Phoenix–Globe Highway	43 mi	55m
US 60	31.9 mi	39m
US 191	23.7 mi	28m
Papago Freeway	14.9 mi	17m
West 5th Street	10.5 mi	14m
Coronado Boulevard	9 mi	14m
Agua Fria Freeway	8.9 mi	10m

Longest stretch: Globe-Lordsburg Highway — 71.2 mi, about 1h 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Surprise, AZ and Clifton, AZ.

Start on North Nash Street

0.3 mi · 53 sec · North Nash Street

At end of road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive

0.3 mi · 36 sec · West Santa Fe Drive

Turn right onto West Greenway Road

217 ft · 7 sec · West Greenway Road

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto US 60

4.6 mi · 7 min · Grand Avenue

Use the left / none lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec

Toward AZ 101 Loop South

Merge onto AZ 101 Loop

8.9 mi · 10 min · Agua Fria Freeway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min

Exit 1B Toward I 10 East: Phoenix Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10

10 mi · 12 min · Papago Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10

0.5 mi · 35 sec · Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel

Continue on I 10

3.2 mi · 3 min · Papago Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10

1.2 mi · 1 min · Papago Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 10; US 60

4.8 mi · 5 min · Maricopa Freeway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit onto US 60

28 mi · 32 min · US 60

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

Continue on US 60; US 80 Hist

43 mi · 55 min · Phoenix–Globe Highway

Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.

Continue on US 60

1.9 mi · 3 min · Live Oak Street

Continue on US 60

4.0 mi · 7 min · US 60

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 60

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Broad Street

Use the none lane.

Turn left onto North Broad Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Broad Street

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto East Oak Street

366 ft · 9 sec · East Oak Street

Turn right onto South Hill Street

0.3 mi · 39 sec · South Hill Street

Turn left onto US 60

2.3 mi · 4 min · East Ash Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 70; AZ 77

0.8 mi · 1 min · Globe-Lordsburg Highway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 70; AZ 77

70 mi · 1 hr 27 min · Globe-Lordsburg Highway

Continue on US 70

1.1 mi · 2 min · West Main Street

Continue on US 70

2.3 mi · 4 min · West Thatcher Boulevard

Continue on US 70

11 mi · 14 min · West 5th Street

Turn left onto US 191

24 mi · 28 min · US 191

At end of road, turn straight

90 ft · 2 sec

Turn left

82 ft · 2 sec

Turn slight right onto US 191

9.0 mi · 14 min · Coronado Boulevard

Arrive at destination

US 191

Trip Plan

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 117.4 miles from Surprise, AZ, or about 2h 34m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 71.2 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 80 miles or 1h 39m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 117.4 miles or 2h 34m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 10m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clifton, 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 234.8 miles and 5h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Surprise, 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 Globe-Lordsburg Highway for about 71.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 117.4 mi from Surprise, AZ · 2h 34m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Queen Creek, AZ

117 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Queen Creek, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 117.4 miles from Surprise, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Globe-Lordsburg Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 71.2 miles.

Arriving in Clifton, AZ

The final approach into Clifton, 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 Clifton, 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

$46.73 one way

$93.46 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 82 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.34	$49.34	$98.69
premium	$5.59	$51.65	$103.29
diesel	$5.64	$52.16	$104.33

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$47

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$72–$97

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 82.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	70.4	0	$24.65	$11.27
Efficient EV	58.7	0	$20.54	$9.39
EV Truck/SUV	93.9	1	$32.87	$15.03

Gas CO2

82 kg

EV CO2

27 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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

Surprise, AZ

Afternoon in Surprise on Sunday

Local time

3:38 PM

MST

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Clifton, AZ

Afternoon in Clifton on Sunday

Local time

3:38 PM

MST

Current temp

45°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

11 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

5h 6m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Clifton, AZ covers 234.8 miles and takes about 5h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Globe-Lordsburg Highway, Phoenix–Globe Highway, US 60. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 117.4 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 $46.73 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

On the drive from Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.

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Trip from Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Clifton, AZ

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Surprise, AZ

Clifton, AZ

Same local time

11 degrees cooler at arrival

5h 6m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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