The drive from Surprise, AZ to San Manuel, AZ covers 154 miles and takes about 3h 11m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Pinal Pioneer Parkway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Tucson-Globe Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.9 miles on Pinal Pioneer Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.68 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
77 miles from Surprise, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 32m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 11m. Total distance: 154 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 11m highway drive covering 154 miles, with most of the trip on Pinal Pioneer Parkway and Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 35.9 miles on Pinal Pioneer Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pinal Pioneer Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 35.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pinal Pioneer Parkway and Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near West Greenway Road.
Driving Effort10/10
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 21 significant decision points across 154 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 0.5 miles (West Greenway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 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|West Greenway Road
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
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
6
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 straight / slight right lanes.
8
66.1 mi into trip|~1h 17m 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
66.4 mi into trip|~1h 18m 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 Surprise, AZ and San Manuel, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge, Florence and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Coolidge
66.1 mi in|~1h 17m
Florence
66.4 mi in|~1h 18m
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
66.4 mi in|~1h 18m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pinal Pioneer Parkway
35.9 mi
41m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
23.1 mi
23m
Tucson-Globe Highway
15 mi
20m
Papago Freeway
14.9 mi
17m
Maricopa Freeway
12.3 mi
14m
Agua Fria Freeway
8.9 mi
10m
Florence-Coolidge Highway
8.1 mi
11m
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
7 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
Pinal Pioneer Parkway
— 35.9 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surprise, AZ and San Manuel, AZ.
1
Start on North Nash Street
0.3 mi·53 sec·North Nash Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Santa Fe Drive
3
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
217 ft·7 sec·West Greenway Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto US 60
4.6 mi·7 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
6
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
8.9 mi·10 min·Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 1BToward I 10 East: PhoenixUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 10
10 mi·12 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·35 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
10
Continue on I 10
3.2 mi·3 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
1.2 mi·1 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 10; US 60
12 mi·14 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
23 mi·23 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 185Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, CoolidgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
298 ft·14 sec
Toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
16
Turn left onto AZ 387
0.4 mi·38 sec·Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
17
Turn right onto AZ 387
6.9 mi·9 min·AZ 387
18
Turn right onto AZ 87
7.0 mi·8 min·Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
19
Continue on AZ 287
8.1 mi·11 min·Florence-Coolidge Highway
20
Enter roundabout onto AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
55 ft·1 sec·AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
21
Continue on AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
416 ft·7 sec·AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
22
Enter roundabout onto AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
97 ft·1 sec·AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
23
Continue on AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
0.6 mi·1 min·AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
24
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 79; US 80 Hist
5.0 mi·6 min·South Pinal Parkway Avenue
25
Continue on AZ 79; US 80 Hist
36 mi·41 min·Pinal Pioneer Parkway
26
Continue on AZ 79; US 80 Hist
0.4 mi·28 sec·State Route 79
27
Turn left onto AZ 77
13 mi·17 min·Tucson-Globe Highway
Use the left lane.
28
Continue on AZ 77
2.0 mi·2 min·American Avenue
29
Continue on AZ 77
2.4 mi·3 min·Tucson-Globe Highway
30
Take the exit
0.1 mi·21 sec
31
Turn right onto Veterans Memorial Boulevard
4.5 mi·6 min·Veterans Memorial Boulevard
Use the right lane.
32
Continue on North Redington Road
0.5 mi·58 sec·North Redington Road
33
Turn right onto South McNab Parkway
1.1 mi·2 min·South McNab Parkway
Use the right lane.
34
Arrive at destination
South McNab Parkway
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 77 miles from Surprise, AZ, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.9 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 34 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 77 miles or 1h 32m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Manuel, 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 154 miles and 3h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 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 Pinal Pioneer Parkway for about 35.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 77 mi from Surprise, AZ
· 1h 32m into the drive
The midpoint is around 77 miles from Surprise, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in San Manuel, AZ
The final approach into San Manuel, 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 San Manuel, 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...
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
$25
near mile 132.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.68 one way
$61.36 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg54 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$32.47
$64.93
premium
$5.59
$33.90
$67.80
diesel
$5.61
$34.00
$68.00
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
46.2
0
$16.17
$7.39
Efficient EV
38.5
0
$13.48
$6.16
EV Truck/SUV
61.6
0
$21.56
$9.86
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Surprise, AZ
Morning
in Surprise on Thursday
Local time
11:59 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Manuel, AZ
Morning
in San Manuel on Thursday
Local time
11:59 AM
MST
Current temp
52°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
36 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
3h 11m 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 San Manuel, AZ covers 154 miles and takes about 3h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pinal Pioneer Parkway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, Tucson-Globe Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 77 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 $30.68 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 21 significant decision points across 154 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 0.5 miles (West Greenway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.5 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Surprise, AZ and San Manuel, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge, Florence and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Saguaro National Park.
