Origin
Surprise, AZ
Morning in Surprise on Saturday
Local time
9:27 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Surprise, AZ to Ajo, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 19m
Distance
106.8 mi
172 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 10m
★
6 AM
2h 19m
8 AM
2h 38m
10 AM
2h 26m
12 PM
2h 24m
3 PM
2h 27m
5 PM
2h 37m
8 PM
2h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Surprise, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Ajo, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Ajo, AZ covers 106.8 miles and takes about 2h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Santa Fe Drive, West Greenway Road, AZ 303 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.28 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
53.4 miles from Surprise, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
About the Cities
Starting in Surprise, AZ
Full guide →Sun City is a suburb 20 miles (30km) northwest of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It was built as a planned retirement community in Maricopa County in the 1960s. An adjacent retirement community Sun City West was built in the late 1970s; there is also a Sun City Grand. Directly northwest of the three "Sun City" suburbs is Surprise, Arizona.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 19m. Total distance: 106.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 19m drive with frequent turns across 106.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Santa Fe Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Ajo, AZ is easy. At 2h 19m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Surprise, AZ to Ajo, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Santa Fe Drive | — | — |
| West Greenway Road | — | — |
| AZ 303 | — | — |
| Bob Stump Memorial Parkway | — | — |
| I 10 West | — | — |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | — | — |
| AZ 85 | — | — |
| South Oglesby Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Santa Fe Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surprise, AZ and Ajo, AZ.
1
Start on North Nash Street
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
North Nash Street
2
At the end of the road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Santa Fe Drive
3
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
217 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Greenway Road
4
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
5.1 mi
·
9 min
·
West Greenway Road
5
Turn left onto AZ 303 Loop South
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
AZ 303 Loop South
6
Merge slight left onto Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 West: Los Angeles
8
Merge slight left onto Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
9
Take the exit slight right toward AZ 85: Yuma, San Diego
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
AZ 85: Yuma, San Diego
10
Continue on South Oglesby Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
South Oglesby Road
11
Continue on Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
12
Continue on Arizona State Highway 85
28 mi
·
33 min
·
Arizona State Highway 85
13
Take the exit slight right toward AZ-85 South: Gila Bend
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
AZ-85 South: Gila Bend
14
Continue on Arizona State Highway 85
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Arizona State Highway 85
15
Continue on East Pima Street
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
East Pima Street
16
Turn right
42 mi
·
53 min
17
Arrive at your destination
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 53.4 miles from Surprise, AZ, or about 1h 9m into the drive.
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 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.4 miles or 1h 9m 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 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ajo, 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 106.8 miles and 2h 19m.
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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 53.4 mi from Surprise, AZ · 1h 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
53 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 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 53.4 miles from Surprise, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ajo, AZ
The final approach into Ajo, 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 Ajo, 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
$21.28 one way
$42.55 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
37 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $22.52 | $45.03 |
| premium | $5.59 | $23.51 | $47.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.58 | $47.16 |
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: 37.4 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 | 32 | 0 | $11.21 | $5.13 |
| Efficient EV | 26.7 | 0 | $9.34 | $4.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 42.7 | 0 | $14.95 | $6.84 |
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.
Destination
Ajo, AZ
Morning in Ajo on Saturday
Local time
9:27 AM
MST
Current temp
84°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
4 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 19m 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 Ajo, AZ covers 106.8 miles and takes about 2h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Santa Fe Drive, West Greenway Road, AZ 303. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.4 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 $21.28 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.
The drive from Surprise, AZ to Ajo, AZ is easy. At 2h 19m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Surprise, AZ to Ajo, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Surprise, AZ to Ajo, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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