The drive from Yuma, AZ to Chino Valley, AZ covers 238.8 miles and takes about 5h 9m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway, Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway, Aguila-Congress Junction Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 66.4 miles on San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $47.57 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
119.4 miles from Yuma, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 30m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 9m. Total distance: 238.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 9m drive with frequent turns across 238.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 42 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 66.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 9m drive. You will face about 19 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway
Merge onto I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
2.7 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward US 95: 16th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 95: 16th Street
5
2.9 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
94.7 mi into trip|~2h in|US 60
Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60 East, I 10 East: Phoenix, Wickenburg, Prescott
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 31
Toward US 60 East, I 10 East: Phoenix, Wickenbu...
6
150.2 mi into trip|~3h 7m in|AZ 71 / Aguila-Congress Junction Highway
Turn left onto AZ 71 / Aguila-Congress Junction Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Yuma, AZ and Chino Valley, AZ, road signs point toward Wickenburg and Prescott.
Wickenburg
94.7 mi in|~2h|via US 60
Prescott
94.7 mi in|~2h|via US 60
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway
66.4 mi
1h 21m
Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway
39.7 mi
47m
Aguila-Congress Junction Highway
24.2 mi
29m
Iron Springs Road
17 mi
25m
Wickenburg-Prescott Highway
15.4 mi
19m
US 60
15.3 mi
18m
East 16th Street
10.9 mi
15m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
10.2 mi
10m
Longest stretch:
San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway
— 66.4 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and Chino Valley, AZ.
The midpoint is around 119.4 miles from Yuma, 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...
24 mi from route
~61 min detour
$10
near mile 238.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.57 one way
$95.14 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg84 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$50.35
$100.69
premium
$5.59
$52.56
$105.13
diesel
$5.61
$52.72
$105.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.6
0
$25.07
$11.46
Efficient EV
59.7
0
$20.90
$9.55
EV Truck/SUV
95.5
1
$33.43
$15.28
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 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 as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Yuma, AZ
Evening
in Yuma on Friday
Local time
5:44 PM
MST
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Chino Valley, AZ
Evening
in Chino Valley on Friday
Local time
5:44 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
46 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 9m 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 Yuma, AZ to Chino Valley, AZ covers 238.8 miles and takes about 5h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway, Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway, Aguila-Congress Junction Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 119.4 miles from Yuma, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.57 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.
This is a straightforward 5h 9m drive. You will face about 19 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Between Yuma, AZ and Chino Valley, AZ, road signs point toward Wickenburg and Prescott.
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.
