Skip to main content

Trip from Anthem, AZ to Phoenix, AZ

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

41m

Distance

32 mi

52 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 38m ★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Anthem, AZ, AZ

Anthem, AZ

cottonbro studio

seat of Maricopa County, largest city in, and capital of, the State of Arizona, United States

Phoenix, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This quick 32-mile drive from Anthem to Phoenix, AZ, will take you approximately 41 minutes. It's a straightforward, highway-focused trip that works perfectly as a single-day excursion, so no overnight stays are needed. With an estimated fuel cost of $6, it’s an economical choice for getting from the Desert Southwest region to its heart. You'll primarily be on the Black Canyon Freeway and North Black Canyon Highway, making for a direct journey into the city. This route is ideal for a short hop, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Black Canyon Freeway 24.8 mi 28m
North Black Canyon Highway 2.8 mi 2m
North 1st Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
Papago Freeway 0.6 mi <1m
West Roosevelt Street 0.5 mi 1m
North 41st Drive 0.3 mi 1m
West Adams Street 0.1 mi <1m
West Anthem Way 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Black Canyon Freeway — 24.8 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Anthem, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.

1

Start on this road

241 ft · 19 sec · this road
2

Turn left

78 ft · 7 sec
3

Turn right onto North 41st Drive

0.3 mi · 1 min · North 41st Drive
4

Turn right onto West Anthem Way

0.1 mi · 20 sec · West Anthem Way
5

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 50 sec
Toward I 17 South: Phoenix
6

Merge onto I 17

2.8 mi · 2 min · North Black Canyon Highway
Use the slight right lane.
7

Continue on I 17

25 mi · 28 min · Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec
Exit 200A Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto I 10

0.6 mi · 41 sec · Papago Freeway
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Exit 144A Toward 7th Avenue Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Turn straight onto North 7th Avenue

445 ft · 16 sec · North 7th Avenue
14

Turn left onto West Roosevelt Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Roosevelt Street
15

Turn right onto North 1st Avenue

29 ft · 0 sec · North 1st Avenue
16

Keep slight right at fork onto North 1st Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · North 1st Avenue
17

Turn left onto West Adams Street

0.1 mi · 40 sec · West Adams Street
18

Turn right onto North 1st Street

408 ft · 18 sec · North 1st Street
19

Turn right onto East Washington Street

453 ft · 15 sec · East Washington Street
20

Arrive at destination

West Washington Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 30.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Anthem Way

Turn right onto West Anthem Way

Navigation decision point

8
28.5 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, Los Angeles

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 200A Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: Central Phoenix, L...
8
28.7 mi into trip | ~34m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 10 East: Central Phoenix, Tucson
7
30.1 mi into trip | ~36m in

Take the exit toward 7th Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 144A Toward 7th Avenue
9
30.4 mi into trip | ~36m in

Keep slight right at fork toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus, Downtown Cultural/Sport Facilities

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward 7th Avenue South, Arizona State Universi...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.37 one way

$12.75 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $6.75 $13.49
premium $5.59 $7.04 $14.09
diesel $5.61 $7.07 $14.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.6 0 $3.36 $1.54
Efficient EV 8 0 $2.80 $1.28
EV Truck/SUV 12.8 0 $4.48 $2.05

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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

Anthem, AZ

Night in Anthem on Saturday

Local time

9:15 PM

MST

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Phoenix, AZ

Night in Phoenix on Saturday

Local time

9:15 PM

MST

Current temp

93°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

34 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

41m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a drive that is predominantly highway, with an 80% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.8 miles on the Black Canyon Freeway, offering a consistent cruising experience. You'll be traveling on main roads like the Black Canyon Freeway, North Black Canyon Highway, and North 1st Avenue, which are designed for efficient travel. This highway-focused profile means you can anticipate a relatively smooth and fast journey with minimal interruptions as you transition between these key routes.

80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.8 mi on Black Canyon Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Black Canyon Freeway and North Black Canyon Highway. 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 Anthem Way.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 32 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West Anthem Way): Navigation decision point; at 28.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Anthem, AZ and Phoenix, AZ, road signs point toward Los Angeles, Tucson, 7Th Avenue South, Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus and Cultural/Sport Facilities.

Los Angeles

28.5 mi in | ~34m

Tucson

28.7 mi in | ~34m

7Th Avenue South

30.4 mi in | ~36m

Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus

30.4 mi in | ~36m

Cultural/Sport Facilities

30.4 mi in | ~36m

About the Cities

Arriving in Phoenix, AZ

Full guide →

Founded 1868

Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona, the most populous city in the American Southwest. Warm and sunny winter weather have ensured a thriving tourism industry, and the city has become the region's primary political, cultural, economic, and transportation center. Phoenix is extremely hot and dry in the summertime, so always have sunscreen with you! It had about 1,625,000 residents in 2021, and is the fifth largest city in the United States.

Top landmarks

  • Arizona State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Arizona
  • Phoenix Art Museum — art museum in Phoenix, Arizona
  • St. Mary's Basilica — Roman Catholic church in Phoenix, 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 41m. Total distance: 32 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 24.8 miles on Black Canyon Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Phoenix, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West Anthem Way): Navigation decision point; at 28.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Phoenix, AZ before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Phoenix, AZ to Anthem, AZ

Plan the drive back the other way.

31.9 mi 40m

Explore more options from Anthem, AZ or browse trips ending in Phoenix, AZ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.