This 94.1-mile journey from Arizona City to Buckeye, Arizona, is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. You'll primarily navigate using I-8 West and I-10 West, with a portion on the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. While the highway share is 0%, this route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local drive. With an estimated fuel cost of $19, this trip is quite budget-friendly. Both locations are situated within the Desert Southwest region, offering a consistent landscape throughout your drive. This route is best suited for a leisurely day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47 miles from Arizona City, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
36.7 mi
37m
Papago Freeway
24.3 mi
28m
Maricopa Freeway
12 mi
13m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
9.9 mi
10m
South Miller Road
3.9 mi
6m
South Sunland Gin Road
3.8 mi
6m
North 1st Street
0.5 mi
1m
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 36.7 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arizona City, AZ and Buckeye, AZ.
1
Start on South Sunland Gin Road
3.8 mi·6 min·South Sunland Gin Road
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, PhoenixUse the left lane.
3
Keep slight right at fork
1.3 mi·2 min
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
4
Merge onto I 10
37 mi·37 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 10
12 mi·13 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi·2 min·Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi·3 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·36 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
9
Continue on I 10
20 mi·22 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
9.9 mi·10 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·59 sec
Exit 114Toward BuckeyeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on South Miller Road
3.9 mi·6 min·South Miller Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Continue on North 1st Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North 1st Street
14
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
0.4 mi·55 sec·East Monroe Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
US 80 Hist
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short 1-hour-and-50-minute duration for this 94.1-mile drive, you have plenty of flexibility in when you depart. Leaving Arizona City in the morning will allow you to arrive in Buckeye with ample time to explore or settle in. With a fuel cost of around $19, refueling should not be a major concern. Pay close attention to the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile; this means actively monitoring your GPS and road signs to ensure you don't miss any of the necessary turns. There are no specified stops, so plan your own breaks as needed, perhaps around the halfway point to stretch your legs.
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 47 miles from Arizona City, AZ, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 36.7 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 21 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47 miles or 53m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buckeye, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arizona City, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Arizona City, AZ
This is one driving day of about 94.1 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Arizona City, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway for about 36.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 93.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
3.8 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
6
54.1 mi into trip|~1h 1m 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 slight left lane.
6
56.1 mi into trip|~1h 3m 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.
7
88.8 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 114
Toward Buckeye
6
93.7 mi into trip|~1h 49m in|US 80 Hist / East Monroe Avenue
Turn left onto US 80 Hist / East Monroe Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.75 one way
$37.49 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$19.84
$39.68
premium
$5.59
$20.71
$41.43
diesel
$5.61
$20.78
$41.55
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.2
0
$9.88
$4.52
Efficient EV
23.5
0
$8.23
$3.76
EV Truck/SUV
37.6
0
$13.17
$6.02
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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
Arizona City, AZ
Late night
in Arizona City on Sunday
Local time
3:22 AM
MST
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Buckeye, AZ
Late night
in Buckeye on Sunday
Local time
3:22 AM
MST
Current temp
88°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
35 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
1h 50m 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.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 94.1-mile trip. With 0% highway share, you won't be experiencing long stretches of monotonous interstate. Instead, be prepared for a more dynamic driving experience with numerous turns and transitions as you navigate local roads and highways like I-8 West and I-10 West. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the 'turn-heavy' nature suggests frequent adjustments to your steering and speed. This route demands your attention and offers a varied driving feel rather than a straight shot.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 94.1 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 54.1 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.1 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 94.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. 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 Buckeye, 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 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 54.1 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.1 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Buckeye, AZ before heading back.
