Origin
Avondale, AZ
Morning in Avondale on Thursday
Local time
10:10 AM
MST
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Avondale, AZ to Apache Junction, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
53.8 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Avondale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Apache Junction, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Avondale to Apache Junction is 53.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 6 minutes via US 60, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive between two Valley of the Sun communities. It's a practical option for moving between areas or for a quick excursion without a significant time commitment. Given its brevity, it's an easy addition to a larger Arizona itinerary or a simple point-to-point move.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 60 | 23.6 mi | 27m |
| Papago Freeway | 19.4 mi | 22m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| South Ironwood Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Dysart Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| West Apache Trail | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Western Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 60
— 23.6 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Avondale, AZ and Apache Junction, AZ.
1
Start on this road
27 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Central Avenue
89 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Central Avenue
3
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
At end of road, turn left onto South Dysart Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Dysart Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 10
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
8
Continue on I 10
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 10; US 60
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto US 60
24 mi
·
27 min
·
US 60
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 195
Toward Ironwood Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto South Ironwood Drive
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
South Ironwood Drive
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto US 80 Hist
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Apache Trail
15
Turn slight left
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
16
Turn left onto North Apache Trail
178 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Apache Trail
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
North Apache Trail
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Avondale, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 50.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South Dysart Road
At end of road, turn left onto South Dysart Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
6
21 mi into trip
|
~25m 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
27 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
US 60
Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
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 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
7
50.6 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward Ironwood Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 195
Toward Ironwood Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.43 one way
$20.85 round trip
$4.92/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.20 | $11.02 | $22.04 |
| premium | $5.44 | $11.52 | $23.03 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $11.86 | $23.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.65 | $2.58 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.71 | $2.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.53 | $3.44 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Apache Junction, AZ
Morning in Apache Junction on Thursday
Local time
10:10 AM
MST
Current temp
81°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
1 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
1h 6m 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?
This trip is largely highway, with 89% of the 53.8 miles on major roads like US 60 and the Maricopa Freeway. You'll encounter a 23.6-mile stretch on US 60 without significant breaks. Expect mostly highway cruising, transitioning to surface roads as you approach your destination. The prevalence of freeway driving means you'll see frequent exit signs and potentially some urban merging as you navigate the Phoenix metropolitan area.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.6 mi on US 60.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 60 and Papago Freeway. 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 South Dysart Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.5 miles (South Dysart Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,720 ft
973 ft
Total Climb
757 ft
Total Descent
10 ft
Highest Point
1,720 ft
~53.8 mi in
Elevation Range
747 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Avondale, AZ to Apache Junction, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
Globe
27 mi in
|
~32m
|
via US 60
About the Cities
Starting in Avondale, AZ
Full guide →Avondale is a city in the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona.
Arriving in Apache Junction, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1978
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 1h 6m. Total distance: 53.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.6 miles on US 60. 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 Apache Junction, 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 0.5 miles (South Dysart Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Tonto 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 Apache Junction, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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