Origin
Avondale, AZ
Afternoon in Avondale on Sunday
Local time
1:24 PM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Avondale, AZ to Queen Creek, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
52.3 mi
84 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Avondale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Queen Creek, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 52.3 miles across the Desert Southwest, this trip from Avondale to Queen Creek is a straightforward transit typically lasting 1 hour and 11 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, it functions perfectly as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $10 on fuel for the journey, making it a budget-friendly option for your schedule. The route primarily utilizes the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway, the Santan Freeway, and West Buckeye Road to navigate between these two Arizona hubs. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a visit, the trip is efficient and requires minimal logistical planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway | 20.3 mi | 23m |
| Santan Freeway | 11.2 mi | 12m |
| West Buckeye Road | 8.9 mi | 13m |
| East Queen Creek Road | 7.1 mi | 11m |
| South Lindsay Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Ocotillo Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Hawes Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Western Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
— 20.3 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Avondale, AZ and Queen Creek, 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
·
54 sec
·
East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
At end of road, turn right onto South Dysart Road
495 ft
·
17 sec
·
South Dysart Road
5
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
West Buckeye Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto South 59th Avenue
446 ft
·
7 sec
·
South 59th Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward AZ 202 Loop South
8
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
20 mi
·
23 min
·
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on AZ 202 Loop
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Santan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 43
Toward Lindsay Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto South Lindsay Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Lindsay Road
12
Turn left onto East Queen Creek Road
7.1 mi
·
11 min
·
East Queen Creek Road
Use the left lane.
13
At end of road, turn right onto South Hawes Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Hawes Road
14
Turn left onto East Ocotillo Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Ocotillo Road
15
Arrive at destination
East Ocotillo Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 26.1 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 and 41.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Central Avenue
Turn left onto North Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Western Avenue
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 80 Hist / West Buckeye Road
Turn left onto US 80 Hist / West Buckeye Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
9.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
AZ 202 Loop / Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop / Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
41.4 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward Lindsay Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 43
Toward Lindsay Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.42 one way
$20.84 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $11.03 | $22.05 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.51 | $23.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.55 | $23.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.58 | $2.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.32 | $3.35 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Queen Creek, AZ
Afternoon in Queen Creek on Sunday
Local time
1:24 PM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
88°F
Guadalupe, AZ
26 mi in
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
30 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 11m 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 mixed driving experience as you transition from local surface streets to high-speed arterial connections. With a 60% highway share, you will spend a significant portion of your time maintaining a steady pace on major freeways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway, covering 20.3 miles of the total distance. The road's personality shifts from the urban density near Avondale to the suburban flow of the Santan Freeway as you head toward Queen Creek. This balance of freeway driving and local road navigation creates a functional, predictable pace for the driver.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.3 mi on Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway.
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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Central Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 52.3 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: near the start (North Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (East Western Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 80 Hist / West Buckeye Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Avondale, AZ
Full guide →Avondale is a city in the Greater Phoenix region of 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 1h 11m. Total distance: 52.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.3 miles on Congressman Ed Pastor 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 Queen Creek, 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: near the start (North Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (East Western Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 80 Hist / West Buckeye Road): 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 Queen Creek, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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