This 121.5-mile drive from Avra Valley, AZ, to Surprise, AZ, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking about 2 hours and 23 minutes. The route primarily utilizes the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway and the Papago Freeway, with about 30% of the journey on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of $24, it's an economical option for exploring the Desert Southwest. This straightforward path offers a practical connection within Arizona, making it ideal for those looking for an efficient way to travel between these two points without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
60.7 miles from Avra Valley, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38.1 mi
38m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
32.2 mi
32m
Papago Freeway
15 mi
17m
Maricopa Freeway
12 mi
13m
Agua Fria Freeway
8.8 mi
10m
North Trico Road
5 mi
11m
Grand Avenue
4.7 mi
8m
East Pinal Air Park Road
2.1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 38.1 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Avra Valley, AZ and Surprise, AZ.
1
Start on North Luther Road
0.2 mi·1 min·North Luther Road
2
Turn left onto West Sandy Street
0.7 mi·2 min·West Sandy Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto North Trico Road
5.0 mi·11 min·North Trico Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto East Pinal Air Park Road
2.1 mi·3 min·East Pinal Air Park Road
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
6
Merge onto I 10
32 mi·32 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
12 mi·13 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi·2 min·Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi·3 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·36 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
12
Continue on I 10
10 mi·12 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 133BToward AZ 101 Loop NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
8.8 mi·10 min·Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 11Toward US 60Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn left onto US 60
4.7 mi·8 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
212 ft·10 sec·West Greenway Road
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto Santa Fe Drive
0.3 mi·32 sec·Santa Fe Drive
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto North Nash Street
0.3 mi·50 sec·North Nash Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Nash Street
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour and 23-minute drive, departing in the morning is a good strategy to avoid potential afternoon heat in the Desert Southwest. Since the total distance is just over 121 miles and the fuel cost is a modest $24, you have flexibility with stops. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you pass through the longer 38.1-mile stretch on the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, ensuring you have enough to reach your next refueling point. This trip is perfectly suited for a single day, so you can adjust your pace and departure time based on your preferences.
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 60.7 miles from Avra Valley, AZ, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 38.1 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 27 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.7 miles or 1h 11m 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 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Surprise, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Avra Valley, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Avra Valley, AZ
This is one driving day of about 121.5 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Avra Valley, 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 38.1 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 90.6 and 120.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
90.6 mi into trip|~1h 43m 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
92.6 mi into trip|~1h 46m 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
106.2 mi into trip|~2h 1m in
Take the exit toward AZ 101 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 133B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
115.9 mi into trip|~2h 13m in
Take the exit toward US 60
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 11
Toward US 60
7
120.9 mi into trip|~2h 22m in|Santa Fe Drive
Turn left onto Santa Fe Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.20 one way
$48.41 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$25.62
$51.23
premium
$5.59
$26.74
$53.49
diesel
$5.61
$26.83
$53.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.4
0
$12.76
$5.83
Efficient EV
30.4
0
$10.63
$4.86
EV Truck/SUV
48.6
0
$17.01
$7.78
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Avra Valley, AZ
Late night
in Avra Valley on Sunday
Local time
1:02 AM
MST
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Surprise, AZ
Late night
in Surprise on Sunday
Local time
1:02 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
36 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
2h 23m 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...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 50.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with roughly 30% of the 121.5 miles spent on highways. You'll encounter the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway and the Papago Freeway, which offer a faster pace for significant portions of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 38.1 miles on the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, allowing for a good period of consistent driving. The overall feel is a blend of open road and more developed highway sections as you approach your destination in Surprise.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 38.1 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 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 90.6 miles in near I 10 / Papago Freeway.
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 121.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 90.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 92.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Sun City is a suburb 20 miles (30km) northwest of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It was built as a planned retirement community in Maricopa County in the 1960s. An adjacent retirement community Sun City West was built in the late 1970s; there is also a Sun City Grand. Directly northwest of the three "Sun City" suburbs is Surprise, Arizona.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 121.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). 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 38.1 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 Surprise, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 90.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 92.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Surprise, AZ before heading back.
