Spanning 98.7 miles across the Desert Southwest, this trip from Buckeye to Florence typically takes about 1 hour and 59 minutes to complete. Because the duration is under two hours, you can easily tackle this as a single-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. You should plan on a fuel budget of approximately $20 for the journey. Navigating the route involves a blend of local streets and I-10 East, making it a straightforward connection between these two Arizona towns. Since you are staying within the same region, the landscape remains consistent throughout the drive. It is a practical route for those looking to move efficiently between these points rather than a long-distance scenic tour.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.4 miles from Buckeye, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Papago Freeway
24.2 mi
27m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
23.1 mi
23m
Maricopa Freeway
12.3 mi
14m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
9.6 mi
10m
Florence-Coolidge Highway
8.1 mi
11m
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
7 mi
8m
AZ 387
6.9 mi
9m
South Miller Road
3.7 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
Papago Freeway
— 24.2 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buckeye, AZ and Florence, AZ.
1
Start on US 80 Hist
0.4 mi·59 sec·East Monroe Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 1st Street
0.5 mi·55 sec·North 1st Street
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on South Miller Road
3.7 mi·6 min·South Miller Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 114Toward I 10 East: PhoenixUse the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 10
9.6 mi·10 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 10
20 mi·22 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
12 mi·14 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10
23 mi·23 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 185Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, CoolidgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
298 ft·14 sec
Toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
14
Turn left onto AZ 387
0.4 mi·38 sec·Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
15
Turn right onto AZ 387
6.9 mi·9 min·AZ 387
16
Turn right onto AZ 87
7.0 mi·8 min·Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
17
Continue on AZ 287
8.1 mi·11 min·Florence-Coolidge Highway
18
Enter roundabout onto AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
187 ft·3 sec·South Main Street
19
Continue on AZ 79 Bus; US 80 Hist
0.8 mi·1 min·South Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the local nature of this trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. Since there are no designated stops scheduled in the data, you can comfortably make the 98.7-mile trek in one go without needing to plan for extended breaks. Keep your $20 fuel budget in mind before you head out, as local road driving can sometimes be less fuel-efficient than steady highway cruising. Pay close attention to your navigation when switching from North 1st Street to South Miller Road to ensure you stay on track early in your journey. Embracing the stop-and-go nature of this route will help you arrive at your destination without unnecessary stress.
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 49.4 miles from Buckeye, AZ, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.2 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 22 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.4 miles or 1h 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Florence, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Buckeye, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Buckeye, AZ
This is one driving day of about 98.7 miles and 1h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Buckeye, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Papago Freeway for about 24.2 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 75.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|North 1st Street
Turn right onto North 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
4.6 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 114
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
6
38.5 mi into trip|~47m 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
75.1 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Take the exit toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
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 185
Toward AZ 187, AZ 387: Casa Grande, Coolidge
6
75.5 mi into trip|~1h 27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Florence, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AZ 187 North, AZ 387 North: Coolidge, Fl...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.66 one way
$39.32 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$20.81
$41.62
premium
$5.59
$21.73
$43.45
diesel
$5.61
$21.79
$43.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.6
0
$10.36
$4.74
Efficient EV
24.7
0
$8.64
$3.95
EV Truck/SUV
39.5
0
$13.82
$6.32
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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 19, 2026
Origin
Buckeye, AZ
Late night
in Buckeye on Sunday
Local time
12:47 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Florence, AZ
Late night
in Florence on Sunday
Local time
12:47 AM
MST
Current temp
89°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
1 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 59m 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 as you navigate through the initial segments on North 1st Street and South Miller Road. The route lacks a high percentage of highway travel, meaning you will spend more time managing local traffic patterns than cruising on open interstates. While you will eventually merge onto I-10 East, the drive maintains a technical feel rather than being a monotonous highway grind. Because the road is characterized by frequent turns, you will need to stay alert behind the wheel throughout the nearly two-hour duration. Adjusting to these local road conditions is key to a smooth arrival in Florence.
51% 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: 24.2 mi on Papago Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near North 1st Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 98.7 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.4 miles (North 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Buckeye, AZ and Florence, AZ, road signs point toward Coolidge and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Coolidge
75.1 mi in|~1h 26m
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
75.5 mi in|~1h 27m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 59m. Total distance: 98.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). 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 24.2 miles on Papago 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 Florence, 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 0.4 miles (North 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 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 Florence, AZ before heading back.
