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Trip from Chandler, AZ to Black Canyon City, AZ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 21m

Distance

68.3 mi

110 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Chandler, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

census designated place in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States

Black Canyon City, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick transition from the suburban sprawl of Chandler to the rugged terrain of Black Canyon City, this 68.3-mile route is an efficient choice. Expect the drive to take approximately 1 hour and 21 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will navigate a path primarily defined by urban freeways, specifically the Price, Maricopa, and Black Canyon Freeways. With fuel costs estimated at around $14, it remains a budget-friendly trip for most vehicles. While the route stays entirely within the Desert Southwest, you will notice the landscape shift from the flat valley floor toward the elevation of the northern desert. It is straightforward enough that you won't need to worry about overnight logistics, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Black Canyon Freeway 41.3 mi 45m
Maricopa Freeway 9.1 mi 10m
Price Freeway 4.8 mi 5m
Superstition Freeway 3.7 mi 4m
West Chandler Boulevard 3 mi 5m
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway 2.6 mi 2m
South Old Black Canyon Highway 1.3 mi 2m
US 60 0.6 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Black Canyon Freeway — 41.3 mi, about 45m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chandler, AZ and Black Canyon City, AZ.

1

Start on East Chandler Boulevard

0.1 mi · 41 sec · East Chandler Boulevard
2

Continue on East Chandler Boulevard

0.2 mi · 17 sec · East Chandler Boulevard
3

Continue on West Chandler Boulevard

3.0 mi · 5 min · West Chandler Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto South Price Road

321 ft · 6 sec · South Price Road
Use the right lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
6

Merge onto AZ 101 Loop

4.8 mi · 5 min · Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 55A; 55B Toward US 60 West, US 60 East: Phoenix, Globe Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 55A Toward US 60 West: Phoenix Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto US 60

3.7 mi · 4 min · Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto US 60

0.6 mi · 38 sec · US 60
Toward I 10 North
11

Merge onto I 10; US 60

4.9 mi · 5 min · Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto US 60

4.2 mi · 4 min · Maricopa Freeway
Toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff Use the slight right lane.
13

Continue on I 17; US 60

41 mi · 45 min · Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on I 17

2.6 mi · 2 min · Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 242 Toward Rock Springs, Black Canyon City Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Turn left onto Rock Springs Road

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Rock Springs Road
17

At end of road, turn right onto South Old Black Canyon Highway

1.3 mi · 2 min · South Old Black Canyon Highway
18

Turn right onto East Palm Lane

0.1 mi · 23 sec · East Palm Lane
19

Arrive at destination

East Palm Lane

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Alhambra, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Alhambra, AZ

34 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

Guadalupe, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Alhambra, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 34.2 miles from Chandler, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 66.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
3.3 mi into trip | ~6m in | South Price Road

Turn right onto South Price Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
8
8.5 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward US 60 West, US 60 East: Phoenix, Globe

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 55A; 55B Toward US 60 West, US 60 East: Phoenix, Globe
8
8.6 mi into trip | ~13m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 60 West: Phoenix

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 55A Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
8
18.4 mi into trip | ~25m in | US 60 / Maricopa Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto US 60 / Maricopa Freeway toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
8
66.5 mi into trip | ~1h 17m in

Take the exit toward Rock Springs, Black Canyon City

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 242 Toward Rock Springs, Black Canyon City

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.95 one way

$27.90 round trip

$5.19/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.52 $14.84 $29.68
premium $5.72 $15.38 $30.76
diesel $5.35 $14.39 $28.77

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$14

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.5 0 $7.17 $3.28
Efficient EV 17.1 0 $5.98 $2.73
EV Truck/SUV 27.3 0 $9.56 $4.37

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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 May 10, 2026

Origin

Chandler, AZ

Afternoon in Chandler on Wednesday

Local time

1:07 PM

MST

Current temp

71°F

Clear

SE 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Extreme Heat Warning

Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 11 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

Extreme Heat Warning

Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 12 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

Destination

Black Canyon City, AZ

Afternoon in Black Canyon City on Wednesday

Local time

1:07 PM

MST

Current temp

70°F

Clear

N 6 to 12 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Extreme Heat Warning

Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 11 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

Extreme Heat Warning

Extreme Heat Warning issued May 9 at 2:26PM MST until May 12 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

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 21m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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 a quintessential highway-focused drive, with 87% of your time spent on major interstates. You should be prepared for a consistent pace, as the route is designed for efficiency rather than winding backroads. The longest uninterrupted segment covers 41.3 miles on the Black Canyon Freeway, which requires steady focus as you transition out of the metro area. Because you are primarily utilizing high-speed freeways, the experience is less about technical maneuvering and more about managing steady, long-distance traffic flow. Be ready for the road to feel like a standard interstate grind, characterized by high-volume transit and reliable, paved surfaces throughout the journey.

87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.3 mi on Black Canyon Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Black Canyon Freeway and Maricopa Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.3 miles in near South Price Road.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.3 miles you will encounter 14 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 3.3 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,137 ft 1,052 ft

Total Climb

1,086 ft

Total Descent

327 ft

Highest Point

2,137 ft

~58.6 mi in

Elevation Range

1,086 ft

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 Chandler, AZ to Black Canyon City, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.

Globe

8.5 mi in | ~12m

About the Cities

Starting in Chandler, AZ

Full guide →

Founded 1912

Chandler is a city in Arizona, and a medium-sized suburb of Phoenix with over 240,000 residents. It is a delightful place to visit.

Top landmarks

  • • McCullough-Price House — 1938 pueblo revival home in Chandler, Arizona
  • • San Marcos Hotel — Historic place in Chandler, Ariona

Arriving in Black Canyon City, AZ

Full guide →

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 21m. Total distance: 68.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 41.3 miles on Black Canyon 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 Black Canyon City, 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 3.3 miles (South Price Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles: 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 Black Canyon City, 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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