Chandler, AZ to Quartzsite, AZ is 151.7 miles and takes about 2h 44m via Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, Maricopa Freeway, and Papago Freeway, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Desert Southwest, offering a straightforward path across Arizona. You'll primarily be on surface roads, so expect a more local feel than a pure interstate cruise. Given the short duration and distance, it's an easy same-day trip, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
75.9 miles from Chandler, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 26m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
107.4 mi
1h 48m
Papago Freeway
24.3 mi
28m
Maricopa Freeway
4.9 mi
5m
Price Freeway
4.8 mi
5m
Superstition Freeway
3.7 mi
4m
West Chandler Boulevard
3 mi
5m
West Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
US 60
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
— 107.4 mi, about 1h 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chandler, AZ and Quartzsite, 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; 55BToward US 60 West, US 60 East: Phoenix, GlobeUse the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 55AToward US 60 West: PhoenixUse 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 left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi·2 min·Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi·3 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·36 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
15
Continue on I 10
20 mi·22 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 10
107 mi·1 hr 48 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward Quartzsite
18
Turn right onto I 10 BUS; US 95
277 ft·4 sec·Quartzsite Boulevard
19
Turn right onto I 10 BUS; US 95
0.7 mi·1 min·West Main Street
20
Turn right onto Oldham Lane
41 ft·1 sec·Oldham Lane
21
Arrive at destination
Oldham Lane
Trip Plan
For this 151.7-mile drive, starting in the morning is ideal, allowing you to make the most of daylight and avoid the peak heat of the Arizona desert. With a total duration of under 3 hours, you won't need to break it up, but if you prefer a leisurely pace, a single stop for fuel or a quick break is easily manageable. Pay attention to your fuel gauge, especially on the longer stretches of surface roads where services might be more spread out. The $30 fuel estimate is a good benchmark for planning your budget.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 75.9 miles from Chandler, AZ, or about 1h 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 107.4 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 33 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 75.9 miles or 1h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Quartzsite, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chandler, 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 Chandler, AZ
This is one driving day of about 151.7 miles and 2h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Chandler, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway for about 107.4 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 20.4 — 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
6
18.4 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 slight left lane.
6
20.4 mi into trip|~27m 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.98 one way
$61.96 round trip
$5.19/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$32.96
$65.91
premium
$5.72
$34.16
$68.31
diesel
$5.35
$31.95
$63.91
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.5
0
$15.93
$7.28
Efficient EV
37.9
0
$13.27
$6.07
EV Truck/SUV
60.7
0
$21.24
$9.71
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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 May 26, 2026
Origin
Chandler, AZ
Afternoon
in Chandler on Wednesday
Local time
1:05 PM
MST
Current temp
68°F
Clear
SW 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 25 at 10:49AM PDT until May 27 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 25 at 10:49AM PDT until May 27 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Destination
Quartzsite, AZ
Afternoon
in Quartzsite on Wednesday
Local time
1:05 PM
MST
Current temp
66°F
Clear
S 10 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 25 at 10:49AM PDT until May 27 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 25 at 10:49AM PDT until May 27 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
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
2 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
2h 44m 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.
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?
This route has a 25% highway share, meaning most of your driving will be on surface roads. The Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway accounts for the longest stretch at 107.4 miles before you transition to other main roads like the Maricopa Freeway and Papago Freeway. You can expect a mix of urban merging and more rural cruising as you leave the Phoenix metro area. Keep an eye out for frequent intersections and traffic signals on the surface road sections.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 107.4 mi on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 151.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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
Mostly flat terrain
1,521 ft878 ft
Total Climb
690 ft
Total Descent
1,025 ft
Highest Point
1,521 ft
~140.9 mi in
Elevation Range
642 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 Quartzsite, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
Quartzsite is a former mining town in La Paz County, Arizona. In 2020, it hosted a permanent population of 2,400 people, but during the balmy winters from December to February the population explodes to well over 100,000 as RV campers descend in droves in recreational vehicles to camp on the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Lands surrounding the town. Quartzite is also well known for gem shows, which draw over a million visitors yearly.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 44m. Total distance: 151.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 107.4 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 21 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Quartzsite, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 21 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 Quartzsite, AZ before heading back.
