Origin
Chandler, AZ
Afternoon in Chandler on Saturday
Local time
1:23 PM
MST
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chandler, AZ to Sun Valley, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 51m
Distance
87.7 mi
141 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 44m
★
6 AM
1h 52m
8 AM
2h 8m
10 AM
1h 58m
12 PM
1h 56m
3 PM
1h 59m
5 PM
2h 8m
8 PM
1h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chandler, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Sun Valley, AZ
Josh Sorenson
Trip Overview
Chandler to Sun Valley is 87.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 51 minutes via Beeline Highway, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward trip between two points. Given its short duration and moderate fuel cost, this route is ideal for a spontaneous day trip or a relaxed start to a longer adventure. It's a practical option for getting from one part of the state to another without a significant time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.9 miles from Chandler, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Beeline Highway | 68.4 mi | 1h 20m |
| South Country Club Drive | 6.8 mi | 12m |
| North Beeline Highway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| North Arizona Avenue | 4 mi | 6m |
| AZ 260 | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| East Chandler Boulevard | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Payson-Show Low Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Beeline Highway
— 68.4 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chandler, AZ and Sun Valley, AZ.
1
Start on East Chandler Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Chandler Boulevard
2
Continue on East Chandler Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
East Chandler Boulevard
3
Turn right onto AZ 87
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
North Arizona Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on AZ 87
6.8 mi
·
12 min
·
South Country Club Drive
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on AZ 87
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North Beeline Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
Continue on AZ 87
68 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto AZ 260
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
AZ 260
8
Arrive at destination
AZ 260
Trip Plan
With a drive time under two hours, this route offers a lot of flexibility for departure. Leaving in the morning allows you to enjoy the full day at your destination. Since there are no specific stops recommended, plan for a single fuel stop if needed before you leave Chandler, as the 87.7-mile trip is easily manageable on a single tank for most vehicles. The route primarily utilizes the Beeline Highway and local surface roads like South Country Club Drive and North Beeline Highway, so keep an eye on signage for these as you travel.
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 43.9 miles from Chandler, AZ, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.4 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 19 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.9 miles or 58m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sun Valley, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Chandler, AZ
This is one driving day of about 87.7 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Chandler, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Beeline Highway for about 68.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
44 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 43.9 miles from Chandler, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Beeline Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 68.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 0.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Chandler Boulevard
Continue onto East Chandler Boulevard
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue
Turn right onto AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.00 one way
$34.00 round trip
$4.92/gal
25.4 MPG avg
31 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.20 | $17.96 | $35.92 |
| premium | $5.44 | $18.77 | $37.55 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $19.33 | $38.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.21 | $4.21 |
| Efficient EV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.67 | $3.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35.1 | 0 | $12.28 | $5.61 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% 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
Sun Valley, AZ
Afternoon in Sun Valley on Saturday
Local time
1:23 PM
MST
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
76°F
Rio Verde, AZ
44 mi in
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
4 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 51m 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.
Tonto National Monument
National Monument
Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant gr...
23 mi from route
~57 min detour
$10
near mile 39.3
Caution: Water is Required
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...
28 mi from route
~70 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend a good portion of this drive on surface roads, with the highway accounting for only about 25% of the total mileage. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 68.4 miles on the Beeline Highway. Expect to transition from highway cruising to more typical surface road driving as you approach your destination, with potential for more frequent intersections and varied speed limits.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.4 mi on Beeline Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Chandler Boulevard.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Chandler, AZ to Sun Valley, AZ is easy. At 1h 51m with 4% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Chandler Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
4,985 ft
1,214 ft
Total Climb
5,190 ft
Total Descent
1,744 ft
Highest Point
4,985 ft
~81.4 mi in
Elevation Range
3,771 ft
Notable High Points
4,546 ft at ~56.4 miles
+1,073 ft prominence
4,985 ft at ~81.4 miles
+325 ft prominence
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 Sun Valley, 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 51m. Total distance: 87.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (4%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.4 miles on Beeline Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (East Chandler Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (AZ 87 / North Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Tonto National Monument and 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 Sun Valley, 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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