Origin
Chinle, AZ
Evening in Chinle on Saturday
Local time
7:09 PM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chinle, AZ to Surprise, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 37m
Distance
348.9 mi
562 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$70
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 25m
★
6 AM
6h 37m
8 AM
7h 1m
10 AM
6h 46m
12 PM
6h 43m
3 PM
6h 47m
5 PM
7h 0m
8 PM
6h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chinle, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Surprise, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Embark on a 348.9-mile journey from Chinle, AZ, to Surprise, AZ, a trip that will take approximately 6 hours and 37 minutes. This drive is best tackled in a single day, making it a feasible option for a dedicated road trip. Expect to spend around $70 on fuel for this route, which primarily follows Arizona Veterans Highway and Arizona State Highway 264. The overall character of this drive is a turn-heavy local experience, so plan for a more engaged driving style. You'll be traveling within the Desert Southwest region for the entirety of your trip, staying within Arizona.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
174.5 miles from Chinle, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 30m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Veterans Highway | 93 mi | 1h 33m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 61.2 mi | 1h 2m |
| Arizona State Highway 264 | 56.7 mi | 1h 5m |
| Winslow–Kayenta Highway | 55.5 mi | 1h 4m |
| Chambers-Mexican Water Highway | 30.3 mi | 45m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 13.9 mi | 14m |
| Bob Stump Memorial Parkway | 12.3 mi | 14m |
| Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway | 5.8 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
Arizona Veterans Highway
— 93 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chinle, AZ and Surprise, AZ.
1
Start on 4th Avenue
149 ft
·
11 sec
·
4th Avenue
2
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Main Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto N7
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Navajo Route 7
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 191
30 mi
·
45 min
·
Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto AZ 246
30 ft
·
0 sec
·
AZ 246
6
Continue on AZ 246
0.1 mi
·
6 sec
·
AZ 246
7
Merge onto AZ 264
57 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Arizona State Highway 264
8
Turn left onto AZ 87
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Winslow–Kayenta Highway
9
Continue on AZ 87
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
AZ 87
10
Continue on AZ 87
39 mi
·
44 min
·
Winslow–Kayenta Highway
11
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
12
Merge onto I 40; US 180
61 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff
14
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
15
Merge onto I 17; AZ 89A
93 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
·
Arizona Veterans Highway
16
Continue on I 17
5.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 17
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on I 17
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Black Canyon Highway
Use the slight right lane.
19
Continue on I 17
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 221
Toward AZ 303 Loop South
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
AZ 303 Loop
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
45 sec
23
Continue on this road
411 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
24
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
25
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
26
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
27
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
this road
28
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
1 min
Exit 123
Toward El Mirage Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 123
Toward El Mirage Road
31
Turn left onto North El Mirage Road
5.1 mi
·
9 min
·
North El Mirage Road
Use the right lane.
32
Turn right onto West Paradise Lane
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Paradise Lane
33
Turn left onto North Nash Street
88 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Nash Street
34
Arrive at destination
North Nash Street
Trip Plan
For this 6-hour, 37-minute drive, starting early in the morning is recommended to allow ample time for navigation and any unexpected delays. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing your journey, but ensure you have sufficient fuel before departing Chinle, as services can be sparse. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 93-mile stretch on Arizona Veterans Highway, to avoid running low. Given the turn-heavy nature of this route, staying alert and focused on the road will make for a smoother and safer trip.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 174.5 miles from Chinle, AZ, or about 3h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 93 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 77 miles or 1h 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 174.5 miles or 3h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 26m
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 Chinle, 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 Chinle, AZ
This is one driving day of about 348.9 miles and 6h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 miles from Chinle, 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 Arizona Veterans Highway for about 93 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
174 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 77 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 174.5 miles from Chinle, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Arizona Veterans Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 93 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
5 of 235 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 342.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 191 / Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
At end of road, turn left onto US 191 / Chambers-Mexican Water Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
210.5 mi into trip
|
~4h 6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
7
327.5 mi into trip
|
~6h 5m in
Take the exit toward AZ 303 Loop South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 221
Toward AZ 303 Loop South
6
327.9 mi into trip
|
~6h 6m in
|
AZ 303 Loop
Turn right onto AZ 303 Loop
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
342.8 mi into trip
|
~6h 23m in
Take the exit toward El Mirage Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123
Toward El Mirage Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$69.51 one way
$139.01 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
122 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $73.56 | $147.11 |
| premium | $5.59 | $76.80 | $153.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $77.03 | $154.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$70
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$95–$120
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 122.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 104.7 | 1 | $36.63 | $16.75 |
| Efficient EV | 87.2 | 0 | $30.53 | $13.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 139.6 | 1 | $48.85 | $22.33 |
Gas CO2
122 kg
EV CO2
41 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Surprise, AZ
Evening in Surprise on Saturday
Local time
6:09 PM
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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
49 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
6h 37m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
$10
near mile 252.7
Caution: High Levels of Visitation
Walnut Canyon National Monument
National Monument
Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have lived and traveled throughout Walnut Canyon’s dynamic landscape. Vibrant communities built their homes in the cliffs and farmed along the canyon’s rim. T...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
$25
near mile 204.5
View on nps.gov
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
National Monument
The lava flow lies on the land like a dream, a wonderland of rock. A thousand years ago the ground was torn open and lava erupted into the sky, forever changing the landscape and the lives of the peop...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
$25
near mile 204.5
View on nps.gov
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
National Monument
This canyon is home to Diné families who raise livestock, grow crops and live here. People have lived in these canyons for nearly 5,000 years, which is longer than anyone has lived continuously on the...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Tuzigoot National Monument
National Monument
Water flows under and through this landscape, feeding the growth of people and towns. The Verde Valley is watered by snowmelt, summer monsoons, and springs that well up from the ancient sedimentary ro...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
$10
near mile 264.7
View on nps.gov
Wupatki National Monument
National Monument
Nestled between the Painted Desert and ponderosa highlands of northern Arizona, Wupatki National Monument is an unlikely landscape for a thriving community. The early 1100's marked a time of cooler an...
25 mi from route
~64 min detour
$25
near mile 204.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, with only 26% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a dynamic road profile, shifting between various local and state routes. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 93 miles along the Arizona Veterans Highway, offering a period of more consistent travel before the landscape of turns resumes. Be prepared for a driving experience that requires frequent adjustments and attention to navigation as you traverse these roads.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 93 mi on Arizona Veterans Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 1.9 miles in near US 191 / Chambers-Mexican Water Highway.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 348.9 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 1.9 miles (US 191 / Chambers-Mexican Water Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 210.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 327.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chinle, AZ and Surprise, AZ, road signs point toward Flagstaff and Phoenix.
Flagstaff
210.4 mi in
|
~4h 6m
Phoenix
210.5 mi in
|
~4h 6m
About the Cities
Starting in Chinle, AZ
Full guide →Canyon de Chelly National Monument (duh-SHAY) is a national monument within the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona. The park preserves ruins of the indigenous tribes that lived in the area, from the Ancestral Puebloans (formerly known as Anasazi) to the Navajo, and reflects one of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes of North America.
Arriving in Surprise, AZ
Full guide →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.
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 6h 37m. Total distance: 348.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 37m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 93 miles on Arizona Veterans Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (US 191 / Chambers-Mexican Water Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 210.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 327.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Montezuma Castle National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.6 hours each way, a round trip means 13.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Surprise, AZ before the return drive.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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