Eagar to Mesa is 207.5 miles and takes about 4 hours 19 minutes via Globe-Show Low Highway, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a single-day option for those looking to cover ground efficiently without extensive highway time. Consider this route if you prefer a more grounded travel experience with fewer interstate miles.
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
103.7 miles from Eagar, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 4m into the drive
.
Step-by-step road directions between Eagar, AZ and Mesa, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 260
239 ft·12 sec·West Central Avenue
2
Turn left onto Main Street
1.4 mi·2 min·Main Street
3
Continue on South Mountain Avenue
0.2 mi·32 sec·South Mountain Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60; US 180; US 191
44 mi·51 min·Main Street
5
Continue on US 60
4.7 mi·9 min·East Deuce of Clubs
6
Continue on US 60; AZ 77
83 mi·1 hr 35 min·Globe-Show Low Highway
7
Turn right onto US 60
1.1 mi·2 min·East Ash Street
8
Turn right onto South Hill Street
0.3 mi·41 sec·South Hill Street
9
Turn left onto East Oak Street
366 ft·11 sec·East Oak Street
10
Turn right onto North Broad Street
0.5 mi·53 sec·North Broad Street
11
Continue on US 60
1.4 mi·2 min·North Broad Street
12
Continue on US 60
4.0 mi·7 min·US 60
13
Continue on US 60
1.9 mi·3 min·West Live Oak Street
14
Continue on US 60
43 mi·55 min·Phoenix–Globe Highway
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on US 60; US 80 Hist
19 mi·21 min·Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 180Toward Mesa DriveUse the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto South Mesa Drive
2.0 mi·3 min·South Mesa Drive
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on North Mesa Drive
0.5 mi·1 min·North Mesa Drive
19
Turn right onto East University Drive
73 ft·1 sec·East University Drive
20
Arrive at destination
East University Drive
Trip Plan
Aim for an early morning departure from Eagar to maximize daylight, especially since this is a single-day trip. With a duration of just over 4 hours, you'll likely only need one brief stop. Plan your fuel fill-up before leaving Eagar or in Globe, as the longest stretch without a town is significant. The flexibility of a shorter, surface-road-heavy drive means you can adjust your pace as needed.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 103.7 miles from Eagar, AZ, or about 2h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.5 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 46 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.7 miles or 2h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mesa, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Eagar, 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 Eagar, AZ
This is one driving day of about 207.5 miles and 4h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Eagar, 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 Globe-Show Low Highway for about 83.5 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 205 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip|~3m in|US 60; US 180; US 191 / Main Street
Turn left onto US 60; US 180; US 191 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
135.2 mi into trip|~2h 42m in|East Oak Street
Turn left onto East Oak Street
Navigation decision point
7
204.5 mi into trip|~4h 14m in
Take the exit toward Mesa Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 180
Toward Mesa Drive
5
205 mi into trip|~4h 15m in|South Mesa Drive
Turn right onto South Mesa Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.77 one way
$73.54 round trip
$4.50/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.82
$39.38
$78.75
premium
$5.04
$41.19
$82.38
diesel
$4.80
$39.18
$78.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.3
0
$21.79
$9.96
Efficient EV
51.9
0
$18.16
$8.30
EV Truck/SUV
83
1
$29.05
$13.28
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Eagar, AZ
Night
in Eagar on Saturday
Local time
11:59 PM
MST
Current temp
56°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
S 0 to 3 mph64% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 5:44PM PDT until July 18 at 7:30PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 5:30PM MST until July 18 at 6:00PM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
Destination
Mesa, AZ
Night
in Mesa on Saturday
Local time
11:59 PM
MST
Current temp
80°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NNE 0 to 5 mph21% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 5:44PM PDT until July 18 at 7:30PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 18 at 5:30PM MST until July 18 at 6:00PM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
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
24 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
4h 19m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 171.7
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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
$10
near mile 150.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with only an 11% highway share. You'll encounter an 83.5-mile stretch on the Globe-Show Low Highway before transitioning to Main Street and then the Phoenix–Globe Highway. Expect more opportunities for local interaction and less high-speed travel compared to a full interstate route. The profile suggests a cruising pace with fewer exits.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 83.5 mi on Globe-Show Low Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 19m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 60; US 180; US 191 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 135.2 miles (East Oak Street): Navigation decision point.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 83.5 miles on Globe-Show Low Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 60; US 180; US 191 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 135.2 miles (East Oak Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Tonto National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Mesa, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
