Origin
Gilbert, AZ
Late night in Gilbert on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilbert, AZ to Black Canyon City, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
67.9 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Black Canyon City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick getaway from Gilbert to Black Canyon City, this 67.9-mile trip is a straightforward journey through the Desert Southwest. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 20 minutes behind the wheel, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. You will primarily navigate the Superstition, Maricopa, and Black Canyon Freeways to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $14, the route is both accessible and budget-friendly for a weekend escape. Since the drive is quite efficient, there is no need to worry about overnight logistics or mid-trip hotel bookings. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that transitions you from the suburbs of Gilbert into the higher elevation terrain of Black Canyon City.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Black Canyon Freeway | 41.3 mi | 45m |
| Superstition Freeway | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| North Gilbert Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| South Old Black Canyon Highway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| US 60 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| North Elm Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Black Canyon Freeway
— 41.3 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, AZ and Black Canyon City, AZ.
1
Start on this road
203 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Elm Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto East Vaughn Avenue
440 ft
·
23 sec
·
East Vaughn Avenue
4
Turn right onto North Gilbert Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Gilbert Road
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto US 60
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 60
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 60
Toward I 10 North
8
Merge onto I 10; US 60
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
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.
10
Continue on I 17; US 60
41 mi
·
45 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 17
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 242
Toward Rock Springs, Black Canyon City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Rock Springs Road
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Rock Springs Road
14
At end of road, turn right onto South Old Black Canyon Highway
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Old Black Canyon Highway
15
Turn right onto East Palm Lane
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Palm Lane
16
Arrive at destination
East Palm Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Gilbert, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 66 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Vaughn Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East Vaughn Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 60 / Superstition Freeway
Merge onto US 60 / Superstition Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
18 mi into trip
|
~24m 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 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
$13.53 one way
$27.05 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $14.32 | $28.63 |
| premium | $5.59 | $14.95 | $29.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.99 | $29.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.2 | 0 | $9.51 | $4.35 |
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.
Destination
Black Canyon City, AZ
Late night in Black Canyon City on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
MST
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
31 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 20m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 89% of this trip is spent on major thoroughfares. You will settle into a rhythm quickly, especially during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 41.3 miles on the Black Canyon Freeway. The drive feels like a standard interstate transit, favoring speed and efficiency over winding backroads. As you progress, the urban landscape shifts toward the rugged desert scenery characteristic of the region. Being prepared for consistent highway speeds is essential, as the route is designed for getting you to your destination with minimal navigation fuss.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 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?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Black Canyon Freeway and Superstition Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near East Vaughn Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 67.9 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.3 miles (East Vaughn Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (US 60 / Superstition Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Gilbert, AZ
Full guide →Gilbert is in the southeast valley of the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona. With a population of 270,000 (2021 est.) it is the largest town in the US. people. Once a railway town and the "Hay Capital of the World", Gilbert is now a diverse suburban center, retaining its agricultural and railroad history and celebrating its "small town" feel.
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 20m. Total distance: 67.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). 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 0.3 miles (East Vaughn Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (US 60 / Superstition Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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