Origin
Gilbert, AZ
Late night in Gilbert on Tuesday
Local time
3:39 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilbert, AZ to Maricopa, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
31.7 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Maricopa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Gilbert, AZ to Maricopa, AZ is 31.7 miles and takes about 45 minutes via North Maricopa Road and West Queen Creek Road, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip connecting two locations within Arizona's Desert Southwest region. Expect a local driving experience with numerous turns, making it more of a neighborhood commute than a long-haul adventure. It's a quick journey ideal for those needing to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Maricopa Road | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| West Queen Creek Road | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| North Gilbert Road | 4.8 mi | 8m |
| Santan Freeway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| North John Wayne Parkway | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| South Dobson Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East Cullumber Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Elm Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Maricopa Road
— 11.8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, AZ and Maricopa, AZ.
1
Start on this road
203 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Elm Street
244 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Elm Street
3
Turn left onto East Cullumber Avenue
436 ft
·
24 sec
·
East Cullumber Avenue
4
Turn left onto North Gilbert Road
4.8 mi
·
8 min
·
North Gilbert Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward AZ 202 Loop West: Santan Freeway
6
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Santan Freeway
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 49
Toward Dobson Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto South Dobson Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
South Dobson Road
Use the left / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto West Queen Creek Road
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
West Queen Creek Road
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on AZ 347
12 mi
·
13 min
·
North Maricopa Road
11
Continue on AZ 347
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North John Wayne Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
AZ 347
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.9 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 12 — 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
|
North Elm Street
Turn left onto North Elm Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Cullumber Avenue
Turn left onto East Cullumber Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Gilbert Road
Turn left onto North Gilbert Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
9.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Dobson Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 49
Toward Dobson Road
5
12 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
West Queen Creek Road
Turn right onto West Queen Creek Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.32 one way
$12.63 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.68 | $13.37 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.98 | $13.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Maricopa, AZ
Late night in Maricopa on Tuesday
Local time
3:39 AM
MST
Current temp
85°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
1 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
45m 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?
This route is characterized by its turn-heavy local drive profile, with only 21% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate primarily using local roads like North Maricopa Road, West Queen Creek Road, and North Gilbert Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.8 miles on North Maricopa Road. This means you'll be making frequent adjustments in direction, so staying alert and checking your navigation is key to a smooth transit.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on North Maricopa Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Elm Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 31.7 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (North Elm Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Cullumber Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Gilbert Road): 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.
Arriving in Maricopa, AZ
Full guide →Founded 2003
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 45m. Total distance: 31.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on North Maricopa Road. 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: near the start (North Elm Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Cullumber Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Gilbert Road): 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 Maricopa, 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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