Origin
Glendale, AZ
Late night in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
2:21 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
62.6 mi
101 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glendale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Cordes Lakes, AZ
Emilio Sánchez Hernández
This straightforward 62.6-mile drive from Glendale, AZ to Cordes Lakes, AZ takes about 1 hour and 16 minutes. It's a perfect day trip, easily completed in a single outing with no need to split the journey. The estimated fuel cost is around $12, making it an economical option for exploring the Desert Southwest. The route primarily utilizes major roadways, offering a consistent driving experience throughout. With no scheduled stops, you can complete this trip quickly and efficiently, focusing on your destination.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Black Canyon Freeway | 32 mi | 34m |
| Arizona Veterans Highway | 13.4 mi | 13m |
| Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway | 8.9 mi | 9m |
| West Northern Avenue | 4.2 mi | 8m |
| Stagecoach Trail | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| North 59th Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Black Mountain Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, AZ and Cordes Lakes, AZ.
Start on US 60
Turn sharp right onto West Myrtle Avenue
Turn left onto North 59th Avenue
Turn right onto West Northern Avenue
Turn slight left
Turn straight onto North Black Canyon Highway
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 17
Continue on I 17
Continue on I 17
Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 69
Take the exit
Enter roundabout onto Cordes Lakes Road
Continue on Cordes Lakes Road
Turn right onto Stagecoach Trail
Turn right onto South Black Mountain Road
Turn left onto East Ash Creek Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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.
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 31.3 miles from Glendale, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 60.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn sharp right onto West Myrtle Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Turn left onto North 59th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto West Northern Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto AZ 69 toward AZ 69 North: Cordes Lakes Rd, Prescott
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$12.47 one way
$24.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $13.20 | $26.40 |
| premium | $5.59 | $13.78 | $27.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.82 | $27.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
| Efficient EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.48 | $2.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25 | 0 | $8.76 | $4.01 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
2:21 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Cordes Lakes on Tuesday
Local time
2:21 AM
MST
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, with 52% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on the Black Canyon Freeway, Arizona Veterans Highway, and Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway. The longest uninterrupted drive is 32 miles on the Black Canyon Freeway, providing a good opportunity to settle in. The road character is generally consistent, without significant shifts between different types of terrain or road surfaces.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West Myrtle Avenue.
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 62.6 miles you will encounter 11 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 (West Myrtle Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.5 miles (North 59th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (West Northern Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Glendale is one of the largest suburbs in the metropolitan Phoenix area, and is rapidly growing as a media/entertainment center in the Valley of the Sun. It was home to over 250,000 people in 2019.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 62.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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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