Spanning 118.6 miles, this drive from Glendale to Flowing Wells takes approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes to complete. Because the entire journey remains within the Desert Southwest, you will experience a consistent environment throughout the trip. You can comfortably tackle this route as a single-day excursion, making it an efficient option for those looking to reach their destination without the need for an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $24 on fuel for the trip. Since there are no scheduled stops required by the route, you have the flexibility to manage your own timeline and pace.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.3 miles from Glendale, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
52.3 mi
53m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
37.8 mi
38m
Maricopa Freeway
16.3 mi
18m
Grand Avenue
5.9 mi
10m
Black Canyon Freeway
3.5 mi
4m
West Ruthrauff Road
1.2 mi
2m
US 60
0.5 mi
1m
North Black Canyon Highway
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 52.3 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, AZ and Flowing Wells, AZ.
1
Start on US 60
0.3 mi·36 sec·Grand Avenue
2
Continue on US 60
5.5 mi·9 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit onto US 60
0.5 mi·1 min·US 60
Toward 27th Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60
0.2 mi·26 sec·West Thomas Road
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi·28 sec·North Black Canyon Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward I 17 South
7
Merge onto I 17; US 60
3.5 mi·4 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 17; US 60
16 mi·18 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
52 mi·53 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 252Toward El Camino Del Cerro, Ruthrauff RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto North Casa Grande Highway
0.2 mi·20 sec·North Casa Grande Highway
13
Turn left onto West Ruthrauff Road
1.2 mi·2 min·West Ruthrauff Road
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right
139 ft·10 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on the main freeways as you exit the Glendale area. Since the drive is relatively short at just over two hours, you have the advantage of being able to leave whenever fits your schedule best. Keep a close watch on your navigation, especially when transitioning off the major highways, as the turn-heavy nature of the route requires your full attention. While no specific stops are mandated, take advantage of the short duration to plan your own breaks for fuel or rest as needed. Since you are passing through different highway systems, ensure your GPS is updated before you head out to navigate the local road segments accurately.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 59.3 miles from Glendale, AZ, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52.3 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 26 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.3 miles or 1h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Flowing Wells, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Glendale, 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 Glendale, AZ
This is one driving day of about 118.6 miles and 2h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Glendale, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 52.3 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 6.4 and 117 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
6.4 mi into trip|~11m in|US 60 / West Thomas Road
Turn left onto US 60 / West Thomas Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
6.6 mi into trip|~12m in|US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Turn right onto US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Navigation decision point
5
6.9 mi into trip|~12m in
Take the exit toward I 17 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 17 South
5
7 mi into trip|~12m in|I 17; US 60 / Black Canyon Freeway
Merge onto I 17; US 60 / Black Canyon Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
117 mi into trip|~2h 7m in
Take the exit toward El Camino Del Cerro, Ruthrauff Road
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 252
Toward El Camino Del Cerro, Ruthrauff Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.63 one way
$47.25 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$25.00
$50.01
premium
$5.59
$26.11
$52.21
diesel
$5.61
$26.19
$52.37
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
11 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Metro Commons - Tesla Supercharger
Phoenix, AZ
Tesla
16 DCFC
Westgate Entertainment District - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.6
0
$12.45
$5.69
Efficient EV
29.7
0
$10.38
$4.74
EV Truck/SUV
47.4
0
$16.60
$7.59
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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 Apr 21, 2026
Origin
Glendale, AZ
Late night
in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
4:30 AM
MST
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
S 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 10:32AM PDT until April 21 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Destination
Flowing Wells, AZ
Late night
in Flowing Wells on Tuesday
Local time
4:30 AM
MST
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Cloudy
SE 2 to 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 10:32AM PDT until April 21 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
62°F
Guadalupe, AZ
59 mi in
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
7 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
2h 10m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
11 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 57.3
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
$25
near mile 118.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Navigating this path involves a mix of transit, utilizing the Maricopa Freeway, the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, and the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. With a highway share of just 17%, you will find that a significant portion of your time is spent on turn-heavy local roads rather than high-speed interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 52.3-mile segment on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. Be prepared for a shift in road dynamics as you transition from the urban arterial roads into the more localized navigation required to reach Flowing Wells.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 52.3 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 6.4 miles in near US 60 / West Thomas Road.
Driving Effort5/10
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 118.6 miles you will encounter 9 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 6.4 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 10m. Total distance: 118.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (17%). 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 52.3 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 6.4 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Flowing Wells, AZ before heading back.
