Glendale, AZ to Somerton, AZ is 193.1 miles and takes about 3h 44m via Blue Star Memorial Highway and Arizona State Highway 85, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona, moving from the Desert Southwest region to another part of the Desert Southwest. Expect a drive composed mostly of surface roads, offering a more local feel than a pure interstate experience. It's a straightforward, single-day excursion perfect for a quick change of scenery within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
96.5 miles from Glendale, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Blue Star Memorial Highway
106.8 mi
1h 48m
Arizona State Highway 85
28.5 mi
33m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
11.9 mi
12m
Papago Freeway
8.2 mi
9m
East 32nd Street
5.8 mi
9m
Agua Fria Freeway
5.6 mi
6m
South Avenue B
4 mi
4m
West Northern Avenue
3.7 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 106.8 mi, about 1h 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, AZ and Somerton, AZ.
1
Start on US 60
1.4 mi·2 min·Grand Avenue
2
Turn left onto West Northern Avenue
3.7 mi·7 min·West Northern Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward AZ 101 Loop SouthUse the left lane.
4
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
5.6 mi·6 min·Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 1AToward I 10 West: Los AngelesUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 10
8.2 mi·9 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
12 mi·12 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
1.1 mi·2 min
Exit 112Toward AZ 85: Yuma, San DiegoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on AZ 85
3.6 mi·5 min·South Oglesby Road
10
Continue on AZ 85; US 80 Hist
1.0 mi·1 min·Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
11
Continue on AZ 85
28 mi·33 min·Arizona State Highway 85
12
Take the exit onto AZ 85
0.6 mi·1 min·Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
Toward AZ-85 South: Gila Bend
13
Continue on AZ 85
0.3 mi·43 sec·Arizona State Highway 85
14
Continue on AZ 85
2.4 mi·5 min·East Pima Street
15
Take the exit onto I 8 Bus; US 80 Hist
0.7 mi·1 min·I 8 Bus; US 80 Hist
Toward I 8 West: San Diego
16
Merge onto I 8
107 mi·1 hr 48 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward AZ 195: Araby Road, San Luis
18
Keep slight left at fork
267 ft·7 sec
Toward AZ 195: Araby Road, San Luis
19
Enter roundabout onto AZ 195
267 ft·3 sec·South Araby Road
20
Continue on AZ 195
0.1 mi·9 sec·South Araby Road
21
Enter roundabout onto AZ 195
188 ft·2 sec·South Araby Road
22
Continue on AZ 195
0.5 mi·34 sec·South Araby Road
23
Turn right onto I 8 BUS; US 80 Hist
5.8 mi·9 min·East 32nd Street
Use the straight lane.
24
Turn left onto West 32nd Street
1.7 mi·3 min·West 32nd Street
25
Turn left onto US 95
4.0 mi·4 min·South Avenue B
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on US 95
1.3 mi·1 min·San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway
27
Continue on US 95
0.7 mi·49 sec·West County 16th Street
28
Continue on US 95
1.7 mi·2 min·East Main Street
29
Turn left onto South Musgrove Avenue
370 ft·18 sec·South Musgrove Avenue
30
Turn right onto East Cano Street
367 ft·18 sec·East Cano Street
31
Turn right onto South Somerton Avenue
306 ft·6 sec·South Somerton Avenue
32
Arrive at destination
South Somerton Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the roughly 3 hour 44 minute drive time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Aim to depart in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for a leisurely pace. With only one recommended stop, you have significant flexibility in how you structure your journey. Consider starting your trip with a full tank of gas, as the estimated fuel cost is around $37. Pay attention to the transition from highway to surface roads around the 106.8-mile mark on the Blue Star Memorial Highway, as this is where the driving experience will change most noticeably.
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 96.5 miles from Glendale, AZ, or about 1h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106.8 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 42 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 96.5 miles or 1h 58m 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 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Somerton, 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 193.1 miles and 3h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Glendale, 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 Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 106.8 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 176.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.1 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the ramp toward AZ 101 Loop South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
8
11.3 mi into trip|~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
8
31.9 mi into trip|~40m in
Take the exit toward AZ 85: Yuma, San Diego
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 112
Toward AZ 85: Yuma, San Diego
6
176.8 mi into trip|~3h 20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 195: Araby Road, San Luis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward AZ 195: Araby Road, San Luis
6
176.9 mi into trip|~3h 20m in|AZ 195 / South Araby Road
Enter roundabout onto AZ 195 / South Araby Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.43 one way
$74.85 round trip
$4.92/gal25.4 MPG avg68 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.20
$39.55
$79.09
premium
$5.44
$41.33
$82.67
diesel
$5.60
$42.57
$85.13
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: 67.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
57.9
0
$20.28
$9.27
Efficient EV
48.3
0
$16.90
$7.72
EV Truck/SUV
77.2
0
$27.03
$12.36
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 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 Sep 1, 2026
Origin
Glendale, AZ
Night
in Glendale on Friday
Local time
11:29 PM
MST
Current temp
100°F
Sunny
S 5 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Somerton, AZ
Night
in Somerton on Friday
Local time
11:29 PM
MST
Current temp
105°F
Sunny
SE 0 to 10 mph4% chanceLive forecast
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
5 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
3h 44m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly surface roads, with highway driving accounting for about 22% of the total distance. You'll cover the longest continuous stretch of 106.8 miles on the Blue Star Memorial Highway. After that, expect a transition to more local roads, indicated by the significant portion of surface driving. Keep an eye out for merging traffic as you transition between these road types.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 106.8 mi on Blue Star Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.1 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 193.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,153 ft105 ft
Total Climb
616 ft
Total Descent
1,638 ft
Highest Point
1,153 ft
~27.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,048 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Glendale, AZ and Somerton, AZ, road signs point toward San Diego and San Luis.
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.
Top landmarks
•Catlin Court Historic District — historic district in Glendale, Arizona, USA
•Floralcroft Historic District — historic district in Glendale. Arizona
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 44m. Total distance: 193.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 106.8 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Somerton, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Somerton, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
