Trip from Lake Havasu City, AZ to New River, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 12m
Distance
225.7 mi
363 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$45
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
New River, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lake Havasu City, AZ to New River, AZ is 225.7 miles and takes about 4h 12m via Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway and Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive primarily on surface roads. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, it's a manageable route for a single day. Plan for a direct transit through desert terrain.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
112.8 miles from Lake Havasu City, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 103.4 mi | 1h 43m |
| Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway | 54.6 mi | 1h 3m |
| Bob Stump Memorial Parkway | 34.2 mi | 39m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 8.9 mi | 9m |
| Riverside Drive | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Rio Vista Highway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| North Acoma Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| North Central Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 3m |
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Havasu City, AZ and New River, AZ.
Start on Mescal Loop
Turn left onto Smoketree Avenue North
Turn left onto North Acoma Boulevard
Turn left onto AZ 95
Continue on AZ 95
Turn straight onto AZ 95
Continue on AZ 95
Turn left onto AZ 95
Continue on AZ 95
Continue on AZ 95
Continue on AZ 95
Turn left onto I 10 BUS
Turn right onto I 10 Bus
Take the ramp onto I 10 Business
Merge onto I 10
Take the exit
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 17
Take the exit
Turn right onto North New River Road
At end of road, turn left onto I-17 Frontage Road
Turn right onto West New River Road
Turn right onto North Kelley Road
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Leaving early in the morning from Lake Havasu City is a good idea to maximize daylight for the 4h 12m drive. With only one stop suggested, you can choose to make it a brief fuel and stretch break or a more extended lunch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 103.4-mile stretch on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, as fuel stops might be less frequent. The $45 fuel estimate is a helpful budget guide for this 225.7-mile trip.
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.
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 50 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 112.8 miles or 2h 10m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New River, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
Open the route before leaving Lake Havasu City, 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 Lake Havasu City, AZ
This is one driving day of about 225.7 miles and 4h 12m.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
113 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
A short stop after about 50 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 112.8 miles from Lake Havasu City, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 103.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Bouse Wash Rest Area
Service Plaza
Burnt Well Rest Area
Burnt Well Rest Area
Love's Travel Stop
Pilot Travel Center
Pilot Travel Center
QuikTrip
Pride Travel Center
TA
Pilot Travel Center
Love's Travel Stop
Jack Hardie Park
Near the start, right off the route
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Hours: 6 am–9 pm
+19284538686
Visit websiteLake Havasu Museum of History & Havasu Rocks
Near the start, short detour
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Hours: 11 am–3 pm
+19288544938
Visit websitePioneer Living History Museum
Near the end, ~11 min detour
Phoenix, Arizona
Hours: 9 am–4 pm
+16234651052
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 224.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto AZ 95 / Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward AZ 303 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward New River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto North New River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.96 one way
$89.92 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $47.58 | $95.17 |
| premium | $5.59 | $49.68 | $99.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $49.83 | $99.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 79 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 67.7 | 0 | $23.70 | $10.83 |
| Efficient EV | 56.4 | 0 | $19.75 | $9.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 90.3 | 1 | $31.60 | $14.44 |
Gas CO2
79 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Night in Lake Havasu City on Saturday
Local time
9:46 PM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Destination
New River, AZ
Night in New River on Saturday
Local time
9:46 PM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
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
2 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
4h 12m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 19% of this 225.7-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway, Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, covers 103.4 miles. After that, you'll transition to predominantly surface roads. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of the route, punctuated by more developed areas around towns.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 3.3 miles in near AZ 95 / Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 225.7 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 3.3 miles (AZ 95 / Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 178.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 214.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Lake Havasu City, AZ
Full guide →Lake Havasu City is a city in Mohave County in western Arizona. It is known best for being the home of the 1831 London Bridge, which Robert McCulloch, the founder of the city, bought from the British government in 1967.
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 4h 12m. Total distance: 225.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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