Traveling between Marana and Avondale covers 107.5 miles of the Arizona Desert Southwest, typically taking about 1 hour and 46 minutes behind the wheel. Because this is a relatively short distance, it serves perfectly as a straightforward day trip that doesn’t require an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $21 for fuel to complete the journey. Navigating this route involves a series of local roads, including West Swanson Street, North Whitney Lane, and West Moore Road, rather than relying on major interstates. It is a practical, direct way to move between these two desert communities without the complexities of long-haul logistics.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.9 miles from Marana, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38.1 mi
38m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
36.1 mi
36m
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
19.6 mi
22m
West Buckeye Road
8.9 mi
13m
North Sandario Road
1.6 mi
3m
East Western Avenue
0.5 mi
<1m
West Moore Road
0.3 mi
<1m
West Swanson Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 38.1 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Marana, AZ and Avondale, AZ.
1
Start on North Steele Drive
214 ft·12 sec·North Steele Drive
2
Turn right onto West Swanson Street
0.2 mi·49 sec·West Swanson Street
3
Turn left onto North Whitney Lane
0.1 mi·27 sec·North Whitney Lane
4
Turn right onto West Moore Road
0.3 mi·44 sec·West Moore Road
5
Turn left onto North Sandario Road
1.3 mi·2 min·North Sandario Road
6
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
103 ft·3 sec·North Sandario Road
7
Continue on North Sandario Road
0.3 mi·59 sec·North Sandario Road
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
9
Merge onto I 10
36 mi·36 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·14 sec
Exit 161A-BToward AZ 202 LoopUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi·1 min
Exit 161AToward AZ 202 Loop WestUse the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
20 mi·22 min·Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 76Toward Buckeye RoadUse the slight right lane.
15
Continue on South 59th Avenue
0.1 mi·11 sec·South 59th Avenue
16
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
8.9 mi·13 min·West Buckeye Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
17
Turn slight right
363 ft·13 sec
Toward South Dysart Road
18
Turn straight onto South Dysart Road
300 ft·9 sec·South Dysart Road
19
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
0.5 mi·56 sec·East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
89 ft·5 sec·North Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Turn right
27 ft·1 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a concise 1-hour and 46-minute drive with no formal stops scheduled, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure time. However, because the route consists entirely of local roads like West Whitney Lane and West Moore Road, you should plan for a slower pace than you would experience on a major highway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you head out, as the $21 cost is an estimate that may fluctuate based on your vehicle's efficiency. Given the turn-heavy nature of the drive, ensure your GPS is updated and ready to handle frequent directional changes. Taking the journey during daylight hours is highly recommended to better navigate the local intersections effectively.
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 53.9 miles from Marana, AZ, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 38.1 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 24 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.9 miles or 57m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Avondale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Marana, 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 Marana, AZ
This is one driving day of about 107.8 miles and 2h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Marana, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway for about 38.1 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 97.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Swanson Street
Turn right onto West Swanson Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Navigation decision point
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
77 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
8
77.1 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 202 Loop West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
7
97.9 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.48 one way
$42.95 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$22.73
$45.45
premium
$5.59
$23.73
$47.46
diesel
$5.61
$23.80
$47.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.3
0
$11.32
$5.17
Efficient EV
27
0
$9.43
$4.31
EV Truck/SUV
43.1
0
$15.09
$6.90
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 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 15, 2026
Origin
Marana, AZ
Late night
in Marana on Sunday
Local time
12:47 AM
MST
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Avondale, AZ
Late night
in Avondale on Sunday
Local time
12:47 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
88°F
Guadalupe, AZ
54 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
36 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
2h 1m 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.
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
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 48.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged throughout the entire 107.5-mile trip. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route features a 0% highway share, meaning you will navigate through local roads rather than high-speed lanes. You won't find any long, uninterrupted stretches here, as the longest segment is 0 miles on West Swanson Street, emphasizing the constant turns and transitions required. This road's personality is defined by its technical, local nature, requiring you to stay alert as you maneuver through the desert landscape. It is a hands-on driving experience that demands your full attention from start to finish.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 38.1 mi on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway.
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 early in the drive near West Swanson Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 107.8 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: near the start (West Swanson Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 77 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 1m. Total distance: 107.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.1 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Avondale, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Swanson Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 77 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Avondale, AZ before heading back.
