Origin
Maricopa, AZ
Late night in Maricopa on Tuesday
Local time
2:21 AM
MST
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maricopa, AZ to El Mirage, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
60.6 mi
97 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maricopa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
El Mirage, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 60.6-mile drive from Maricopa, AZ, to El Mirage, AZ, is a straightforward, highway-focused trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 17 minutes. Given its short duration and manageable distance, it's perfectly suited as a day trip, with no need for an overnight stop. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $12, making it an economical option. You'll primarily be navigating via the Papago Freeway and Maricopa Freeway, with a portion on Maricopa Road, offering a consistent driving experience. Both your origin and destination are within the Desert Southwest region of Arizona, so expect arid desert landscapes throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Papago Freeway | 15 mi | 17m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 12 mi | 13m |
| Maricopa Road | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| Agua Fria Freeway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Grand Avenue | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| North John Wayne Parkway | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| West Queen Creek Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Papago Freeway
— 15 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maricopa, AZ and El Mirage, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 347
124 ft
·
3 sec
·
North John Wayne Parkway
2
Continue on AZ 347
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North John Wayne Parkway
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on AZ 347
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maricopa Road
4
Continue on AZ 347
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Queen Creek Road
5
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 10
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
7
Continue on I 10
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
11
Continue on I 10
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 133B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 11
Toward US 60
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn left onto US 60
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto West Thunderbird Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Thunderbird Road
17
Turn right onto North El Mirage Road
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
North El Mirage Road
18
Arrive at destination
North El Mirage Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Maricopa, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 15.9 and 55.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Turn left toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
6
30.7 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
32.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
46.2 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward AZ 101 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 133B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
55.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 60
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 11
Toward US 60
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.07 one way
$24.14 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $12.78 | $25.55 |
| premium | $5.59 | $13.34 | $26.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.38 | $26.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.30 | $2.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.48 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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.
Destination
El Mirage, AZ
Late night in El Mirage on Tuesday
Local time
2:21 AM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
1h 17m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
The character of this drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 63% of the route utilizing major freeways. You'll experience stretches of faster driving, including a continuous 15-mile segment on the Papago Freeway, which allows for steady progress. While the majority of the journey is on these main arteries, there's a portion on Maricopa Road that might offer a slight change of pace. Overall, expect a consistent driving feel with limited complex road transitions, making it an uncomplicated route to navigate.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15 mi on Papago Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Papago Freeway and Maricopa Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.6 miles you will encounter 8 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 15.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 30.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Maricopa, AZ
Full guide →Founded 2003
Arriving in El Mirage, AZ
Full guide →El Mirage is a city in the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona.
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 1h 17m. Total distance: 60.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15 miles on Papago Freeway. 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 El Mirage, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 30.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 El Mirage, AZ before heading back.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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