Origin
Mesa, AZ
Night in Mesa on Saturday
Local time
9:18 PM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mesa, AZ to Rio Verde, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
29.1 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Rio Verde, AZ
Guillermo Berlin
Trip Overview
This 29.1-mile journey from Mesa to Rio Verde, AZ, is designed as a single-day adventure, taking approximately 52 minutes to complete. You'll navigate primarily on East McDowell Mountain Road and the Beeline Highway, with no significant stretches on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this short trip is around $6, making it an economical option. The drive offers a turn-heavy local feel, perfect for a quick excursion within the Desert Southwest region. It's an easy drive that doesn't require an overnight stay, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East McDowell Mountain Road | 8.1 mi | 19m |
| Beeline Highway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| North Beeline Highway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| North Saguaro Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| North Mesa Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| East McKellips Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Country Club Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Forest Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
East McDowell Mountain Road
— 8.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mesa, AZ and Rio Verde, AZ.
1
Start on East University Drive
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
East University Drive
2
Turn right onto North Mesa Drive
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Mesa Drive
3
Turn left onto East McKellips Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East McKellips Road
4
Turn right onto AZ 87
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Country Club Drive
5
Continue on AZ 87
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North Beeline Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
Continue on AZ 87
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto East Shea Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
East Shea Boulevard
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto North Saguaro Boulevard
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
North Saguaro Boulevard
Use the right lane.
9
At end of road, turn right onto North Fountain Hills Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Fountain Hills Boulevard
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on East McDowell Mountain Road
8.1 mi
·
19 min
·
East McDowell Mountain Road
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on North Forest Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Forest Road
12
Turn left onto East Four Peaks Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Four Peaks Boulevard
13
Turn right onto North Medelice Lane
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Medelice Lane
14
Arrive at destination
North Medelice Lane
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Mesa Drive
Turn right onto North Mesa Drive
Navigation decision point
4
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
East McKellips Road
Turn left onto East McKellips Road
Navigation decision point
6
15 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
East Shea Boulevard
Turn left onto East Shea Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
15.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
North Saguaro Boulevard
Turn right onto North Saguaro Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
North Fountain Hills Boulevard
At end of road, turn right onto North Fountain Hills Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.80 one way
$11.59 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.14 | $12.27 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.41 | $12.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.42 | $12.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.07 | $1.86 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Rio Verde, AZ
Night in Rio Verde on Saturday
Local time
9:18 PM
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
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
52m 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?
Expect a road with a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you'll be making frequent adjustments rather than cruising on a straight path. With a 0% highway share, this route keeps you on local roads throughout. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 8.1 miles on East McDowell Mountain Road. This drive is characterized by its winding nature and the need for constant attention to navigation, rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of open road.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.1 mi on East McDowell Mountain Road.
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 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Mesa Drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 29.1 miles you will encounter 7 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: near the start (North Mesa Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (East McKellips Road): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles (East Shea Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Mesa, AZ
Full guide →Mesa, population 518,000 (2019), is in Maricopa County. It is Arizona's third-largest city, and is part of the Greater Phoenix urban complex.
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 52m. Total distance: 29.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.1 miles on East McDowell Mountain Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (North Mesa Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles (East McKellips Road): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles (East Shea Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rio Verde, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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