Origin
Paradise Valley, AZ
Late night in Paradise Valley on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
MST
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Paradise Valley, AZ to Maricopa, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
38.1 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paradise Valley, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Maricopa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 37.1 miles, this quick trip from Paradise Valley to Maricopa is an ideal day outing within the Desert Southwest. You can expect to spend about 48 minutes behind the wheel, making it a very manageable drive that does not require an overnight stay. Your path will take you along North Tatum Boulevard, East McDonald Drive, and North 44th Street as you navigate through the local landscape. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, this is an incredibly economical route to tackle in a single day. Because the entire journey takes place within the same region, you will experience a consistent environment from start to finish. It is a straightforward commute that offers the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Maricopa Road | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Hohokam Expressway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| North 44th Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| North John Wayne Parkway | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| East Lincoln Drive | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| West Queen Creek Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
North Maricopa Road
— 11.8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paradise Valley, AZ and Maricopa, AZ.
1
Start on East Lincoln Drive
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
East Lincoln Drive
2
Turn left onto North Tatum Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Tatum Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on East McDonald Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East McDonald Drive
4
Continue on North 44th Street
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
North 44th Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto East McDowell Road
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
East McDowell Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto AZ 143
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Hohokam Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 10 East: East Tucson
8
Merge onto I 10
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 164
Toward AZ 347 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto AZ 347
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Queen Creek Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12
Continue on AZ 347
12 mi
·
13 min
·
North Maricopa Road
13
Continue on AZ 347
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North John Wayne Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
AZ 347
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Paradise Valley, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 22.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
North Tatum Boulevard
Turn left onto North Tatum Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
12.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: East Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 10 East: East Tucson
5
13.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 10 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / Maricopa Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
22.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward AZ 347 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 164
Toward AZ 347 South
5
22.4 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
AZ 347 / West Queen Creek Road
Turn right onto AZ 347 / West Queen Creek Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.59 one way
$15.18 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.03 | $16.07 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.39 | $16.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.41 | $16.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Maricopa, AZ
Late night in Maricopa on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
MST
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
88°F
Guadalupe, AZ
19 mi in
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
30 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
54m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul, as this route consists of 0% highway driving. You will be navigating city streets and surface roads for the duration of the 37.1-mile trip, requiring you to stay attentive to local traffic patterns and intersections. Because there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches, the pacing remains steady but requires frequent adjustments to your speed. The character of the road is purely urban and suburban, lacking the monotony of long-distance freeway travel. Be prepared for a hands-on driving experience where your focus will shift between changing local thoroughfares to reach your destination in Maricopa.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on North Maricopa Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near North Tatum Boulevard.
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 38.1 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: at 1.9 miles (North Tatum Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.1 miles (I 10 / Maricopa Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on North Maricopa 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: at 1.9 miles (North Tatum Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.1 miles (I 10 / Maricopa Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Maricopa, 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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