Origin
Peoria, AZ
Late night in Peoria on Sunday
Local time
1:50 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Peoria, AZ to San Carlos, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
33.2 mi
53 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Peoria, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
San Carlos, AZ
Andrea Hinojosa
Trip Overview
Peoria, AZ to San Carlos, AZ is 33.2 miles and takes about 48 minutes via Grand Avenue, Maricopa Freeway, and US 60, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Desert Southwest, offering a straightforward drive that's ideal for a quick transit. You'll experience a mixed driving profile, so expect some variety as you head east. The drive is manageable for a single day, making it a convenient option for local travel or connecting between points in Arizona.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Avenue | 9.3 mi | 16m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| US 60 | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| South Alma School Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| West Elliot Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Hartford Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Black Canyon Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Grand Avenue
— 9.3 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Peoria, AZ and San Carlos, AZ.
1
Start on North 83rd Avenue
128 ft
·
8 sec
·
North 83rd Avenue
2
Turn right onto US 60
9.3 mi
·
16 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit onto US 60
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 60
Toward 27th Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Thomas Road
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Black Canyon Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 17 South
7
Merge onto I 17; US 60
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 17; US 60
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 60
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
US 60
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 178
Toward Alma School Road
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto South Alma School Road
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
South Alma School Road
12
Turn left onto West Elliot Road
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
West Elliot Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto North Hartford Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
North Hartford Street
14
Turn right
141 ft
·
13 sec
15
Turn right
102 ft
·
7 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.6 miles from Peoria, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 60 / Grand Avenue
Turn right onto US 60 / Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 60 / West Thomas Road
Turn left onto US 60 / West Thomas Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
10.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Turn right onto US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Navigation decision point
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
US 60
Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 154
Toward US 60 East: Mesa, Globe
7
29.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Alma School Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 178
Toward Alma School Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.61 one way
$13.23 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.31 | $14.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.59 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.12 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
San Carlos, AZ
Late night in San Carlos on Sunday
Local time
1:50 AM
MST
Current temp
89°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
48m 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?
This route offers a mixed drive, with 59% of it on highways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 9.3 miles on Grand Avenue before transitioning to freeway and then US 60. The road's character shifts from urban surface streets to faster-paced freeway and highway segments. Expect to navigate through various traffic conditions as you make your way across the landscape.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on Grand Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 60 / Grand Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 33.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 60 / Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Peoria, AZ to San Carlos, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
Globe
22.9 mi in
|
~33m
|
via US 60
About the Cities
Starting in Peoria, AZ
Full guide →Peoria is a city inside of Phoenix, Arizona. Many visitors come to the area during the spring to see their favorite professional baseball team during Spring Training in the Cactus League.
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 48m. Total distance: 33.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on Grand Avenue. 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 San Carlos, 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: near the start (US 60 / Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Carlos, 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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