Phoenix, AZ to Desert Hills, AZ is 207.4 miles and takes about 3h 55m via Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway and Papago Freeway, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive that's easily manageable in a single day. You'll primarily navigate surface roads, with a limited portion on highways, making it a relaxed pace for most drivers. Consider this route if you're looking for an uncomplicated trip between two points in the same general desert landscape.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
103.7 miles from Phoenix, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
105 mi
1h 45m
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
63.1 mi
1h 16m
Papago Freeway
19 mi
21m
Riverside Drive
7.1 mi
8m
Rio Vista Highway
4.4 mi
5m
North Central Boulevard
3.1 mi
3m
East Main Street
1 mi
2m
North 7th Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
— 105 mi, about 1h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Phoenix, AZ and Desert Hills, AZ.
1
Start on West Washington Street
0.5 mi·1 min·West Washington Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn right onto North 7th Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·North 7th Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los AngelesUse the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 10
19 mi·21 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 10
105 mi·1 hr 45 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto I 10 Business
0.4 mi·41 sec·I 10 Business
Toward US 95, AZ 95: Parker, Yuma
7
Turn right onto I 10 Bus
0.1 mi·16 sec·Riggles Road
8
Turn left onto I 10 Bus
1.0 mi·2 min·East Main Street
9
Turn right onto AZ 95
3.1 mi·3 min·North Central Boulevard
10
Continue on AZ 95
20 mi·22 min·Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto AZ 95
11 mi·13 min·Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
12
Continue on AZ 95
0.9 mi·1 min·California Avenue
13
Turn right onto AZ 95
4.4 mi·5 min·Rio Vista Highway
14
Continue on AZ 95
6.6 mi·7 min·Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
15
Continue on AZ 95
7.1 mi·8 min·Riverside Drive
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on AZ 95
26 mi·33 min·Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn left onto Chenoweth Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Chenoweth Road
18
Turn right onto London Bridge Road
0.7 mi·1 min·London Bridge Road
19
Turn left onto Thrasher Drive
0.1 mi·29 sec·Thrasher Drive
20
Turn left onto Mountain View Drive
0.1 mi·34 sec·Mountain View Drive
21
Arrive at destination
Bayshore Road
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of under 4 hours, you can comfortably depart any time of day and complete this trip within daylight. With only one recommended stop, you have ample flexibility in pacing. Plan your fuel stops in advance, as the $41 estimated cost suggests you'll need to refuel at least once during the 207.4-mile drive. Pay attention to the change from highway to surface roads, as this is where speed limits and traffic patterns will shift most noticeably. Ensure your vehicle is in good condition for the desert climate.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 103.7 miles from Phoenix, AZ, or about 1h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105 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 46 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.7 miles or 1h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Desert Hills, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Phoenix, 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 Phoenix, AZ
This is one driving day of about 207.4 miles and 3h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Phoenix, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway for about 105 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 207.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|North 7th Avenue
Turn right onto North 7th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
5
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in|I 10 / Papago Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
125.8 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|I 10 Business
Take the exit onto I 10 Business toward US 95, AZ 95: Parker, Yuma
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 95, AZ 95: Parker, Yuma
5
207.2 mi into trip|~3h 54m in|Mountain View Drive
Turn left onto Mountain View Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.32 one way
$82.63 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$43.73
$87.45
premium
$5.59
$45.65
$91.30
diesel
$5.61
$45.79
$91.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.2
0
$21.78
$9.96
Efficient EV
51.9
0
$18.15
$8.30
EV Truck/SUV
83
1
$29.04
$13.27
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Phoenix, AZ
Late night
in Phoenix on Tuesday
Local time
3:41 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Desert Hills, AZ
Late night
in Desert Hills on Tuesday
Local time
3:41 AM
MST
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
85°F
Parker, AZ
104 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
5 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
3h 55m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a 9% highway share, meaning most of your 207.4 miles will be on surface roads. The longest stretch on a highway, Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, extends for 105 miles before you transition to more local routes. Expect a significant amount of city and town driving, with frequent intersections and varying speed limits as you move between Phoenix and Desert Hills. The transition from highway to surface roads is a key characteristic of this drive.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 105 mi on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near North 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 55m drive. You will face about 13 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (North 7th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Phoenix, AZ to Desert Hills, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Yuma along the way.
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona, the most populous city in the American Southwest. Warm and sunny winter weather have ensured a thriving tourism industry, and the city has become the region's primary political, cultural, economic, and transportation center. Phoenix is extremely hot and dry in the summertime, so always have sunscreen with you! It had about 1,625,000 residents in 2021, and is the fifth largest city in the United States.
Top landmarks
•Arizona State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Arizona
•Phoenix Art Museum — art museum in Phoenix, Arizona
•St. Mary's Basilica — Roman Catholic church in Phoenix, Arizona
The longest stretch is about 105 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 21 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (North 7th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Desert Hills, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
