Origin
Phoenix, AZ
Night in Phoenix on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Phoenix, 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
1h 8m
Distance
42.8 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Rio Verde, AZ
Guillermo Berlin
Trip Overview
This 42.8-mile journey from Phoenix to Rio Verde, Arizona, is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 8 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate using the Red Mountain Freeway, East McDowell Mountain Road, and the Beeline Highway, with about 34% of the drive on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this desert southwest excursion is around $9. Given its short distance and straightforward nature, this route is ideal for a quick excursion or an easy addition to a larger Arizona adventure, offering a taste of the region without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Red Mountain Freeway | 12.9 mi | 15m |
| 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 |
| Papago Freeway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| North 7th Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Forest Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Red Mountain Freeway
— 12.9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Phoenix, AZ and Rio Verde, 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
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North 7th Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
4
Merge onto I 10
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
5
Continue on I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 13
Toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto AZ 87
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Country Club Drive
11
Continue on AZ 87
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North Beeline Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12
Continue on AZ 87
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Beeline Highway
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto East Shea Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
East Shea Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto North Saguaro Boulevard
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
North Saguaro Boulevard
Use the right lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto North Fountain Hills Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Fountain Hills Boulevard
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on East McDowell Mountain Road
8.1 mi
·
19 min
·
East McDowell Mountain Road
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on North Forest Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Forest Road
18
Turn left onto East Four Peaks Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Four Peaks Boulevard
19
Turn right onto North Medelice Lane
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Medelice Lane
20
Arrive at destination
North Medelice Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Phoenix, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 16.5 — 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.
8
3.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
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 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
6
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
16.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward AZ 87: Country Club Drive, Payson
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.53 one way
$17.05 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $9.02 | $18.05 |
| premium | $5.59 | $9.42 | $18.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.45 | $18.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.99 | $2.74 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Rio Verde, AZ
Night in Rio Verde on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
92°F
Mesa, AZ
21 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
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
1h 8m 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 mixed driving experience on this route, blending freeway speeds with local road cruising. With 34% of the drive on highways, you'll encounter stretches designed for faster travel, including a continuous 12.9-mile segment on the Red Mountain Freeway. As you transition to East McDowell Mountain Road and then the Beeline Highway, the character of the drive will likely shift, offering a more varied feel behind the wheel. This isn't a monotonous interstate crawl; rather, it's a progression through different types of Arizona roadways.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.9 mi on Red Mountain Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 around 0.5 miles in near North 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.5 miles (North 7th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Phoenix, AZ to Rio Verde, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Payson along the way.
Payson
16.5 mi in
|
~21m
About the Cities
Starting in Phoenix, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1868
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
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 8m. Total distance: 42.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.9 miles on Red Mountain 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 Rio Verde, 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 0.5 miles (North 7th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.7 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Rio Verde, AZ
Explore more options from Phoenix, AZ or browse trips ending in Rio Verde, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.