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Trip from Phoenix, AZ to Rio Verde, AZ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 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

Save up to 16 min
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
seat of Maricopa County, largest city in, and capital of, the State of Arizona, United States

Phoenix, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Rio Verde, AZ, AZ

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.

city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gilbert, AZ

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

Carefree, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 42.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Tempe, AZ

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 12

5 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

$8.74 one way

$17.48 round trip

$5.19/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.52 $9.30 $18.60
premium $5.72 $9.64 $19.27
diesel $5.35 $9.01 $18.03

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

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 $3.75 $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.

Forecast as of May 18, 2026

Origin

Phoenix, AZ

Afternoon in Phoenix on Wednesday

Local time

1:11 PM

MST

Current temp

67°F

Clear

S 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued May 18 at 12:02AM MST until May 18 at 5:00AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued May 18 at 12:02AM MST until May 18 at 11:00AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ

Destination

Rio Verde, AZ

Afternoon in Rio Verde on Wednesday

Local time

1:11 PM

MST

Current temp

63°F

Mostly Clear

SSE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued May 18 at 12:02AM MST until May 18 at 5:00AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued May 18 at 12:02AM MST until May 18 at 11:00AM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ

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

4 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

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,676 ft 1,085 ft

Total Climb

671 ft

Total Descent

142 ft

Highest Point

1,676 ft

~39.7 mi in

Elevation Range

591 ft

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

Arriving in Rio Verde, AZ

Full guide →

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.

Yes — we found about 2 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.

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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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