Origin
Queen Creek, AZ
Late night in Queen Creek on Tuesday
Local time
2:21 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Queen Creek, AZ to Mesa, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
22.9 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Queen Creek, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Queen Creek to Mesa, you are looking at a quick 22.8-mile journey through the Desert Southwest. Expect to spend about 32 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via East Ocotillo Road, South Ellsworth Loop Road, and South Ellsworth Road. With a fuel budget of roughly $4, this is an incredibly efficient commute between these two Arizona hubs. Since the entire route remains within the same region, you won't experience any drastic environmental transitions, keeping the travel logistics simple and predictable.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Superstition Freeway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| South Ellsworth Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Santan Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| South Mesa Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Ellsworth Loop Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Mesa Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Ocotillo Road | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Gateway Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Superstition Freeway
— 8.9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Queen Creek, AZ and Mesa, AZ.
1
Start on East Ocotillo Road
380 ft
·
35 sec
·
East Ocotillo Road
2
Turn uturn onto East Ocotillo Road
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Ocotillo Road
3
Turn right onto South Ellsworth Loop Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
South Ellsworth Loop Road
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on South Ellsworth Road
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
South Ellsworth Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward AZ 24 West
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto AZ 24
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
Gateway Freeway
7
Keep slight right at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Toward AZ 202 Loop North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Santan Freeway
9
Take the exit
1.5 mi
·
3 min
Exit 30B
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 60
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 180
Toward Mesa Drive
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto South Mesa Drive
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
South Mesa Drive
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on North Mesa Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Mesa Drive
14
Turn right onto East University Drive
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
East University Drive
15
Arrive at destination
East University Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Ocotillo Road
Turn uturn onto East Ocotillo Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South Ellsworth Loop Road
Turn right onto South Ellsworth Loop Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
5.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward AZ 202 Loop North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward AZ 202 Loop North
7
9.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 30B
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
7
20 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Mesa Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 180
Toward Mesa Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.56 one way
$9.12 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $4.83 | $9.66 |
| premium | $5.59 | $5.04 | $10.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.06 | $10.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.40 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.00 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Mesa, AZ
Late night in Mesa on Tuesday
Local time
2:21 AM
MST
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
SW 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 4:56AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 4:56AM PDT until April 17 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
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
34m 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?
This 22.8-mile stretch is strictly a local drive rather than an interstate haul, meaning your highway share is 0%. You should prepare for a turn-heavy experience as you navigate through the local infrastructure. Because there are no long highway stretches—the longest segment is 0 miles on East Ocotillo Road—your attention will be required for frequent turns and intersection navigation. The road's personality is defined by its stop-and-go nature, which contrasts sharply with the high-speed monotony of major interstates. Expect a steady, functional pace as you transition from the outskirts of Queen Creek into the heart of Mesa.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.9 mi on Superstition 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 0.1 miles in near East Ocotillo Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Ocotillo Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (South Ellsworth Loop Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Mesa, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1878
Mesa, population 518,000 (2019), is in Maricopa County. It is Arizona's third-largest city, and is part of the Greater Phoenix urban complex.
Top landmarks
- • Mesa Arizona Temple — the seventh operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
- • Mesa Grande — cultural park in Mesa, Arizona, preserving a group of Hohokam structures
- • Buckhorn Baths Motel — historic defunct mineral hot spring resort in Mesa, 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 34m. Total distance: 22.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.9 miles on Superstition 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 Mesa, 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 0.1 miles (East Ocotillo Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (South Ellsworth Loop Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mesa, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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