Origin
San Carlos, AZ
Late night in San Carlos on Sunday
Local time
1:47 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Carlos, AZ to Phoenix, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
18.8 mi
30 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Carlos, AZ
Andrea Hinojosa
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from San Carlos to Phoenix covers a short 18.9-mile distance, making this a quick trip that takes roughly 25 minutes to complete. Because the entire journey stays within the Desert Southwest, you won't experience significant regional transitions, but you will move from a local setting into the state's major hub. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stops along the way. With fuel costs estimated at $4, it is a very affordable commute. You should view this drive as a straightforward, efficient connector rather than a multi-day expedition, offering you maximum flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maricopa Freeway | 6.8 mi | 7m |
| Superstition Freeway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| West Elliot Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Price Freeway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| South 7th Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| US 60 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Hartford Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Maricopa Freeway
— 6.8 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Carlos, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.
1
Start on this road
294 ft
·
22 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto West Loughlin Drive
146 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Loughlin Drive
3
Turn left onto North Hartford Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Hartford Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto West Elliot Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Elliot Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto South Price Road
273 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Price Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Price Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 55A; 55B
Toward US 60 West, US 60 East: Phoenix, Globe
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 55A
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 60
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 60
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 60
Toward I 10 North
12
Merge onto I 10; US 60
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 60
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
Use the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 195B
Toward 7th Street, Central Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto East Maricopa Freeway
134 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Maricopa Freeway
16
Turn right onto South 7th Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South 7th Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn left onto East Washington Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
West Washington Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 16.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Elliot Road
At end of road, turn left onto West Elliot Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
4.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward US 60 West, US 60 East: Phoenix, Globe
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 55A; 55B
Toward US 60 West, US 60 East: Phoenix, Globe
8
5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 55A
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
8
14.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 60 / Maricopa Freeway toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
8
16.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward 7th Street, Central Avenue
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 195B
Toward 7th Street, Central Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.75 one way
$7.49 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $3.96 | $7.93 |
| premium | $5.59 | $4.14 | $8.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.15 | $8.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Phoenix, AZ
Late night in Phoenix on Sunday
Local time
1:47 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
4 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
27m 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 turn-heavy local drive as you navigate the 18.9-mile stretch between these two Arizona points. You will be traveling exclusively on local roads, as this route features a 0% highway share. Without any long, uninterrupted highway stretches to cruise on, the experience requires your full attention behind the wheel. The personality of this drive is defined by its constant turns, which contrast sharply with the typical straight-line interstate travel found elsewhere in the region. Prepare for a technical, hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged throughout the entire 25-minute duration.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.8 mi on Maricopa Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maricopa Freeway and Superstition Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West Elliot Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 18.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West Elliot Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 San Carlos, AZ to Phoenix, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Globe along the way.
Globe
4.9 mi in
|
~8m
About the Cities
Arriving 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 27m. Total distance: 18.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.8 miles on Maricopa 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 Phoenix, 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 0.3 miles (West Elliot Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Phoenix, 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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