Origin
San Tan Valley, AZ
Morning in San Tan Valley on Tuesday
Local time
7:30 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Tan Valley, AZ to Phoenix, 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
1h 6m
Distance
46.9 mi
75 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 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Tan Valley, AZ
Mark Direen
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from San Tan Valley to Phoenix, you are looking at a straightforward 48.1-mile trek across the Desert Southwest. Expect the journey to take roughly 56 minutes under normal traffic conditions. Because this is a relatively short distance, it is perfect for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. Budget approximately $9 for fuel to complete the one-way transit. Navigating this route involves primarily local roads like North Schnepf Road, East Combs Road, and North Gantzel Road rather than major interstates. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection between these two desert communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Superstition Freeway | 17.4 mi | 20m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 6.8 mi | 7m |
| North Ironwood Road | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Santan Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Gateway Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| North Gantzel Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| East Combs Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| North Schnepf Road | 2 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Superstition Freeway
— 17.4 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Tan Valley, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.
1
Start on East Skyline Drive
151 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Skyline Drive
2
Continue on North Schnepf Road
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North Schnepf Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto East Combs Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Combs Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto North Gantzel Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Gantzel Road
5
Continue on North Ironwood Road
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
North Ironwood Road
6
Turn left onto AZ 24
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Gateway Expressway
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 4
8
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
this road
9
Continue on AZ 24
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Gateway Freeway
10
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
this road
Exit 3
11
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
this road
12
Continue on AZ 24
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Gateway Freeway
13
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
this road
Exit 2
14
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
this road
15
Continue on AZ 24
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Gateway Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Toward AZ 202 Loop North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Santan Freeway
18
Take the exit
1.5 mi
·
3 min
Exit 30B
Toward US 60 West: Phoenix
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto US 60
17 mi
·
20 min
·
Superstition Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 60
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 60
Toward I 10 North
21
Merge onto I 10; US 60
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
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.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 195B
Toward 7th Street, Central Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
24
Turn straight onto East Maricopa Freeway
134 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Maricopa Freeway
25
Turn right onto South 7th Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South 7th Street
Use the straight lane.
26
Turn left onto East Washington Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
27
Arrive at destination
West Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from San Tan Valley, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 44.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
East Combs Road
Turn left onto East Combs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
14.8 mi into trip
|
~25m 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
18.6 mi into trip
|
~29m 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
8
42.9 mi into trip
|
~59m 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
44.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m 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
$9.34 one way
$18.69 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $9.89 | $19.78 |
| premium | $5.59 | $10.32 | $20.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.92 | $2.25 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.57 | $3.00 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Morning in Phoenix on Tuesday
Local time
7:30 AM
MST
Current temp
84°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 6m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route relies entirely on local roads, meaning your highway share is 0%. You will encounter frequent turns as you transition between North Schnepf Road, East Combs Road, and North Gantzel Road. The pace is defined by local traffic patterns rather than high-speed cruising, so stay alert through the various intersections. It is a functional, winding path that requires your full attention as you navigate the local infrastructure connecting the valley to the city.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.4 mi on Superstition Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Superstition Freeway and Maricopa Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near East Combs Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 2 miles (East Combs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 1h 6m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.4 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 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 2 miles (East Combs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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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