This 106.5-mile drive from Three Points, AZ to Chandler, AZ will take you about 1 hour and 56 minutes, making it an easy day trip. With a fuel cost estimated at $21, it's an affordable journey through the Desert Southwest. The route is primarily composed of local roads, suggesting a more intimate experience with the landscape. Since it's a single-day trip with no designated overnight stops, you'll have flexibility in your timing. The drive's focus on local roads means you'll be navigating more turns, so keep your attention sharp.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.1 miles from Three Points, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
36.1 mi
36m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
24.1 mi
24m
South Sandario Road
18.3 mi
29m
South Arizona Avenue
7 mi
12m
West Ajo Highway
6.3 mi
7m
AZ 587
5.8 mi
8m
North Sanders Road
4 mi
6m
North Sandario Road
1.9 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 36.1 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Three Points, AZ and Chandler, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 86
6.3 mi·7 min·West Ajo Highway
2
Turn left onto South Sandario Road
18 mi·29 min·South Sandario Road
3
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
94 ft·4 sec·North Sandario Road
4
Continue on North Sandario Road
1.5 mi·2 min·North Sandario Road
5
Turn left onto West Avra Valley Road
1.0 mi·1 min·West Avra Valley Road
6
Turn right onto North Sanders Road
4.0 mi·6 min·North Sanders Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto West Marana Road
0.5 mi·53 sec·West Marana Road
8
Continue on Marana Main Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Marana Main Street
9
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
189 ft·6 sec·North Sandario Road
10
Continue on North Sandario Road
0.3 mi·59 sec·North Sandario Road
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
12
Merge onto I 10
36 mi·36 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
24 mi·24 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·53 sec
Exit 175Toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, GilbertUse the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto AZ 587
5.8 mi·8 min·AZ 587
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Continue on AZ 87
7.0 mi·12 min·South Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto East Chandler Boulevard
47 ft·0 sec·East Chandler Boulevard
Use the right lane.
18
Arrive at destination
East Chandler Boulevard
Trip Plan
Given this drive's 1 hour and 56-minute duration, it's perfectly suited for a single day. Consider an early morning departure from Three Points to maximize your daylight hours and avoid any potential afternoon heat. Since there are no specific stops recommended, you have the freedom to create your own. The route's emphasis on local roads means paying close attention to navigation and any changes in road surface or speed limits. With a fuel cost of only $21, you won't need to worry excessively about finding gas stations, but it's always wise to start with a full tank.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 53.1 miles from Three Points, AZ, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 36.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 23 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.1 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chandler, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Three Points, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Three Points, AZ
This is one driving day of about 106.2 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Three Points, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 36.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 24.6 and 93.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
24.6 mi into trip|~36m in|North Sandario Road
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
31.1 mi into trip|~47m in|West Marana Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Marana Road
Navigation decision point
5
32.5 mi into trip|~50m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Navigation decision point
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
8
93.1 mi into trip|~1h 51m in
Take the exit toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 175
Toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
6
93.4 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|AZ 587
Turn left onto AZ 587
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.16 one way
$42.31 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$22.39
$44.78
premium
$5.59
$23.38
$46.75
diesel
$5.61
$23.45
$46.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.9
0
$11.15
$5.10
Efficient EV
26.6
0
$9.29
$4.25
EV Truck/SUV
42.5
0
$14.87
$6.80
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Three Points, AZ
Late night
in Three Points on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Chandler, AZ
Late night
in Chandler on Sunday
Local time
12:34 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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
2h 13m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Monument
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 76.9
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, covering 106.5 miles with no highway time. You'll be using South Sandario Road, North Sandario Road, and West Avra Valley Road as your primary pathways. The absence of highway travel means you'll likely experience a steadier pace, with frequent adjustments to direction rather than long stretches of high-speed cruising. This profile suggests a drive that requires consistent engagement with navigation and the road ahead, offering a more connected feel to the surrounding environment as you transition from Three Points to Chandler.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.1 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 24.6 miles in near North Sandario Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 13m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 24.6 miles (North Sandario Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 31.1 miles (West Marana Road): Navigation decision point; at 32.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
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 Three Points, AZ to Chandler, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Gilbert along the way.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.1 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 24.6 miles (North Sandario Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 31.1 miles (West Marana Road): Navigation decision point; at 32.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Saguaro National Park. 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 Chandler, AZ before heading back.
