Yuma to New River is 210.8 miles and takes about 3h 57m via Blue Star Memorial Highway and Arizona State Highway 85, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive. You'll experience a mix of highway cruising and surface roads. It's a solid option if you're looking for a relatively short, direct route without extensive planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
105.4 miles from Yuma, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Blue Star Memorial Highway
114.2 mi
1h 59m
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
34.2 mi
39m
Arizona State Highway 85
28.1 mi
32m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
10.4 mi
10m
Black Canyon Freeway
8.9 mi
9m
South Oglesby Road
3.7 mi
5m
East Pima Street
3.3 mi
6m
Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 114.2 mi, about 1h 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and New River, AZ.
1
Start on I 8 BUS
0.3 mi·22 sec·North 4th Avenue
2
Continue on I 8 BUS
0.1 mi·16 sec·Winterhaven Drive
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
4
Merge onto I 8
0.2 mi·12 sec·Kumeyaay Highway
5
Continue on I 8
114 mi·1 hr 59 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit onto I 8 Business
0.2 mi·29 sec·I 8 Business
Toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo
7
Continue on I 8 Bus; US 80 Hist
3.3 mi·6 min·East Pima Street
Toward AZ-85: Phoenix, Gilda Bend
8
Continue on AZ 85
0.7 mi·1 min·Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
9
Turn left onto AZ 85
0.3 mi·44 sec·Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on AZ 85
28 mi·32 min·Arizona State Highway 85
11
Continue on AZ 85; US 80 Hist
1.0 mi·1 min·Gila Bend-Buckeye Highway
12
Continue on AZ 85
3.7 mi·5 min·South Oglesby Road
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 10 East: PhoenixUse the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 10
10 mi·10 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
1.7 mi·2 min
Exit 124AToward AZ 303 Loop NorthUse the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
34 mi·39 min·Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 17 North: FlagstaffUse the straight lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·16 sec
Toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
19
Merge onto I 17
8.9 mi·9 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
Exit 232Toward New RiverUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto North New River Road
0.2 mi·37 sec·North New River Road
Use the right lane.
22
At end of road, turn left onto I-17 Frontage Road
0.3 mi·28 sec·I-17 Frontage Road
23
Turn right onto West New River Road
0.3 mi·37 sec·West New River Road
24
Turn right onto North Kelley Road
0.2 mi·36 sec·North Kelley Road
25
Arrive at destination
North Kelley Road
Trip Plan
With a drive time under four hours, this route is easily manageable in a single day. Departing in the morning allows for plenty of daylight and flexibility for any unscheduled stops. The longest stretch is over 114 miles, so plan for a fuel stop or a break before or during that segment. Since this is a shorter drive, you can afford to be spontaneous with your timing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition from the main highways to surface roads.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 105.4 miles from Yuma, AZ, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 114.2 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 46 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.4 miles or 1h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near New River, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yuma, 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 Yuma, AZ
This is one driving day of about 210.8 miles and 3h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Yuma, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 114.2 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 152.4 and 209.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
152.4 mi into trip|~2h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
7
163.5 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Take the exit toward AZ 303 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 124A
Toward AZ 303 Loop North
6
199.5 mi into trip|~3h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 17 North: Flagstaff
7
209.5 mi into trip|~3h 54m in
Take the exit toward New River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 232
Toward New River
6
209.7 mi into trip|~3h 55m in|North New River Road
Turn right onto North New River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.46 one way
$84.92 round trip
$5.12/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.43
$45.04
$90.08
premium
$5.67
$47.09
$94.18
diesel
$6.28
$52.09
$104.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.2
0
$22.13
$10.12
Efficient EV
52.7
0
$18.45
$8.43
EV Truck/SUV
84.3
1
$29.51
$13.49
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (66% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Yuma, AZ
Late night
in Yuma on Wednesday
Local time
5:23 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
W 0 to 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
New River, AZ
Late night
in New River on Wednesday
Local time
5:23 AM
MST
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
SE 5 to 10 mph5% chanceLive 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
6 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
3h 57m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features 34% highway driving, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads. The longest stretch without a major change is 114.2 miles along the Blue Star Memorial Highway. Expect the highway sections to transition to surface roads as you get closer to your destination. The profile is described as mixed highway & surface, so be prepared for a change in driving pace and road conditions.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 114.2 mi on Blue Star Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 152.4 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 210.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 152.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 163.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 199.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,021 ft141 ft
Total Climb
1,952 ft
Total Descent
72 ft
Highest Point
2,021 ft
~210.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,880 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Yuma, AZ and New River, AZ, road signs point toward 85: Phoenix, Ajo and Gilda Bend.
Yuma is the largest city and county seat of Yuma County, Arizona. It is in the southwest corner of the state, across the Colorado River from California and near two Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora.
Top landmarks
•Brown House — historic house in Yuma, Arizona, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 57m. Total distance: 210.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 114.2 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 13 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 New River, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 13 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 152.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 163.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 199.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.9 hours — manageable with a long break at New River, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
