Yuma to Wickenburg is 174.4 miles and takes about 3h 36m via San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway and US 60, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive across mostly surface roads. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. The drive is primarily on surface roads, making it a relaxed pace for those looking to avoid extensive highway speeds. Plan for a budget-friendly trip with an estimated fuel cost of around $35.
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
87.2 miles from Yuma, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway
66.4 mi
1h 21m
Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway
58.4 mi
1h 8m
US 60
15.3 mi
18m
East 16th Street
10.9 mi
15m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
10.2 mi
10m
West Wickenburg Way
5.6 mi
8m
South Central Boulevard
2.5 mi
4m
Blue Star Memorial Highway
1.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway
— 66.4 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and Wickenburg, AZ.
Exit 31Toward US 60 East, I 10 East: Phoenix, Wickenburg, Prescott
16
Enter roundabout onto US 60
100 ft·1 sec·Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway
17
Continue on US 60
10 mi·12 min·Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway
18
Continue on US 60
0.5 mi·50 sec·Avenue A
19
Continue on US 60
48 mi·56 min·Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway
20
Continue on US 60
5.6 mi·8 min·West Wickenburg Way
21
Turn right onto South Tegner Street
157 ft·6 sec·South Tegner Street
Use the right lane.
22
Arrive at destination
South Tegner Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 36m duration, leaving Yuma in the morning will give you ample time to reach Wickenburg before sunset, even with one stop. The fuel cost is estimated at $35, so ensure your tank is full before departing Yuma. Since the drive is under four hours and primarily on surface roads, you have flexibility in pacing. The longest stretch you'll encounter is 66.4 miles, so plan your stop around that point or when you feel ready for a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move between the San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway and the Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway.
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 87.2 miles from Yuma, AZ, or about 1h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.4 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 38 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.2 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wickenburg, 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 174.4 miles and 3h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 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 San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway for about 66.4 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 0.6 and 174.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway
Merge onto I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
2.7 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward US 95: 16th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 95: 16th Street
5
2.9 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
94.7 mi into trip|~2h in|US 60
Take the exit onto US 60 toward US 60 East, I 10 East: Phoenix, Wickenburg, Prescott
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 31
Toward US 60 East, I 10 East: Phoenix, Wickenbu...
6
174.4 mi into trip|~3h 36m in|South Tegner Street
Turn right onto South Tegner Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.61 one way
$71.23 round trip
$5.19/gal25.4 MPG avg61 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$37.89
$75.77
premium
$5.72
$39.27
$78.53
diesel
$5.35
$36.73
$73.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
52.3
0
$18.31
$8.37
Efficient EV
43.6
0
$15.26
$6.98
EV Truck/SUV
69.8
0
$24.42
$11.16
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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 Jun 3, 2026
Origin
Yuma, AZ
Afternoon
in Yuma on Wednesday
Local time
1:05 PM
MST
Current temp
69°F
Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Wickenburg, AZ
Afternoon
in Wickenburg on Wednesday
Local time
1:05 PM
MST
Current temp
69°F
Clear
N 5 mph0% 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
3h 36m 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?
Your drive will mostly be on surface roads, with only 9% of the route on highways. The longest stretch without a major change is 66.4 miles along the San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway. After this, you'll transition to the Quartzsite–Wickenburg Highway and then US 60. Expect a more rural cruising experience for the majority of this 174.4-mile trip.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 66.4 mi on San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite 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 0.6 miles in near I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 36m 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 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,561 ft141 ft
Total Climb
2,693 ft
Total Descent
779 ft
Highest Point
2,561 ft
~162 mi in
Elevation Range
2,420 ft
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 Yuma, AZ to Wickenburg, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Prescott along the way.
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
•Masonic Temple — in Yuma, Arizona
•Gandolfo Theatre — former movie theater in Yuma, Arizona, United States
Sun City is a suburb 20 miles (30km) northwest of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It was built as a planned retirement community in Maricopa County in the 1960s. An adjacent retirement community Sun City West was built in the late 1970s; there is also a Sun City Grand. Directly northwest of the three "Sun City" suburbs is Surprise, Arizona.
Top landmarks
•Santa Fe Railroad Depot — historic train station in Wickenburg, Arizona, USA
•Wickenburg High School — high school in Wickenburg, Arizona
The longest stretch is about 66.4 miles on San Luis–Yuma–Quartzsite Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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.
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 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Wickenburg, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
