How far is Deer Valley, AZ from Carefree, AZ?

The driving distance from Deer Valley, AZ to Carefree, AZ is about 18.6 miles (30 km), with a travel time of about 00h 33m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.7 miles (25.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 07m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
18.64 mi
00h 33m
Flight
15.7 mi
25.26 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Deer Valley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.7 mi
Kilometers
25.26 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.64 mi
Kilometers
30 km
Drive Time
00h 33m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 33m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Carefree
Fri, Apr 17, 7:58 PM MST
Return by in Deer Valley
Fri, Apr 17, 8:31 PM MST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Deer Valley
2026-04-17T19:24
Arrive Carefree
Fri, Apr 17, 7:58 PM MST
Route Timing
00h 33m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:34 AM to 7:34 PM MST

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:22 PM MST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Deer Valley
10:00 PM MST
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Cave Creek
AZ

Town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

From Deer Valley
9.3 mi
00h 16m
To Carefree
9.3 mi
00h 16m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM MST
Wind
0 to 10 mph WSW
Destination
76°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM MST
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Deer Valley and Carefree.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Deer Valley and Carefree.

  1. 1

    Start on North 35th Avenue

    11 m · 8 sec · North 35th Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Deer Valley Road

    6 mi · 11 min · West Deer Valley Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North Cave Creek Road

    8.7 mi · 15 min · North Cave Creek Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto East Carefree Highway

    2.1 mi · 4 min · East Carefree Highway

  5. 5

    Turn left onto North Tom Darlington Drive

    1.5 mi · 3 min · North Tom Darlington Drive

  6. 6

    Turn slight right onto North Bloody Basin Road

    2156 ft · 1 min · North Bloody Basin Road

  7. 7

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Tranquil Trail

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Deer Valley and Carefree.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
7 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
37.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Cave Creek Road
8.66 mi · 46%
West Deer Valley Road
6.05 mi · 32%
East Carefree Highway
2.06 mi · 11%
North Tom Darlington Drive
1.46 mi · 8%
North Bloody Basin Road
0.41 mi · 2%
North 35th Avenue
0.01 mi
Longest Stretch

North Cave Creek Road

Turn left onto North Cave Creek Road

8.66 mi · 00h 15m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 33m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.9 mi
15.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cave Creek
00h 16m from Deer Valley
Leave By
7:22 PM MST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Deer Valley and Sunny near Carefree.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Deer Valley to Carefree?

The road trip is about 18.6 miles (30 km) and usually takes 00h 33m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Cave Creek is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.3 miles from Deer Valley and 9.3 miles from Carefree.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 15.7 miles (25.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.9 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:22 PM MST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.27 one way or $6.54 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Deer Valley and Sunny near Carefree.

Stop Ideas Near Cave Creek

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Cave Creek, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Cave Creek.

BUS

Phoenix (Metro Center Transit Station), Arizona

34 mi away
9617 North Metro Parkway West
BUS

Phoenix (Airport), Arizona

44 mi away
3400 East Sky Harbor Blvd.
BUS

Phoenix (Greyhound), Arizona

45 mi away
2115 East Buckeye Road
RAIL

Maricopa

87 mi away
19427 N. John Wayne Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Deer Valley and Carefree. Straight-line distance: 15.7 mi (25.26 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Deer Valley

Deer Valley is a place in Arizona, United States.

Population0
Coordinates33.6839300, -112.1348800
Altitude419
CountryUnited States
Carefree

#2 Carefree

Town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Population3,974
Coordinates33.8222600, -111.9182000
Altitude726
CountryUnited States
Start: Deer Valley (-112.13488, 33.68393)
End: Carefree (-111.9182, 33.82226)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 30 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.66 gal
2.49 L · about $3.27
Round trip
$6.54
1.32 gal · 4.98 L
Estimated CO2
5.9 kg one way
Round trip: 11.7 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $3.27 $6.54
Mid-grade $5.34 $3.52 $7.05
Premium $5.57 $3.67 $7.35
Diesel $6.37 $4.20 $8.40

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Arizona · Apr 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Deer Valley and Carefree. The current time is 19:24:33.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.