Last full-service decisions
No fuel at the recreation area, and no nearby station to nip out to. Everything that burns gasoline over the weekend gets filled in the Gila Valley, including the trip home.
AAA publishes no metro average covering this area, so the figures here are Arizona statewide. They are useful for budgeting a tow, not for choosing a pump.
Yesterday, a week ago, and a month ago load here, which is what tells you whether the market is moving before a long tow.
Source: AAA Gas Prices, cached and refreshed periodically. The posted price at the pump is the only number you actually pay, and stations in Safford can sit well either side of a state average.
Trip fuel calculator
The estimate combines highway fuel with the extra gallons you expect to burn in machines, approved cans, or a generator. Safford is about 35 miles out and Haekel Road is rough, so add margin.
Enter a price per gallon, or let the Arizona statewide average fill in.
Fill the tow vehicle here even if it is not low, fill every machine, and fill any approved containers. This is the last place with real choice on price and hours, and the run back for fuel mid-weekend costs a serious part of a day.
Trailer weight, desert headwinds, climbing out of the valley, idling in camp, and the return leg all matter more than the figure the truck shows around town. Add margin, and add more if you are approaching from I-10 rather than through Safford.
Carry machine fuel only in approved containers, secure them for a rough approach road, and keep transfer and storage well away from campfires, generators, and the wellhead area. Desert heat builds pressure in containers left in direct sun, so store them shaded.
Station hours and card readers vary, and a small-town station is not guaranteed to be open late on a holiday weekend. Pick a backup in the Gila Valley before you leave it. If you are coming through Bowie or Willcox, confirm fuel there rather than assuming.
Any price context on this site is for budgeting. What is on the sign at the pump is what you pay, and prices in the Gila Valley can differ from the interstate corridor by enough to matter when you are filling a truck and several machines.
Fill for the drive home before you set up camp, not after you break it. Ending a hot weekend tired, at dusk, deciding whether you can make the next station is how avoidable problems start.
Verify before travel. Conditions, zones, and regulations can change. Use the responsible agency's current information for final decisions.
Open the official BLM source →