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Trip from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ

Drive Time

1h 53m

Distance

102.1 mi

164 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 45m ★
6 AM
1h 54m
8 AM
2h 10m
10 AM
1h 59m
12 PM
1h 58m
3 PM
2h 0m
5 PM
2h 9m
8 PM
1h 49m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ, AZ

Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ

Brent Singleton

Downtown Catalina Foothills, AZ, AZ

Catalina Foothills, AZ

Mark Direen

Trip Overview

The drive from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ covers 102.1 miles and takes about 1h 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, West River Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.32 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

51 miles from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 53m drive with frequent turns across 102.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 50 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 0.1 miles in near East Kiowa Street.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 1h 53m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Kiowa Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.8 miles (East Warner Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 10 / Maricopa Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East Kiowa Street

At end of road, turn left onto East Kiowa Street

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

6
0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in | East Warner Road

Turn left onto East Warner Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
1.8 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 10 / Maricopa Freeway

Merge onto I 10 / Maricopa Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
92.4 mi into trip | ~1h 36m in

Take the exit toward Orange Grove Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 250 Toward Orange Grove Road
6
93.1 mi into trip | ~1h 37m in | West River Road

Turn right onto West River Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway 50 mi 50m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway 37.8 mi 38m
West River Road 5.2 mi 8m
Maricopa Freeway 2.8 mi 3m
East River Road 2.5 mi 4m
North Hacienda del Sol Road 1.3 mi 3m
South 48th Street 0.7 mi 1m
East Warner Road 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Casa Grande-Tucson Highway — 50 mi, about 50m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ and Catalina Foothills, AZ.

1

Start on South Iroquois Drive

0.1 mi · 23 sec · South Iroquois Drive
2

At end of road, turn left onto East Kiowa Street

191 ft · 8 sec · East Kiowa Street
3

Turn right onto South 48th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · South 48th Street
4

Turn left onto East Warner Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Warner Road
Use the left lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
6

Merge onto I 10

2.8 mi · 3 min · Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 10

38 mi · 38 min · Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 10

50 mi · 50 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 250 Toward Orange Grove Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn straight onto North Casa Grande Highway

0.1 mi · 13 sec · North Casa Grande Highway
11

Turn left onto West Orange Grove Road

0.4 mi · 47 sec · West Orange Grove Road
12

Turn right onto West River Road

5.2 mi · 8 min · West River Road
Use the left lane.
13

Continue on East River Road

2.5 mi · 4 min · East River Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
14

Turn left onto North Hacienda del Sol Road

1.3 mi · 3 min · North Hacienda del Sol Road
Use the left lane.
15

Arrive at destination

North Hacienda del Sol Road

Trip Plan

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 51 miles from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50 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 80 miles or 1h 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 51 miles or 54m 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 27m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Catalina Foothills, AZ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Ahwatukee Foothills, 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 Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ

This is one driving day of about 102.1 miles and 1h 53m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 50 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 51 mi from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ · 54m into the drive

Downtown Tucson, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tucson, AZ

51 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Popular next leg

Tucson, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ

7 mi · 15m

Pacing Suggestions

Tucson, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Casa Grande, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 51 miles from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Catalina Foothills, AZ

The final approach into Catalina Foothills, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Catalina Foothills, AZ.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

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...

11 mi from route ~27 min detour Free near mile 35.2
View on nps.gov
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park

National Park

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...

11 mi from route ~28 min detour $25 near mile 102.1
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.32 one way

$40.64 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.34 $21.46 $42.91
premium $5.59 $22.46 $44.92
diesel $5.64 $22.68 $45.37

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 35.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 30.6 0 $10.72 $4.90
Efficient EV 25.5 0 $8.93 $4.08
EV Truck/SUV 40.8 0 $14.29 $6.53

Gas CO2

36 kg

EV CO2

12 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ

Morning in Ahwatukee Foothills on Monday

Local time

7:28 AM

MST

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Catalina Foothills, AZ

Morning in Catalina Foothills on Monday

Local time

7:28 AM

MST

Current temp

54°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

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

1h 53m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ covers 102.1 miles and takes about 1h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, West River Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51 miles from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.32 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 53m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Kiowa Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.8 miles (East Warner Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 10 / Maricopa Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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