The drive from Cactus Flat, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 121.2 miles and takes about 2h 13m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Benson-Steins Pass Highway, Tucson-Benson Highway, Bowie Junction-Safford Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.1 miles on Benson-Steins Pass Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.14 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.
Midpoint
60.6 miles from Cactus Flat, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 13m. Total distance: 121.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 13m drive with frequent turns across 121.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Benson-Steins Pass Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 49.1 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 28.1 miles in near US 191.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 13m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 28.1 miles (US 191): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 28.6 miles (I 10; US 191 / Benson-Steins Pass Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 115.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
28.1 mi into trip|~33m in|US 191
Take the exit onto US 191
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
3
28.6 mi into trip|~34m in|I 10; US 191 / Benson-Steins Pass Highway
Merge onto I 10; US 191 / Benson-Steins Pass Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
7
115.6 mi into trip|~2h 3m in
Take the exit toward Alvernon Way North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 265
Toward Alvernon Way North
3
116.2 mi into trip|~2h 4m in|South Alvernon Way
Turn straight onto South Alvernon Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
117.5 mi into trip|~2h 6m in|South Alvernon Way
Keep slight right at fork onto South Alvernon Way toward Alvernon Way
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Alvernon Way
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Benson-Steins Pass Highway
49.1 mi
49m
Tucson-Benson Highway
37.9 mi
38m
Bowie Junction-Safford Highway
28.1 mi
33m
South Alvernon Way
2.1 mi
3m
South Country Club Road
1.6 mi
3m
East Barraza Aviation Highway
1 mi
1m
US 191
0.5 mi
1m
North Country Club Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Benson-Steins Pass Highway
— 49.1 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cactus Flat, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on US 191
28 mi·33 min·Bowie Junction-Safford Highway
2
Take the exit onto US 191
0.5 mi·1 min·US 191
3
Merge onto I 10; US 191
49 mi·49 min·Benson-Steins Pass Highway
4
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 265Toward Alvernon Way NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn straight onto South Alvernon Way
1.3 mi·1 min·South Alvernon Way
Use the left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto South Alvernon Way
0.8 mi·1 min·South Alvernon Way
Toward Alvernon Way
8
Turn left
0.2 mi·23 sec
9
Turn straight onto AZ 210
1.0 mi·1 min·East Barraza Aviation Highway
10
Turn right onto South Country Club Road
1.6 mi·3 min·South Country Club Road
11
Continue on North Country Club Road
91 ft·2 sec·North Country Club Road
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
North Country Club 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 60.6 miles from Cactus Flat, AZ, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.1 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 27 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.6 miles or 1h 7m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tucson, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cactus Flat, 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 Cactus Flat, AZ
This is one driving day of about 121.2 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Cactus Flat, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Benson-Steins Pass Highway for about 49.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 60.6 mi from Cactus Flat, AZ
· 1h 7m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
$25
near mile 112.8
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.4
0
$12.73
$5.82
Efficient EV
30.3
0
$10.61
$4.85
EV Truck/SUV
48.5
0
$16.97
$7.76
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Cactus Flat, AZ
Late night
in Cactus Flat on Friday
Local time
5:47 AM
MST
Current temp
50°F
Partly Cloudy
NNW 8 to 12 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Late night
in Tucson on Friday
Local time
5:47 AM
MST
Current temp
51°F
Partly Cloudy
WSW 3 to 14 mph8% 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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 13m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cactus Flat, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 121.2 miles and takes about 2h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Benson-Steins Pass Highway, Tucson-Benson Highway, Bowie Junction-Safford Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 60.6 miles from Cactus Flat, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.14 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 2h 13m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 28.1 miles (US 191): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 28.6 miles (I 10; US 191 / Benson-Steins Pass Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 115.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Cactus Flat, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Saguaro National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
EV charging comes from the
NREL Alternative Fuels
dataset.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
