Origin
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Morning in Catalina Foothills on Thursday
Local time
10:42 AM
MST
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
16m
Distance
7.5 mi
12 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Mark Direen
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 7.5 miles and takes about 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East River Road, North Alvernon Way, North Dodge Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 7.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 16m drive with frequent turns across 7.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East River Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ is easy. At 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East River Road | — | — |
| North Alvernon Way | — | — |
| North Dodge Boulevard | — | — |
| East Fort Lowell Road | — | — |
| North Country Club Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
East River Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Catalina Foothills, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on North Hacienda del Sol Road
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Hacienda del Sol Road
2
Turn left onto East River Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East River Road
3
Continue on North Alvernon Way
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Alvernon Way
4
Turn right onto North Dodge Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Dodge Boulevard
5
Turn right onto East Fort Lowell Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Fort Lowell Road
6
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
North Country Club Road
7
Continue on North Country Club Road
184 ft
·
15 sec
·
North Country Club Road
8
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.49 one way
$2.99 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $1.58 | $3.16 |
| premium | $5.59 | $1.65 | $3.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.66 | $3.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.79 | $0.36 |
| Efficient EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.66 | $0.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3 | 0 | $1.05 | $0.48 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Morning in Tucson on Thursday
Local time
10:42 AM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
16m 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 Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 7.5 miles and takes about 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East River Road, North Alvernon Way, North Dodge Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.7 miles from Catalina Foothills, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.49 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.
The drive from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ is easy. At 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Catalina Foothills, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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