Origin
Chandler, AZ
Afternoon in Chandler on Saturday
Local time
1:31 PM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chandler, AZ to Sierra Vista, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 9m
Distance
168.8 mi
272 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 58m
★
6 AM
3h 10m
8 AM
3h 33m
10 AM
3h 18m
12 PM
3h 15m
3 PM
3h 19m
5 PM
3h 32m
8 PM
3h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chandler, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Sierra Vista, AZ
Leslie del Moral
Trip Overview
The drive from Chandler, AZ to Sierra Vista, AZ covers 168.8 miles and takes about 3h 9m 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, Tucson-Benson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.6 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.63 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84.4 miles from Chandler, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.6 mi | 55m |
| Tucson-Benson Highway | 41.4 mi | 43m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 23.5 mi | 23m |
| State Route 90 | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| Huachuca Boulevard | 9.1 mi | 10m |
| North Arizona Avenue | 6.9 mi | 11m |
| AZ 587 | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| North Freeway | 6.1 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chandler, AZ and Sierra Vista, AZ.
1
Start on East Chandler Boulevard
357 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Chandler Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
North Washington Street
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto East Buffalo Street
393 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Buffalo Street
4
Turn left onto AZ 87
6.9 mi
·
11 min
·
North Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on AZ 587
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
AZ 587
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
7
Merge onto I 10
24 mi
·
23 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
55 mi
·
55 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
41 mi
·
43 min
·
Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 302
Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
12
Turn right onto AZ 90
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South State Highway 90
13
Continue on AZ 90
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Huachuca Boulevard
14
Continue on AZ 90
12 mi
·
14 min
·
State Route 90
15
Continue on AZ 90
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Huachuca Boulevard
16
Continue on AZ 90
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
State Route 90
17
Continue on Buffalo Soldier Trail
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Buffalo Soldier Trail
18
Continue on Buffalo Solder Trail
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Buffalo Solder Trail
19
Turn straight onto Buffalo Soldier Trail
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Buffalo Soldier Trail
20
Turn left onto West Fry Boulevard
380 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Fry Boulevard
21
Continue on West Fry Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
West Fry Boulevard
22
Turn left
59 ft
·
4 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 84.4 miles from Chandler, AZ, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.6 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 37 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.4 miles or 1h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sierra Vista, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chandler, 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 Chandler, AZ
This is one driving day of about 168.8 miles and 3h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Chandler, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 54.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
84 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 84.4 miles from Chandler, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 168.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Washington Street
Turn right onto North Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Buffalo Street
Turn right onto East Buffalo Street
Navigation decision point
5
13.6 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Merge onto I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
139.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 31m in
Take the exit toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 302
Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
5
168.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 9m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.63 one way
$67.25 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
59 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $35.59 | $71.18 |
| premium | $5.59 | $37.16 | $74.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $37.27 | $74.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 50.6 | 0 | $17.72 | $8.10 |
| Efficient EV | 42.2 | 0 | $14.77 | $6.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 67.5 | 0 | $23.63 | $10.80 |
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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
Sierra Vista, AZ
Afternoon in Sierra Vista on Saturday
Local time
1:31 PM
MST
Current temp
72°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 22 to 25 mph
19% chance
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
18 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
3h 9m 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.
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
~23 min detour
$25
near mile 104.8
Park Closure: Red Hills Visitor Center (TMD) theater closed for repairs
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...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 29.1
View on nps.gov
Coronado National Memorial
National Memorial
It was a journey of conquest filled with exploration, wonder - and cruelty. Inspired by tales of vast cities of gold, 339 European soldiers and over a thousand Aztec allies embarked on an epic journey...
14 mi from route
~36 min detour
Free
near mile 168.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
168.8 mi in 3h 9m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.6 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 North Washington Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 9m drive. You will face about 9 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 (North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (East Buffalo Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.6 miles (I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Chandler, AZ
Full guide →Chandler is a city in Arizona, and a medium-sized suburb of Phoenix with over 240,000 residents. It is a delightful place to visit.
Arriving in Sierra Vista, AZ
Full guide →Sierra Vista (Spanish: Mountain View) is a city in Southeast Arizona and the commercial hub of the region, making it a convenient base from which to explore the area. It is perhaps best known for historic Fort Huachuca, established in 1877 during the Apache Wars. Although still an active U.S. Army military base, its two military museums and historic cemetery are open to the general public. The landscape around the city is typical for the Southwestern United States, and the nearby mountains and canyons can be explored on foot, by bike, or on horseback. Because it is a major stopover point on avian migration routes, the area is popular with avid birdwatchers and naturalists, and is known as the "Hummingbird Capital of America".
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 9m. Total distance: 168.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (17%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.6 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (East Buffalo Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.6 miles (I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Saguaro National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Coronado National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Sierra Vista, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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