Origin
Desert Hills, AZ
Morning in Desert Hills on Saturday
Local time
6:25 AM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Desert Hills, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 23m
Distance
316.5 mi
509 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$63
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 10m
★
6 AM
5h 23m
8 AM
5h 50m
10 AM
5h 33m
12 PM
5h 30m
3 PM
5h 34m
5 PM
5h 49m
8 PM
5h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Desert Hills, AZ
Mark Direen
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 316.5 miles and takes about 5h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Mountain View Drive, Thrasher Drive, London Bridge Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $63.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
158.3 miles from Desert Hills, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 41m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in Tucson, AZ
Full guide →Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.
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 5h 23m. Total distance: 316.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 23m drive with frequent turns across 316.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Mountain View Drive 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 23m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain View Drive | — | — |
| Thrasher Drive | — | — |
| London Bridge Road | — | — |
| Chenoweth Road | — | — |
| Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway | — | — |
| Riverside Drive | — | — |
| Rio Vista Highway | — | — |
| California Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Mountain View Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Desert Hills, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on Bayshore Road
236 ft
·
10 sec
·
Bayshore Road
2
Continue on Mountain View Drive
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Mountain View Drive
3
At the end of the road, turn right onto Thrasher Drive
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Thrasher Drive
4
At the end of the road, turn right onto London Bridge Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
London Bridge Road
5
Turn left onto Chenoweth Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Chenoweth Road
6
Turn right onto Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
26 mi
·
33 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
7
Continue on Riverside Drive
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Riverside Drive
8
Turn straight onto Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
9
Continue on Rio Vista Highway
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Rio Vista Highway
10
Turn left onto California Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
California Avenue
11
Continue on Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
12
Continue on Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Quartzsite–Parker–Topock Highway
13
Continue on North Central Boulevard
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
North Central Boulevard
14
Turn left onto East Main Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Main Street
15
Turn right onto Riggles Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Riggles Road
16
Take the ramp left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
17
Merge slight left onto Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
105 mi
·
1 hr 45 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
18
Continue on Papago Freeway
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Papago Freeway
19
Continue on Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
20
Continue on Papago Freeway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Papago Freeway
21
Keep slight left to continue on Papago Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
22
Merge slight right onto Maricopa Freeway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
23
Continue on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38 mi
·
38 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
24
Continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
55 mi
·
55 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
25
Continue on North Freeway
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
North Freeway
26
Take the exit slight right toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
·
Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
27
Turn straight onto North Freeway Road
161 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Freeway Road
28
Turn left onto West Congress Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
West Congress Street
29
Continue on West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
West Broadway Boulevard
30
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Country Club Road
31
Arrive at your 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 158.3 miles from Desert Hills, AZ, or about 2h 41m into the drive.
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 70 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 158.3 miles or 2h 41m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 25m
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 Desert Hills, 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 Desert Hills, AZ
This is one driving day of about 316.5 miles and 5h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Desert Hills, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 158.3 mi from Desert Hills, AZ · 2h 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
158 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 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 158.3 miles from Desert Hills, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tucson, AZ
The final approach into Tucson, 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 Tucson, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$63.05 one way
$126.10 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
111 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $66.73 | $133.45 |
| premium | $5.59 | $69.67 | $139.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $69.88 | $139.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$63
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$88–$113
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 110.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 95 | 1 | $33.23 | $15.19 |
| Efficient EV | 79.1 | 0 | $27.69 | $12.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 126.6 | 1 | $44.31 | $20.26 |
Gas CO2
111 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Saturday
Local time
6:25 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
32 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
5h 23m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 316.5 miles and takes about 5h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Mountain View Drive, Thrasher Drive, London Bridge Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 158.3 miles from Desert Hills, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $63.05 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 23m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Desert Hills, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Desert Hills, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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