Trip from Dilkon, AZ to Tucson, AZ

Drive Time

5h 38m

Distance

322.3 mi

519 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$64

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
5h 26m ★
6 AM
5h 39m
8 AM
6h 5m
10 AM
5h 48m
12 PM
5h 46m
3 PM
5h 49m
5 PM
6h 4m
8 PM
5h 31m

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

Downtown Dilkon, AZ, AZ

Dilkon, AZ

Sebastian Luna

Downtown Tucson, AZ, AZ

Tucson, AZ

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

The drive from Dilkon, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 322.3 miles and takes about 5h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Route 15, Winslow–Kayenta Highway, Purple Heart Trail for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $64.14 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

161.1 miles from Dilkon, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 49m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 38m drive with frequent turns across 322.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Route 15 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.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 5h 38m 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 Dilkon, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Route 15 Unavailable Refreshing
Winslow–Kayenta Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Purple Heart Trail Unavailable Refreshing
I 17 South Unavailable Refreshing
I 17 Unavailable Refreshing
Arizona Veterans Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Black Canyon Freeway Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Route 15 — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dilkon, AZ and Tucson, AZ.

1

Start on the route

171 ft · 10 sec · the route
2

Turn right

0.2 mi · 58 sec
3

At the end of the road, turn left onto Navajo Route 15

6.2 mi · 14 min · Navajo Route 15
4

Turn left onto Winslow–Kayenta Highway

29 mi · 34 min · Winslow–Kayenta Highway
5

Take the ramp right

0.5 mi · 1 min
6

Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

61 mi · 1 hr 2 min · Purple Heart Trail
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff

0.2 mi · 17 sec · I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff
8

Keep slight left to continue on I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix

1.0 mi · 2 min · I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
9

Merge slight left onto Arizona Veterans Highway

93 mi · 1 hr 33 min · Arizona Veterans Highway
10

Continue on Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway

5.8 mi · 5 min · Phoenix–Cordes Junction Highway
11

Continue on Black Canyon Freeway

10 mi · 10 min · Black Canyon Freeway
12

Continue on North Black Canyon Highway

3.2 mi · 3 min · North Black Canyon Highway
13

Continue on Black Canyon Freeway

28 mi · 32 min · Black Canyon Freeway
14

Continue on Maricopa Freeway

16 mi · 18 min · Maricopa Freeway
15

Continue on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway

38 mi · 38 min · Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
16

Continue on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

55 mi · 55 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
17

Continue on North Freeway

3.6 mi · 4 min · North Freeway
18

Take the exit slight right toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard

0.4 mi · 44 sec · Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
19

Turn straight onto North Freeway Road

161 ft · 5 sec · North Freeway Road
20

Turn left onto West Congress Street

0.3 mi · 56 sec · West Congress Street
21

Continue on West Broadway Boulevard

2.9 mi · 6 min · West Broadway Boulevard
22

Turn left onto North Country Club Road

131 ft · 9 sec · North Country Club Road
23

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 161.1 miles from Dilkon, AZ, or about 2h 49m 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 80 miles or 1h 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 161.1 miles or 2h 49m 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 37m

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 Dilkon, 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 Dilkon, AZ

This is one driving day of about 322.3 miles and 5h 38m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Dilkon, 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 161.1 mi from Dilkon, AZ · 2h 49m into the drive

Downtown Surprise, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Surprise, AZ

161 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

Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ

144.1 mi · 2h 16m

Pacing Suggestions

Flagstaff, AZ

Fuel and coffee

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

Surprise, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 161.1 miles from Dilkon, 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

$64.14 one way

$128.29 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 113 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.34 $67.73 $135.47
premium $5.59 $70.89 $141.79
diesel $5.64 $71.60 $143.21

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$64

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$89–$114

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 112.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 96.7 1 $33.84 $15.47
Efficient EV 80.6 0 $28.20 $12.89
EV Truck/SUV 128.9 1 $45.12 $20.63

Gas CO2

113 kg

EV CO2

38 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Dilkon, AZ

Morning in Dilkon on Monday

Local time

8:24 AM

MDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tucson, AZ

Morning in Tucson on Monday

Local time

7:24 AM

MST

Current temp

53°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

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

14 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

5h 38m 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 Dilkon, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 322.3 miles and takes about 5h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Route 15, Winslow–Kayenta Highway, Purple Heart Trail. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 161.1 miles from Dilkon, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $64.14 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 38m 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 Dilkon, AZ to Tucson, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Dilkon, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Tucson, AZ to Dilkon, AZ

Plan the drive back the other way.

356.1 mi 6h 28m

Explore more options from Dilkon, AZ or browse trips ending in Tucson, AZ.

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