Origin
Gilbert, AZ
Evening in Gilbert on Thursday
Local time
8:22 PM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilbert, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
2h 4m
Distance
103.1 mi
166 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 56m
★
6 AM
2h 5m
8 AM
2h 22m
10 AM
2h 11m
12 PM
2h 9m
3 PM
2h 12m
5 PM
2h 21m
8 PM
1h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Mark Direen
Trip Overview
This 103.1-mile journey from Gilbert, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ is a straightforward drive, estimated to take about 2 hours and 4 minutes. It's perfectly suited for a single day trip, with a fuel cost estimated at $21. The route primarily utilizes local roads like North Gilbert Road and the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway before transitioning to the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. Both your origin and destination are situated in the Desert Southwest, so expect a consistent arid landscape throughout. This drive offers a practical way to connect two points within Arizona without requiring an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.5 miles from Gilbert, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 103.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for much of this 103.1-mile route, with only about 6% of it being on highways. You'll navigate through local roads for significant portions, interspersed with highway stretches. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is approximately 50 miles on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. This means you'll experience a variety of driving conditions, shifting from city-adjacent streets to more open highway travel as you progress south.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 50 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Cullumber Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 103.1 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Cullumber Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Gilbert Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Cullumber Avenue
Turn left onto East Cullumber Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Gilbert Road
Turn left onto North Gilbert Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
9.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
East Riggs Road
Turn right onto East Riggs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
93.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 46m in
Take the exit toward Orange Grove Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 250
Toward Orange Grove Road
6
94.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 48m in
|
West River Road
Turn right onto West River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 50 mi | 50m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 23.5 mi | 23m |
| North Gilbert Road | 9.3 mi | 15m |
| AZ 587 | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| West River Road | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| East Riggs Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| East River Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| North Hacienda del Sol Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 50 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, AZ and Catalina Foothills, AZ.
1
Start on this road
203 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Elm Street
244 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Elm Street
3
Turn left onto East Cullumber Avenue
436 ft
·
24 sec
·
East Cullumber Avenue
4
Turn left onto North Gilbert Road
9.3 mi
·
15 min
·
North Gilbert Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto East Riggs Road
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
East Riggs Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto AZ 87
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on AZ 587
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
AZ 587
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
9
Merge onto I 10
24 mi
·
23 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
50 mi
·
50 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 250
Toward Orange Grove Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto North Casa Grande Highway
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
North Casa Grande Highway
13
Turn left onto West Orange Grove Road
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
West Orange Grove Road
14
Turn right onto West River Road
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
West River Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on East River Road
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
East River Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn left onto North Hacienda del Sol Road
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Hacienda del Sol Road
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
North Hacienda del Sol Road
Trip Plan
Given the 2-hour duration, this route is easily manageable as a single-day trip, offering flexibility in your departure time. Consider leaving in the morning to maximize daylight, especially as you'll be navigating local roads which can be slower. With a fuel cost of around $21, it's an economical trip. While there are no designated stops in the data, plan for a brief pause if needed, perhaps around the halfway mark. Keep an eye on your navigation, as the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile suggests frequent adjustments are necessary.
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 51.5 miles from Gilbert, AZ, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50 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 23 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.5 miles or 1h 4m 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 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Catalina Foothills, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Gilbert, 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 Gilbert, AZ
This is one driving day of about 103.1 miles and 2h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Gilbert, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 50 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 51.5 mi from Gilbert, AZ · 1h 4m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
52 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 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 51.5 miles from Gilbert, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Catalina Foothills, AZ
The final approach into Catalina Foothills, 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 Catalina Foothills, 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
$20.54 one way
$41.08 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
36 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $21.74 | $43.47 |
| premium | $5.59 | $22.69 | $45.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $22.76 | $45.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 30.9 | 0 | $10.83 | $4.95 |
| Efficient EV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.02 | $4.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 41.2 | 0 | $14.43 | $6.60 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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
Catalina Foothills, AZ
Evening in Catalina Foothills on Thursday
Local time
8:22 PM
MST
Current temp
55°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
38 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
2h 4m 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 Gilbert, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ covers 103.1 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, North Gilbert Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51.5 miles from Gilbert, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.54 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 103.1 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Cullumber Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Gilbert Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Gilbert, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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