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Trip from Gilbert, AZ to South Tucson, AZ

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h

Distance

104.2 mi

168 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 52m ★
6 AM
2h 0m
8 AM
2h 18m
10 AM
2h 7m
12 PM
2h 5m
3 PM
2h 7m
5 PM
2h 17m
8 PM
1h 55m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Gilbert, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

city in Pima County, Arizona, United States

South Tucson, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Gilbert, AZ to South Tucson, AZ covers 104.2 miles and takes about 2h 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, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, North Gilbert Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.6 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.76 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.

Midpoint

52.1 miles from Gilbert, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h. Total distance: 104.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (10%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h drive with frequent turns across 104.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 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 54.6 miles.

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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Cullumber Avenue.

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 2h 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 (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 9 key points

These 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.
5
19.8 mi into trip | ~32m 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.
8
102.6 mi into trip | ~1h 57m in

Take the exit toward 22nd Street - 29th Street, Starr Pass Boulevard, Silverlake Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 259 Toward 22nd Street - 29th Street, Starr Pass Bo...

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway 54.6 mi 55m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway 23.5 mi 23m
North Gilbert Road 9.3 mi 15m
AZ 587 6.1 mi 9m
North Freeway 4.6 mi 5m
East Riggs Road 3 mi 4m
South Arizona Avenue 1 mi 1m
West 22nd Street 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Casa Grande-Tucson Highway — 54.6 mi, about 55m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, AZ and South Tucson, 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

55 mi · 55 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 10

4.6 mi · 5 min · North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 38 sec
Exit 259 Toward 22nd Street - 29th Street, Starr Pass Boulevard, Silverlake Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on South Freeway Road

377 ft · 8 sec · South Freeway Road
14

Turn left onto West 22nd Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 22nd Street
15

Turn right onto US 80 Hist

0.5 mi · 57 sec · South 6th Avenue
16

Arrive at destination

US 80 Hist

Trip Plan

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 52.1 miles from Gilbert, AZ, or about 1h 5m 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 23 miles or 36m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 52.1 miles or 1h 5m 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 39m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Tucson, 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 104.2 miles and 2h.

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 54.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 52.1 mi from Gilbert, AZ · 1h 5m into the drive

city in Pinal County, Arizona, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Casa Grande, AZ

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

Tucson, AZ

Fuel and coffee

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

Casa Grande, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 52.1 miles from Gilbert, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in South Tucson, AZ

The final approach into South 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 South Tucson, AZ.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

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...

11 mi from route ~26 min detour Free near mile 35.9
View on nps.gov
Saguaro National Park

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...

12 mi from route ~31 min detour $25 near mile 104.2
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.76 one way

$41.52 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 37 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $21.97 $43.94
premium $5.59 $22.94 $45.87
diesel $5.61 $23.01 $46.01

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: 36.5 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 31.3 0 $10.94 $5.00
Efficient EV 26.1 0 $9.12 $4.17
EV Truck/SUV 41.7 0 $14.59 $6.67

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Gilbert, AZ

Afternoon in Gilbert on Thursday

Local time

1:32 PM

MST

Current temp

93°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

South Tucson, AZ

Afternoon in South Tucson on Thursday

Local time

1:32 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 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 South Tucson, AZ covers 104.2 miles and takes about 2h 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 52.1 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 $20.76 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 is a straightforward 2h drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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 South Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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