The drive from Maricopa, AZ to Sierra Vista, AZ covers 177.3 miles and takes about 3h 12m 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 Bypass Route 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 $35.32 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
88.6 miles from Maricopa, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi
55m
Tucson-Benson Highway
41.4 mi
43m
Phoenix Bypass Route
26.4 mi
26m
State Route 90
14.9 mi
17m
North John Wayne Parkway
12.6 mi
14m
Huachuca Boulevard
9.1 mi
10m
North Freeway
6.1 mi
6m
Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
5.7 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maricopa, AZ and Sierra Vista, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 347
13 mi·14 min·North John Wayne Parkway
Use the left lane.
2
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 84
5.7 mi·6 min·Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
Use the right lane.
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 8 East: Tucson
4
Merge onto I 8
26 mi·26 min·Phoenix Bypass Route
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·38 sec
Exit 178AToward I 10 East: Tucson
6
Continue on Phoenix Bypass Route
0.4 mi·27 sec·Phoenix Bypass Route
Exit 178AToward I 10 East: Tucson
7
Continue on I 10
55 mi·55 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
6.1 mi·6 min·North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
41 mi·43 min·Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 302Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
11
Turn right onto AZ 90
1.2 mi·1 min·South State Highway 90
12
Continue on AZ 90
9.1 mi·10 min·Huachuca Boulevard
13
Continue on AZ 90
12 mi·14 min·State Route 90
14
Continue on AZ 90
2.2 mi·3 min·North Huachuca Boulevard
15
Continue on AZ 90
3.0 mi·3 min·State Route 90
16
Continue on Buffalo Soldier Trail
0.4 mi·35 sec·Buffalo Soldier Trail
17
Continue on Buffalo Solder Trail
0.8 mi·1 min·Buffalo Solder Trail
18
Turn straight onto Buffalo Soldier Trail
0.3 mi·39 sec·Buffalo Soldier Trail
19
Turn left onto West Fry Boulevard
380 ft·9 sec·West Fry Boulevard
20
Continue on West Fry Boulevard
0.1 mi·19 sec·West Fry Boulevard
21
Turn left
59 ft·4 sec
22
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 88.6 miles from Maricopa, AZ, or about 1h 33m 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 39 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.6 miles or 1h 33m 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 32m
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 Maricopa, 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 Maricopa, AZ
This is one driving day of about 177.3 miles and 3h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Maricopa, 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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 12.6 and 177.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
12.6 mi into trip|~14m in|AZ 84 / Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 84 / Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
18.4 mi into trip|~21m in
Take the exit toward I 8 East: Tucson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 8 East: Tucson
6
44.6 mi into trip|~47m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 178A
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
6
147.6 mi into trip|~2h 34m 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
177.2 mi into trip|~3h 12m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.32 one way
$70.64 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg62 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$37.38
$74.76
premium
$5.59
$39.03
$78.05
diesel
$5.61
$39.15
$78.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53.2
0
$18.62
$8.51
Efficient EV
44.3
0
$15.51
$7.09
EV Truck/SUV
70.9
0
$24.82
$11.35
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 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.
Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026
Origin
Maricopa, AZ
Afternoon
in Maricopa on Saturday
Local time
1:51 PM
MST
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Sierra Vista, AZ
Afternoon
in Sierra Vista on Saturday
Local time
1:51 PM
MST
Current temp
72°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 22 to 25 mph19% chanceLive 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
15 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
3h 12m 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
~22 min detour
$25
near mile 116.1
Park Closure: Red Hills Visitor Center (TMD) theater closed for repairs
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 177.3
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...
15 mi from route
~39 min detour
Free
near mile 42.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 3h 12m drive with frequent turns across 177.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 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?
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 12.6 miles in near AZ 84 / Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 12m 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 12.6 miles (AZ 84 / Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 44.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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".
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Maricopa, AZ to Sierra Vista, AZ covers 177.3 miles and takes about 3h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Tucson-Benson Highway, Phoenix Bypass Route. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 88.6 miles from Maricopa, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $35.32 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 12m 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 12.6 miles (AZ 84 / Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 44.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Maricopa, AZ to Sierra Vista, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Saguaro National Park, Coronado National Memorial and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
