The drive from Mesa, AZ to Nogales, AZ covers 169.3 miles and takes about 3h 14m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Nogales–Tucson Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 57.7 miles on Nogales–Tucson Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.73 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
84.6 miles from Mesa, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 40m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 14m. Total distance: 169.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 14m drive with frequent turns across 169.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Nogales–Tucson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 57.7 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 1 miles in near AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive.
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 14m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles (I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1 mi into trip|~2m in|AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive
Turn left onto AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
22.5 mi into trip|~37m 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.
7
106.1 mi into trip|~2h 3m in
Take the exit toward I 19 South: Nogales
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 260
Toward I 19 South: Nogales
5
164.2 mi into trip|~3h 5m in|I 19 BUS
Take the exit onto I 19 BUS toward I 19 Business: Grand Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 8
Toward I 19 Business: Grand Avenue
5
169 mi into trip|~3h 13m in|North Morley Avenue
Turn right onto North Morley Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Nogales–Tucson Highway
57.7 mi
1h 1m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi
55m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
23.5 mi
23m
North Arizona Avenue
11 mi
18m
AZ 587
6.1 mi
9m
North Freeway
5.4 mi
6m
I 19 BUS
4.7 mi
7m
North Country Club Drive
4 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
Nogales–Tucson Highway
— 57.7 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mesa, AZ and Nogales, AZ.
1
Start on East University Drive
1.0 mi·2 min·East University Drive
2
Turn left onto AZ 87
4.0 mi·7 min·North Country Club Drive
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on AZ 87
11 mi·18 min·North Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on AZ 587
6.1 mi·9 min·AZ 587
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
6
Merge onto I 10
24 mi·23 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
55 mi·55 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
5.4 mi·6 min·North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·37 sec
Exit 260Toward I 19 South: NogalesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 19
58 mi·1 hr 1 min·Nogales–Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto I 19 BUS
4.7 mi·7 min·I 19 BUS
Exit 8Toward I 19 Business: Grand Avenue
12
Turn left
129 ft·7 sec
13
Turn right onto North Morley Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·North Morley Avenue
14
Turn left onto North Wayside Drive
91 ft·3 sec·North Wayside Drive
15
Arrive at destination
North Wayside Drive
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 84.6 miles from Mesa, AZ, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.7 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 37 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.6 miles or 1h 40m 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 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nogales, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mesa, 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 Mesa, AZ
This is one driving day of about 169.3 miles and 3h 14m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Mesa, 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 Nogales–Tucson Highway for about 57.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 84.6 mi from Mesa, AZ
· 1h 40m into the drive
The midpoint is around 84.6 miles from Mesa, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Nogales, AZ
The final approach into Nogales, 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 Nogales, 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.
Tumacácori National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Tumacácori sits at a cultural crossroads in the Santa Cruz River valley. Here O’odham, Yaqui, and Apache people met and mingled with European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, settlers, and soldiers...
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...
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...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
$25
near mile 105.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.73 one way
$67.45 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$35.69
$71.39
premium
$5.59
$37.27
$74.53
diesel
$5.61
$37.38
$74.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.8
0
$17.78
$8.13
Efficient EV
42.3
0
$14.81
$6.77
EV Truck/SUV
67.7
0
$23.70
$10.84
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 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 15, 2026
Origin
Mesa, AZ
Late night
in Mesa on Friday
Local time
5:21 AM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Nogales, AZ
Late night
in Nogales on Friday
Local time
5:21 AM
MST
Current temp
94°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
1 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 14m 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 Mesa, AZ to Nogales, AZ covers 169.3 miles and takes about 3h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Nogales–Tucson Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 84.6 miles from Mesa, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.73 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 14m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (AZ 87 / North Country Club Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles (I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Mesa, AZ to Nogales, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Tumacácori National Historical Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Saguaro National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
