Trip from Phoenix, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ

Drive Time

2h 8m

Distance

113.7 mi

183 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min

4 AM

1h 59m ★

6 AM

2h 9m

8 AM

2h 27m

10 AM

2h 15m

12 PM

2h 13m

3 PM

2h 16m

5 PM

2h 26m

8 PM

2h 3m

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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Phoenix, AZ

Carter Marchant

Catalina Foothills, AZ

Mark Direen

Trip Overview

The drive from Phoenix, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ covers 113.7 miles and takes about 2h 8m 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, Maricopa Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.63 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

56.9 miles from Phoenix, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 8m drive with frequent turns across 113.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 19 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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South 1st Avenue.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 113.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 (South 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (East Maricopa Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South 1st Avenue

Turn left onto South 1st Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

2 mi into trip | ~5m in | East Maricopa Freeway

Turn left onto East Maricopa Freeway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

2 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the ramp toward I 17 South, US 60 East

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 17 South, US 60 East

104 mi into trip | ~1h 50m 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

104.8 mi into trip | ~1h 52m 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	37.8 mi	38m
Maricopa Freeway	14 mi	16m
West River Road	5.2 mi	8m
East River Road	2.5 mi	4m
North Hacienda del Sol Road	1.3 mi	3m
South 7th Street	0.9 mi	2m
East Lincoln Street	0.4 mi	1m

Longest stretch: Casa Grande-Tucson Highway — 50 mi, about 50m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Phoenix, AZ and Catalina Foothills, AZ.

Start on West Washington Street

322 ft · 18 sec · West Washington Street

Turn left onto South 1st Avenue

436 ft · 9 sec · South 1st Avenue

Use the left lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto South 1st Avenue

350 ft · 14 sec · South 1st Avenue

Turn left onto West Madison Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · West Madison Street

At end of road, turn right onto South 1st Street

0.3 mi · 55 sec · South 1st Street

Turn left onto East Lincoln Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Lincoln Street

Turn right onto South 7th Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · South 7th Street

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto East Maricopa Freeway

290 ft · 8 sec · East Maricopa Freeway

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec

Toward I 17 South, US 60 East Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto I 17; US 60

14 mi · 16 min · Maricopa Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10

38 mi · 38 min · Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 10

50 mi · 50 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec

Exit 250 Toward Orange Grove Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto North Casa Grande Highway

0.1 mi · 13 sec · North Casa Grande Highway

Turn left onto West Orange Grove Road

0.4 mi · 47 sec · West Orange Grove Road

Turn right onto West River Road

5.2 mi · 8 min · West River Road

Use the left lane.

Continue on East River Road

2.5 mi · 4 min · East River Road

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn left onto North Hacienda del Sol Road

1.3 mi · 3 min · North Hacienda del Sol Road

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

North Hacienda del Sol Road

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 56.9 miles from Phoenix, AZ, or about 1h 3m 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 80 miles or 1h 26m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 56.9 miles or 1h 3m 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 40m

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 Phoenix, 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 Phoenix, AZ

This is one driving day of about 113.7 miles and 2h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Phoenix, AZ.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

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 56.9 mi from Phoenix, AZ · 1h 3m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Arizona City, AZ

57 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

Marana, AZ

Fuel and coffee

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

Arizona City, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 56.9 miles from Phoenix, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

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 ~27 min detour Free near mile 47.1

View on nps.gov

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...

11 mi from route ~28 min detour $25 near mile 113.7

View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.63 one way

$45.26 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 40 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.34	$23.89	$47.79
premium	$5.59	$25.01	$50.02
diesel	$5.64	$25.26	$50.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 39.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	34.1	$11.94	$5.46
Efficient EV	28.4	$9.95	$4.55
EV Truck/SUV	45.5	$15.92	$7.28

Gas CO2

40 kg

EV CO2

13 kg (68% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Phoenix, AZ

Morning in Phoenix on Monday

Local time

9:50 AM

MST

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Catalina Foothills, AZ

Morning in Catalina Foothills on Monday

Local time

9:50 AM

MST

Current temp

54°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

7 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 8m 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 Phoenix, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ covers 113.7 miles and takes about 2h 8m 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, Maricopa Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 56.9 miles from Phoenix, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.63 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.

The route from Phoenix, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

Catalina Foothills, AZ to Phoenix, AZ

Plan the drive back the other way.

113.6 mi 2h 7m

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Trip from Phoenix, AZ to Catalina Foothills, AZ

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Catalina Foothills, AZ

National Parks Near This Route

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Saguaro National Park

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Phoenix, AZ

Catalina Foothills, AZ

Same local time

7 degrees cooler at arrival

2h 8m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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