Origin
Picture Rocks, AZ
Morning in Picture Rocks on Saturday
Local time
9:58 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Picture Rocks, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
29.7 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Picture Rocks, AZ
Mark Direen
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Picture Rocks, AZ to Tucson, AZ is 29.7 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Casa Grande-Tucson Highway and North Freeway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Desert Southwest region, connecting two points in Arizona. Expect a local drive with frequent turns, making it feel more like navigating within a metro area than a long-distance highway journey. If you're looking for a straightforward drive with minimal time commitment, this route fits the bill for a quick hop between these two locations.
About the Cities
Arriving in Tucson, AZ
Full guide →Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 29.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (12%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route offers a turn-heavy local drive, with only 12% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a mix of local roads, including West Avra Valley Road and parts of the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, before merging onto the North Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.1 miles on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction as you navigate through residential and commercial areas, rather than a steady cruise on a single highway.
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 11.1 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 2.4 miles in near North Sanders Road.
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 47m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (North Sanders Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (West Twin Peaks Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles (North Sandario Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
2.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
North Sanders Road
Turn left onto North Sanders Road
Navigation decision point
5
3.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
West Twin Peaks Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Twin Peaks Road
Navigation decision point
4
4.4 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
North Sandario Road
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
11.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Merge onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
26 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
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 258
Toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 11.1 mi | 12m |
| West Avra Valley Road | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| North Freeway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| West Broadway Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| North Sandario Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Avra Road | 1.4 mi | 5m |
| West Emigh Road | 1 mi | 3m |
| North Sanders Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 11.1 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Picture Rocks, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on North Avra Road
1.4 mi
·
5 min
·
North Avra Road
2
Turn slight right onto West Emigh Road
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Emigh Road
3
Turn left onto North Sanders Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Sanders Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto West Twin Peaks Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Twin Peaks Road
5
Enter roundabout onto North Sandario Road
154 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Sandario Road
6
Continue on North Sandario Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Sandario Road
7
Turn right onto West Avra Valley Road
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
West Avra Valley Road
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
9
Merge onto I 10
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 258
Toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto North Freeway Road
159 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Freeway Road
13
Turn left onto West Congress Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
West Congress Street
14
Continue on West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
West Broadway Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Country Club Road
16
Arrive at destination
North Country Club Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.92 one way
$11.83 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.26 | $12.52 |
| premium | $5.59 | $6.54 | $13.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Tucson, AZ
Morning in Tucson on Saturday
Local time
9:58 AM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
34 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
47m 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 Picture Rocks, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 29.7 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, West Avra Valley Road, North Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.9 miles from Picture Rocks, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.92 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 47m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles (North Sanders Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (West Twin Peaks Road): Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles (North Sandario Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Picture Rocks, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Saguaro National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Tucson, AZ
More from Picture Rocks, AZ
More trips to Tucson, AZ
Explore more options from Picture Rocks, AZ or browse trips ending in Tucson, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.