The drive from Sahuarita, AZ to Maricopa, AZ covers 118.3 miles and takes about 2h 16m 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 Bypass Route, Nogales–Tucson Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.5 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.57 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
59.1 miles from Sahuarita, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 16m. Total distance: 118.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 16m drive with frequent turns across 118.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 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 54.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 118.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 18.7 miles (I 10 / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in|I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway
Merge onto I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
18.1 mi into trip|~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
5
18.7 mi into trip|~23m in|I 10 / South Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / South Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
27.9 mi into trip|~34m in|I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
104.7 mi into trip|~2h in|AZ 347 / South John Wayne Parkway
Turn right onto AZ 347 / South John Wayne Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Sahuarita, AZ to Maricopa, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Stanfield along the way.
Stanfield
95.8 mi in|~1h 43m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.5 mi
55m
Phoenix Bypass Route
16.8 mi
16m
Nogales–Tucson Highway
16 mi
19m
South John Wayne Parkway
13.1 mi
15m
South Freeway
5.4 mi
6m
Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
4.6 mi
6m
Stanfield Road
3.4 mi
8m
East Sahuarita Road
1.8 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.5 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sahuarita, AZ and Maricopa, AZ.
1
Start on East Sahuarita Road
1.8 mi·3 min·East Sahuarita Road
2
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 19 North: Tucson
3
Merge onto I 19
16 mi·19 min·Nogales–Tucson Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
5
Merge onto I 10
5.4 mi·6 min·South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 10
3.7 mi·4 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
51 mi·51 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·35 sec
Exit 199Toward I 8 West: San Diego
9
Continue on I 8
17 mi·16 min·Phoenix Bypass Route
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Exit 161Toward Stanfield
11
Turn right onto BIA 42
3.4 mi·8 min·Stanfield Road
12
Turn left onto AZ 84
0.5 mi·51 sec·Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
13
Continue on AZ 84
0.5 mi·41 sec·Arizona Drive
14
Continue on AZ 84
4.1 mi·6 min·Gila Bend–Casa Grande Highway
15
Turn right onto AZ 347
13 mi·15 min·South John Wayne Parkway
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on AZ 347
0.5 mi·43 sec·North John Wayne Parkway
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
AZ 347
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 59.1 miles from Sahuarita, AZ, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 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 26 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.1 miles or 1h 6m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Maricopa, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sahuarita, 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 Sahuarita, AZ
This is one driving day of about 118.3 miles and 2h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Sahuarita, 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 54.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 59.1 mi from Sahuarita, AZ
· 1h 6m into the drive
The midpoint is around 54.8 miles from Sahuarita, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Maricopa, AZ
The final approach into Maricopa, 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 Maricopa, 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.
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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
$25
near mile 20.4
Park Closure: Red Hills Visitor Center (TMD) theater closed for repairs
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
~38 min detour
Free
near mile 77.5
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.57 one way
$47.13 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$24.94
$49.88
premium
$5.59
$26.04
$52.08
diesel
$5.61
$26.12
$52.24
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.5
0
$12.42
$5.68
Efficient EV
29.6
0
$10.35
$4.73
EV Truck/SUV
47.3
0
$16.56
$7.57
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Sahuarita, AZ
Evening
in Sahuarita on Thursday
Local time
8:19 PM
MST
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Maricopa, AZ
Evening
in Maricopa on Thursday
Local time
8:19 PM
MST
Current temp
57°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
5 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
2h 16m 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 Sahuarita, AZ to Maricopa, AZ covers 118.3 miles and takes about 2h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix Bypass Route, Nogales–Tucson Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 59.1 miles from Sahuarita, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.57 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 demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 118.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 18.7 miles (I 10 / South Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Sahuarita, AZ to Maricopa, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Stanfield along the way.
