Trip from Sahuarita, AZ to Tucson, AZ

Q: How long is the trip from Sahuarita, AZ to Tucson, AZ?

The drive from Sahuarita, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 23 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Nogales–Tucson Highway, East Sahuarita Road, West 22nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 11.5 miles from Sahuarita, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.58 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: What towns show up on signs driving from Sahuarita, AZ to Tucson, AZ?

The route from Sahuarita, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

32m

Distance

23 mi

37 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min

4 AM

0h 30m ★

6 AM

0h 33m

8 AM

0h 38m

10 AM

0h 35m

12 PM

0h 34m

3 PM

0h 35m

5 PM

0h 38m

8 PM

0h 31m

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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Trip Overview

This short 23-mile drive from Sahuarita to Tucson, Arizona, will take you about 32 minutes to complete. Primarily using roads like Nogales–Tucson Highway and East Sahuarita Road, it's a quick trip that's perfect for a single day. The estimated fuel cost is around $5, making it an economical option for a local excursion. Given its brevity, no overnight stays are necessary. This route stays within the Desert Southwest region, offering a consistent landscape throughout your journey.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 23 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (5%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with only about 5% of the journey on highways. The main artery for a significant portion is the Nogales–Tucson Highway, where you'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 16 miles. As you travel, the roads will transition from local streets to more arterial routes, requiring your attention to navigation and traffic. This isn't a monotonous highway cruise; it's a more engaged driving experience through varied local environments.

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

There are about 12 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 16 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 4 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.

Driving Effort 5/10

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

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 23 miles you will encounter 4 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 1.8 miles: Navigation decision point; 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. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

4 of 4 key points

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

4

1.8 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 19 North: Tucson

Navigation decision point

Toward I 19 North: Tucson

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.

9

18.1 mi into trip | ~23m in

Keep slight right at fork toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road, Starr Pass Boulevard

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 102 Toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road...

5

22 mi into trip | ~30m in | East Broadway Boulevard

Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Nogales–Tucson Highway	16 mi	19m
East Sahuarita Road	1.8 mi	3m
West 22nd Street	1.7 mi	2m
East Broadway Boulevard	1 mi	2m
South Freeway Road	0.7 mi	1m
South Kino Parkway	0.6 mi	1m
South Campbell Avenue	0.3 mi	<1m
North Country Club Road	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Nogales–Tucson Highway — 16 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sahuarita, AZ and Tucson, 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 right at fork

0.3 mi · 30 sec

Exit 102 Toward 29th Street/22nd Street, Silverlake Road, Starr Pass Boulevard Use the slight right lane.

5

Continue on South Freeway Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Freeway Road

6

Turn right onto West 22nd Street

1.7 mi · 2 min · West 22nd Street

7

Turn slight left

0.3 mi · 50 sec

8

Turn straight onto South Kino Parkway

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Kino Parkway

9

Continue on South Campbell Avenue

0.3 mi · 33 sec · South Campbell Avenue

10

Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard

1.0 mi · 2 min · East Broadway Boulevard

Use the right lane.

11

Turn left onto North Country Club Road

131 ft · 8 sec · North Country Club Road

12

Arrive at destination

North Country Club Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.58 one way

$9.16 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.36	$4.85	$9.70
premium	$5.59	$5.06	$10.13
diesel	$5.61	$5.08	$10.16

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	6.9	$2.41	$1.10
Efficient EV	5.8	$2.01	$0.92
EV Truck/SUV	9.2	$3.22	$1.47

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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

Morning in Sahuarita on Thursday

Local time

9:21 AM

MST

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tucson, AZ

Morning in Tucson on Thursday

Local time

9:21 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

2 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

32m 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