Origin
Sahuarita, AZ
Morning in Sahuarita on Thursday
Local time
9:07 AM
MST
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sahuarita, AZ to Yuma, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
4h 30m
Distance
258.4 mi
416 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$51
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 17m
★
6 AM
4h 31m
8 AM
4h 57m
10 AM
4h 40m
12 PM
4h 37m
3 PM
4h 41m
5 PM
4h 56m
8 PM
4h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sahuarita, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Yuma, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sahuarita, AZ to Yuma, AZ covers 258.4 miles and takes about 4h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Blue Star Memorial Highway, Phoenix Bypass Route, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 118.9 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
129.2 miles from Sahuarita, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 30m. Total distance: 258.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 30m drive with frequent turns across 258.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Blue Star Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 118.9 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 Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 258.4 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 11 key pointsThese 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.
5
78.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward I 8 West: San Diego
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 199
Toward I 8 West: San Diego
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | 118.9 mi | 2h 2m |
| Phoenix Bypass Route | 58.9 mi | 58m |
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.5 mi | 55m |
| Nogales–Tucson Highway | 16 mi | 19m |
| South Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| East Sahuarita Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Harold C Giss Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| South 4th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 118.9 mi, about 2h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sahuarita, AZ and Yuma, 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 199
Toward I 8 West: San Diego
9
Continue on I 8
59 mi
·
58 min
·
Phoenix Bypass Route
10
Continue on I 8
119 mi
·
2 hr 2 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward Giss Parkway
12
Keep slight left at fork
189 ft
·
4 sec
13
Enter roundabout onto Harold C Giss Parkway
251 ft
·
4 sec
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
14
Continue on Harold C Giss Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
15
Enter roundabout onto Harold C Giss Parkway
120 ft
·
2 sec
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
16
Continue on Harold C Giss Parkway
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Harold C Giss Parkway
17
Turn right onto I 8 BUS; US 80 Hist
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 4th Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
I 8 BUS
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 129.2 miles from Sahuarita, AZ, or about 2h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.9 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 57 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 129.2 miles or 2h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Yuma, 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 258.4 miles and 4h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Sahuarita, 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 Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 118.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 129.2 mi from Sahuarita, AZ · 2h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
129 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 57 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 129.2 miles from Sahuarita, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Blue Star Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 118.9 miles.
Arriving in Yuma, AZ
The final approach into Yuma, 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 Yuma, AZ.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.48 one way
$102.95 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
90 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $54.48 | $108.96 |
| premium | $5.59 | $56.88 | $113.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $57.05 | $114.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 90.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 77.5 | 0 | $27.13 | $12.40 |
| Efficient EV | 64.6 | 0 | $22.61 | $10.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 103.4 | 1 | $36.18 | $16.54 |
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Yuma, AZ
Morning in Yuma on Thursday
Local time
9:07 AM
MST
Current temp
87°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
35 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
4h 30m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Yuma, AZ covers 258.4 miles and takes about 4h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Blue Star Memorial Highway, Phoenix Bypass Route, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 129.2 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 $51.48 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 258.4 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.
The route from Sahuarita, AZ to Yuma, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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