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...
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 35m
Distance
195.4 mi
314 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sierra Vista, AZ
Leslie del Moral
Maryvale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Sierra Vista, AZ to Maryvale, AZ covers 195.4 miles and takes about 3h 35m 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, Tucson-Benson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande 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 $38.93 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
97.7 miles from Sierra Vista, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 49m into the drive .
Sierra Vista (Spanish: Mountain View) is a city in Southeast Arizona and the commercial hub of the region, making it a convenient base from which to explore the area. It is perhaps best known for historic Fort Huachuca, established in 1877 during the Apache Wars. Although still an active U.S. Army military base, its two military museums and historic cemetery are open to the general public. The landscape around the city is typical for the Southwestern United States, and the nearby mountains and canyons can be explored on foot, by bike, or on horseback. Because it is a major stopover point on avian migration routes, the area is popular with avid birdwatchers and naturalists, and is known as the "Hummingbird Capital of America".
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 35m. Total distance: 195.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Expect a 3h 35m drive with frequent turns across 195.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
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 29.1 miles in.
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 195.4 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 29.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 80.9 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 181.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left toward I 10, Tuscon, South Tuscon
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward 51st Avenue, 59th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Sierra Vista, AZ to Maryvale, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Tuscon along the way.
Tuscon
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.5 mi | 55m |
| Tucson-Benson Highway | 41.4 mi | 43m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 38.1 mi | 38m |
| State Route 90 | 15 mi | 17m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 12 mi | 13m |
| Papago Freeway | 9.5 mi | 10m |
| Huachuca Boulevard | 9 mi | 10m |
| South Freeway | 6 mi | 6m |
Step-by-step road directions between Sierra Vista, AZ and Maryvale, AZ.
Start on this road
Turn right onto West Fry Boulevard
Turn right onto Buffalo Soldier Trail
Continue on AZ 90
Continue on AZ 90
Continue on AZ 90
Continue on AZ 90
Continue on AZ 90
Turn left
Merge onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Take the exit
Turn right onto North 51st Avenue
Turn left onto West Indian School Road
Turn right onto North 55th Avenue
Continue on North 55th Avenue
Arrive at destination
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.
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 43 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.7 miles or 1h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Maryvale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Sierra Vista, 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 Sierra Vista, AZ
This is one driving day of about 195.4 miles and 3h 35m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 97.7 mi from Sierra Vista, AZ · 1h 49m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
98 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.
A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 97.7 miles from Sierra Vista, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Maryvale, 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 Maryvale, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Regular Gas
$38.93 one way
$77.85 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $41.20 | $82.39 |
| premium | $5.59 | $43.01 | $86.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $43.14 | $86.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 58.6 | 0 | $20.52 | $9.38 |
| Efficient EV | 48.9 | 0 | $17.10 | $7.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 78.2 | 0 | $27.36 | $12.51 |
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Sierra Vista on Saturday
Local time
9:00 AM
MST
Current temp
72°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Blowing Dust Advisory
Blowing Dust Advisory issued April 13 at 1:17PM MST until April 13 at 7:00PM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 7:45PM MST until April 13 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
Destination
Morning in Maryvale on Saturday
Local time
9:00 AM
MST
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Sunny
Blowing Dust Advisory
Blowing Dust Advisory issued April 13 at 1:17PM MST until April 13 at 7:00PM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 7:45PM MST until April 13 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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.
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