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...
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Create accountDrive Time
2h 13m
Distance
114.4 mi
184 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
None
0 DC fast
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tanque Verde, AZ
Hans D.
Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ
Brent Singleton
The drive from Tanque Verde, AZ to Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ covers 114.4 miles and takes about 2h 13m 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-Casa Grande Highway, East Grant Road 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 $22.77 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
57.2 miles from Tanque Verde, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 12m into the drive .
Expect a 2h 13m drive with frequent turns across 114.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 7 miles in near East Grant Road.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 114.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 7 miles (East Grant Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.8 miles (I 10 / North Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): 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 right onto East Grant Road
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 10 / North Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Warner Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto South Iroquois Drive
Navigation decision point
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.5 mi | 55m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 38.1 mi | 38m |
| East Grant Road | 8.4 mi | 16m |
| East Tanque Verde Road | 7 mi | 12m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| North Freeway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| South 48th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Warner Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Tanque Verde, AZ and Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ.
Start on East Tanque Verde Road
Turn right onto East Grant Road
Continue on East Grant Road
Turn right onto North Freeway Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
Continue on I 10
Continue on I 10
Take the exit
Turn left onto West Warner Road
Turn right onto South 48th Street
Turn left onto East Kiowa Street
Turn right onto South Iroquois Drive
Arrive at destination
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.
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 80 miles or 1h 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.2 miles or 1h 12m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Tanque Verde, 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 Tanque Verde, AZ
This is one driving day of about 114.4 miles and 2h 13m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57.2 mi from Tanque Verde, AZ · 1h 12m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
57 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 57.2 miles from Tanque Verde, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Ahwatukee Foothills, 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 Ahwatukee Foothills, 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...
National Monument
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Regular Gas
$22.77 one way
$45.53 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.34 | $24.04 | $48.08 |
| premium | $5.59 | $25.16 | $50.33 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $25.42 | $50.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34.3 | 0 | $12.01 | $5.49 |
| Efficient EV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.01 | $4.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 45.8 | 0 | $16.02 | $7.32 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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 Tanque Verde on Monday
Local time
7:29 AM
MST
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Ahwatukee Foothills on Monday
Local time
7:29 AM
MST
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
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
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.
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