Origin
Tortolita, AZ
Morning in Tortolita on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
MST
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tortolita, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tortolita, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Tortolita, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 18.5 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North La Cholla Boulevard, North Freeway, West Broadway Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8 miles on North La Cholla Boulevard. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.69 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Tucson, AZ
Full guide →Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (19%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 31m drive with frequent turns across 18.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North La Cholla Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 8 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 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near North La Cholla Boulevard.
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 18.5 miles you will encounter 6 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 0.3 miles (North La Cholla Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles (North Business Center Drive): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North La Cholla Boulevard
Turn right onto North La Cholla Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
9.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
North Business Center Drive
Turn sharp left onto North Business Center Drive
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
9.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 10 East
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Merge onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 258
Toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North La Cholla Boulevard | 8 mi | 13m |
| North Freeway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| West Broadway Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| West Ruthrauff Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West Congress Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Naranja Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Business Center Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North La Cholla Boulevard
— 8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tortolita, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on this road
21 ft
·
3 sec
·
this road
2
Continue on West Naranja Drive
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Naranja Drive
3
Turn right onto North La Cholla Boulevard
8.0 mi
·
13 min
·
North La Cholla Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto West Ruthrauff Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ruthrauff Road
5
Turn sharp left onto North Business Center Drive
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
North Business Center Drive
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 10 East
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto I 10
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 258
Toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto North Freeway Road
159 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Freeway Road
11
Turn left onto West Congress Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
West Congress Street
12
Continue on West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
West Broadway Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Country Club Road
14
Arrive at destination
North Country Club Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.69 one way
$7.37 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $3.90 | $7.80 |
| premium | $5.59 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Morning in Tucson on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
MST
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
NW 6 to 10 mph
0% chance
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
20 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
31m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Tortolita, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 18.5 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North La Cholla Boulevard, North Freeway, West Broadway Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.3 miles from Tortolita, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.69 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 18.5 miles you will encounter 6 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (North La Cholla Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles (North Business Center Drive): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Tortolita, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Saguaro National Park.
How this page is built
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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