The drive from Tuba City, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 336.8 miles and takes about 6h 11m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Arizona Veterans Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Flagstaff-Cameron Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 93 miles on Arizona Veterans Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $67.09 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
168.4 miles from Tuba City, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 9m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 11m. Total distance: 336.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 11m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 11m drive with frequent turns across 336.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Arizona Veterans Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 93 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 early in the drive near N1017 / Main Street.
Driving Effort7/10
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 336.8 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: near the start (N1017 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 74.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 79.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|N1017 / Main Street
Turn right onto N1017 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
74.1 mi into trip|~1h 31m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
79.2 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flagstaff
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 17 South, AZ 89A North: Phoenix, Flags...
6
79.3 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 17, AZ 89A South: Sedona, Phoenix
8
333.1 mi into trip|~6h 2m 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
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Tuba City, AZ and Tucson, AZ, road signs point toward Flagstaff and Phoenix.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
National Monument
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff...
The lava flow lies on the land like a dream, a wonderland of rock. A thousand years ago the ground was torn open and lava erupted into the sky, forever changing the landscape and the lives of the peop...
Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have lived and traveled throughout Walnut Canyon’s dynamic landscape. Vibrant communities built their homes in the cliffs and farmed along the canyon’s rim. T...
Nestled between the Painted Desert and ponderosa highlands of northern Arizona, Wupatki National Monument is an unlikely landscape for a thriving community. The early 1100's marked a time of cooler an...
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...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 267.1
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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
$25
near mile 336.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$67.09 one way
$134.19 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg118 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$71.01
$142.01
premium
$5.59
$74.14
$148.27
diesel
$5.61
$74.36
$148.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$67
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$92–$117
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
101
1
$35.36
$16.17
Efficient EV
84.2
0
$29.47
$13.47
EV Truck/SUV
134.7
1
$47.15
$21.56
Gas CO2
118 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 14, 2026
Origin
Tuba City, AZ
Morning
in Tuba City on Friday
Local time
8:49 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Morning
in Tucson on Friday
Local time
7:49 AM
MST
Current temp
51°F
Partly Cloudy
WSW 3 to 14 mph8% chanceLive 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
9 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
6h 11m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Tuba City, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 336.8 miles and takes about 6h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Arizona Veterans Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Flagstaff-Cameron Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 168.4 miles from Tuba City, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $67.09 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 336.8 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: near the start (N1017 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 74.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 79.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Tuba City, AZ and Tucson, AZ, road signs point toward Flagstaff and Phoenix.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Montezuma Castle National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Walnut Canyon National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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.
