Origin
Tucson, AZ
Evening in Tucson on Friday
Local time
5:08 PM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tucson, AZ to San Manuel, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
San Manuel, AZ
Leslie del Moral
Trip Overview
The drive from Tucson, AZ to San Manuel, AZ covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Tucson-Globe Highway, North Oracle Road, Veterans Memorial Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.2 miles on Tucson-Globe Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (2%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 18m drive with frequent turns across 49.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tucson-Globe Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 18.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near East Fort Lowell Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 18m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (East Fort Lowell Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (AZ 77; US 80 Hist / North Oracle Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
East Fort Lowell Road
Turn left onto East Fort Lowell Road
Navigation decision point
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
North 1st Avenue
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
AZ 77; US 80 Hist / North Oracle Road
Turn right onto AZ 77; US 80 Hist / North Oracle Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
43.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
Veterans Memorial Boulevard
Turn right onto Veterans Memorial Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
48.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
South McNab Parkway
Turn right onto South McNab Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tucson-Globe Highway | 18.2 mi | 25m |
| North Oracle Road | 14 mi | 21m |
| Veterans Memorial Boulevard | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| North Country Club Road | 3 mi | 6m |
| American Avenue | 2 mi | 2m |
| North 1st Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North Campbell Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| East River Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Tucson-Globe Highway
— 18.2 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tucson, AZ and San Manuel, AZ.
1
Start on North Country Club Road
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
North Country Club Road
2
Turn left onto East Fort Lowell Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Fort Lowell Road
3
Turn right onto North Campbell Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Campbell Avenue
4
Turn left onto East River Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East River Road
5
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
North 1st Avenue
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto East Orange Grove Road
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Orange Grove Road
7
Continue on West Orange Grove Road
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
West Orange Grove Road
8
Turn right onto AZ 77; US 80 Hist
14 mi
·
21 min
·
North Oracle Road
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on AZ 77
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Tucson-Globe Highway
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on AZ 77
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
American Avenue
11
Continue on AZ 77
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Tucson-Globe Highway
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
13
Turn right onto Veterans Memorial Boulevard
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Veterans Memorial Boulevard
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on North Redington Road
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
North Redington Road
15
Turn right onto South McNab Parkway
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South McNab Parkway
Use the right lane.
16
Arrive at destination
South McNab Parkway
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.9 mi from Tucson, AZ · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Tucson, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in San Manuel, AZ
The final approach into San Manuel, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.92 one way
$19.84 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $10.50 | $21.00 |
| premium | $5.59 | $10.96 | $21.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
San Manuel, AZ
Evening in San Manuel on Friday
Local time
5:08 PM
MST
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 18m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Tucson, AZ to San Manuel, AZ covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tucson-Globe Highway, North Oracle Road, Veterans Memorial Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.9 miles from Tucson, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.92 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 is a straightforward 1h 18m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (East Fort Lowell Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (AZ 77; US 80 Hist / North Oracle Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Tucson, AZ to San Manuel, 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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