The drive from Tucson, AZ to Tuba City, AZ covers 337.6 miles and takes about 6h 12m 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, Black Canyon Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 90.6 miles on Arizona Veterans Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $67.25 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
168.8 miles from Tucson, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 4m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 12m. Total distance: 337.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 12m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 12m drive with frequent turns across 337.6 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 90.6 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 around 4.8 miles in near I 10 / North Freeway.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 337.6 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 4.8 miles (I 10 / North Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 111.9 miles (US 60 / Maricopa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
4.8 mi into trip|~10m in|I 10 / North Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / North Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.1 mi into trip|~18m in|I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
111.9 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|US 60 / Maricopa Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 60 / Maricopa Freeway toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I-17 North, US-60 West: Flagstaff
6
263.4 mi into trip|~4h 41m in|US 180; I 40 Bus / Country Club Drive
Turn left onto US 180; I 40 Bus / Country Club Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
263.9 mi into trip|~4h 42m in|US 89 / Flagstaff-Cameron Highway
Turn right onto US 89 / Flagstaff-Cameron Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tucson, AZ to Tuba City, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Albuquerque along the way.
The midpoint is around 168.8 miles from Tucson, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tuba City, AZ
The final approach into Tuba City, 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 Tuba City, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
$25
near mile 279.4
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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
$25
near mile 267.7
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 69.8
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$67.25 one way
$134.51 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg118 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$71.18
$142.35
premium
$5.59
$74.31
$148.62
diesel
$5.61
$74.54
$149.08
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: 118.1 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
101.3
1
$35.45
$16.20
Efficient EV
84.4
0
$29.54
$13.50
EV Truck/SUV
135
1
$47.26
$21.61
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 17, 2026
Origin
Tucson, AZ
Morning
in Tucson on Friday
Local time
11:56 AM
MST
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
W 3 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Tuba City, AZ
Afternoon
in Tuba City on Friday
Local time
12:56 PM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live 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 later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
40 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
6h 12m 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 Tucson, AZ to Tuba City, AZ covers 337.6 miles and takes about 6h 12m 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, Black Canyon Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 168.8 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 $67.25 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 15 significant decision points across 337.6 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: at 4.8 miles (I 10 / North Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 111.9 miles (US 60 / Maricopa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Tucson, AZ to Tuba City, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Albuquerque along the way.
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.
