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Trip from Yuma, AZ to Tucson, AZ

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 13m

Distance

241.6 mi

389 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$48

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
4h 1m ★
6 AM
4h 14m
8 AM
4h 40m
10 AM
4h 23m
12 PM
4h 21m
3 PM
4h 25m
5 PM
4h 39m
8 PM
4h 6m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in and county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States

Yuma, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States

Tucson, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Yuma, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 241.6 miles and takes about 4h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Blue Star Memorial Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, North Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 177.9 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $48.13 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

120.8 miles from Yuma, AZ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 4m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 13m. Total distance: 241.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 13m drive with frequent turns across 241.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Blue Star Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 177.9 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 0.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 13m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 178.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

4 of 4 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

3
0.4 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

4
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway

Merge onto I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining

6
178.7 mi into trip | ~3h 4m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: Tucson

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 178A Toward I 10 East: Tucson
8
237.9 mi into trip | ~4h 5m 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
Blue Star Memorial Highway 177.9 mi 3h 2m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway 54.6 mi 55m
North Freeway 3.6 mi 4m
West Broadway Boulevard 2.9 mi 6m
Phoenix Bypass Route 0.4 mi <1m
West Congress Street 0.3 mi <1m
North 4th Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
Kumeyaay Highway 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Blue Star Memorial Highway — 177.9 mi, about 3h 2m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and Tucson, AZ.

1

Start on I 8 BUS

0.3 mi · 22 sec · North 4th Avenue
2

Continue on I 8 BUS

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Winterhaven Drive
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
4

Merge onto I 8

0.2 mi · 12 sec · Kumeyaay Highway
5

Continue on I 8

178 mi · 3 hr 2 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
6

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 38 sec
Exit 178A Toward I 10 East: Tucson
7

Continue on Phoenix Bypass Route

0.4 mi · 27 sec · Phoenix Bypass Route
Exit 178A Toward I 10 East: Tucson
8

Continue on I 10

55 mi · 55 min · Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 10

3.6 mi · 4 min · North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 44 sec
Exit 258 Toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn straight onto North Freeway Road

159 ft · 4 sec · North Freeway Road
12

Turn left onto West Congress Street

0.3 mi · 56 sec · West Congress Street
13

Continue on West Broadway Boulevard

2.9 mi · 6 min · West Broadway Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
14

Turn left onto North Country Club Road

131 ft · 8 sec · North Country Club Road
15

Arrive at destination

North Country Club Road

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 120.8 miles from Yuma, AZ, or about 2h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 177.9 miles.

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 53 miles or 55m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 120.8 miles or 2h 4m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 24m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tucson, AZ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Yuma, 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 Yuma, AZ

This is one driving day of about 241.6 miles and 4h 13m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from Yuma, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 177.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 120.8 mi from Yuma, AZ · 2h 4m into the drive

city in the Gila River Valley in Pinal County, Arizona, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Maricopa, AZ

121 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

Wellton, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 53 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Buckeye, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 120.8 miles from Yuma, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Blue Star Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 177.9 miles.

Arriving in Tucson, AZ

The final approach into Tucson, 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 Tucson, AZ.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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.

Saguaro National Park

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...

10 mi from route ~25 min detour $25 near mile 241.6
Park Closure: Red Hills Visitor Center (TMD) theater closed for repairs
View on nps.gov
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

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...

16 mi from route ~40 min detour Free near mile 183.2
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$48.13 one way

$96.26 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 85 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $50.94 $101.87
premium $5.59 $53.18 $106.36
diesel $5.61 $53.34 $106.68

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$48

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$73–$98

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 84.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 72.5 0 $25.37 $11.60
Efficient EV 60.4 0 $21.14 $9.66
EV Truck/SUV 96.6 1 $33.82 $15.46

Gas CO2

85 kg

EV CO2

28 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 15, 2026

Origin

Yuma, AZ

Morning in Yuma on Friday

Local time

7:13 AM

MST

Current temp

87°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tucson, AZ

Morning in Tucson on Friday

Local time

7:13 AM

MST

Current temp

54°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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

33 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

4h 13m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Yuma, AZ to Tucson, AZ covers 241.6 miles and takes about 4h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Blue Star Memorial Highway, Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, North Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 120.8 miles from Yuma, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $48.13 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

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 straightforward 4h 13m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 178.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

The route from Yuma, AZ to Tucson, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Saguaro National Park and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.

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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Plan the drive back the other way.

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