Origin
Casa Grande, AZ
Night in Casa Grande on Saturday
Local time
9:27 PM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Casa Grande, AZ to Drexel Heights, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
74.2 mi
119 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Casa Grande, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Drexel Heights, AZ
Quang Vuong
Trip Overview
Casa Grande to Drexel Heights is 74.2 miles and takes about 1h 25m via Casa Grande-Tucson Highway and North Freeway, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward connection between two points. Expect a fairly local feel for much of the journey, rather than a high-speed interstate experience. With a relatively short duration, this route is well-suited for a single day's travel, allowing for a relaxed pace and potential for spontaneous detours if time permits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.6 mi | 55m |
| North Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Jimmie Kerr Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| South Mission Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Irvington Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Cardinal Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Florence Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Casa Grande, AZ and Drexel Heights, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 287
33 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Gila Bend Highway
2
Continue on AZ 287
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Florence Boulevard
3
Turn right onto North Trekell Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Trekell Road
4
Turn left onto Jimmie Kerr Boulevard
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Jimmie Kerr Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 10
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
7
Continue on I 10
55 mi
·
55 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 260
Toward I 19 South: Nogales
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 19
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Nogales–Tucson Highway
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 99
Toward AZ 86 West: Ajo Way
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
290 ft
·
7 sec
Toward Ajo, Desert Museum, Old Tucson
Use the right lane.
13
Turn straight onto AZ 86
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ajo Way
14
Continue on AZ 86
467 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Ajo Highway
15
Turn left onto South Mission Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Mission Road
16
Turn right onto West Irvington Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Irvington Road
17
Turn left onto Cardinal Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Cardinal Avenue
18
Turn left onto West Bilby Road
71 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Bilby Road
19
Arrive at destination
West Bilby Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 37.1 miles from Casa Grande, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 69.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Jimmie Kerr Boulevard
Turn left onto Jimmie Kerr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Tucson
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
7
67.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 19 South: Nogales
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 260
Toward I 19 South: Nogales
7
68.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward AZ 86 West: Ajo Way
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 99
Toward AZ 86 West: Ajo Way
8
69.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Ajo, Desert Museum, Old Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Ajo, Desert Museum, Old Tucson
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.78 one way
$29.56 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $15.64 | $31.29 |
| premium | $5.59 | $16.33 | $32.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.38 | $32.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 26 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.79 | $3.56 |
| Efficient EV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.49 | $2.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.7 | 0 | $10.39 | $4.75 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Drexel Heights, AZ
Night in Drexel Heights on Saturday
Local time
9:27 PM
MST
Current temp
54°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
34 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 25m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only about 7% of the journey on a highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 54.6 miles along the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. As you progress, expect a shift from more local roads to sections that include Jimmie Kerr Boulevard and the North Freeway, indicating a transition into more developed areas. The drive will likely involve more frequent turns and changes in speed compared to a pure highway run.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.6 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near Jimmie Kerr Boulevard.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 74.2 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.9 miles (Jimmie Kerr Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 67.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Casa Grande, AZ and Drexel Heights, AZ, road signs point toward Ajo, Desert Museum and Old Tucson.
Ajo
69.3 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Desert Museum
69.3 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Old Tucson
69.3 mi in
|
~1h 16m
About the Cities
Starting in Casa Grande, AZ
Full guide →Casa Grande is a city in South Central Arizona that is largely a commuter town for people working in Tucson or Phoenix. It was the site of an internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II, and has played a prominent role in baseball in the United States.
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 1h 25m. Total distance: 74.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.6 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Drexel Heights, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (Jimmie Kerr Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 67.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Saguaro National Park and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Drexel Heights, AZ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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