Deer Valley, AZ to Willcox, AZ is 214.5 miles and takes about 3h 48m via Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Desert Southwest region, connecting two points in Arizona. Given its mostly surface road profile and manageable duration, this route is a straightforward option for a single-day trip. It offers a practical way to travel between these locations without extensive highway time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
107.2 miles from Deer Valley, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi
55m
Tucson-Benson Highway
42.9 mi
44m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
37.8 mi
38m
Benson-Steins Pass Highway
33.4 mi
33m
Black Canyon Freeway
17.1 mi
19m
Maricopa Freeway
16.3 mi
18m
North Freeway
6.1 mi
6m
I 10 BUS
4 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Deer Valley, AZ and Willcox, AZ.
1
Start on North 35th Avenue
37 ft·8 sec·North 35th Avenue
2
Turn left onto West Deer Valley Road
1.2 mi·2 min·West Deer Valley Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto North Black Canyon Highway
0.5 mi·55 sec·North Black Canyon Highway
4
Continue on this road
0.4 mi·47 sec·this road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 17
17 mi·19 min·Black Canyon Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on I 17; US 60
16 mi·18 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
55 mi·55 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
6.1 mi·6 min·North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
43 mi·44 min·Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10
33 mi·33 min·Benson-Steins Pass Highway
12
Take the exit onto I 10 BUS
4.0 mi·6 min·I 10 BUS
Toward I 10 Business: Chiricahua Natl Monument
13
Arrive at destination
AZ 186; I 10 BUS
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 3h 48m drive, consider an early morning departure from Deer Valley to maximize daylight. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimated at $42, the trip is easily manageable in a single day, offering flexibility in your timing. Pay attention to the transition from highway to surface roads, as this is where you'll encounter more local traffic and varying speed limits. The longest stretch on surface roads is 54.6 miles, so plan your final fuel stop accordingly before heading into the less-serviced sections.
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 107.2 miles from Deer Valley, AZ, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.6 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 47 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.2 miles or 1h 55m 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 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Willcox, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Deer Valley, 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 Deer Valley, AZ
This is one driving day of about 214.5 miles and 3h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Deer Valley, 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 Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 54.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 4
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 210.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Deer Valley Road
Turn left onto West Deer Valley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|North Black Canyon Highway
Turn right onto North Black Canyon Highway
Navigation decision point
5
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in|I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway
Merge onto I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
4
210.4 mi into trip|~3h 41m in|I 10 BUS
Take the exit onto I 10 BUS toward I 10 Business: Chiricahua Natl Monument
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 10 Business: Chiricahua Natl Monument
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.74 one way
$87.47 round trip
$5.18/gal25.4 MPG avg75 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.48
$46.31
$92.62
premium
$5.74
$48.43
$96.86
diesel
$6.18
$52.18
$104.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.4
0
$22.52
$10.30
Efficient EV
53.6
0
$18.77
$8.58
EV Truck/SUV
85.8
1
$30.03
$13.73
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Deer Valley, AZ
Late night
in Deer Valley on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
MST
Current temp
87°F
Sunny
ESE 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Willcox, AZ
Late night
in Willcox on Tuesday
Local time
5:22 AM
MST
Current temp
78°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms
E 5 mph81% 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
9 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
3h 48m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
$25
near mile 140.5
Park Closure: Loop Drive closed in Tucson Mountain District (West Side) due to storms.
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...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 66.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a drive that's primarily on surface roads, with only 20% of the route on highways. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 54.6 miles along the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. You'll notice a shift from highway cruising to more local road driving as you progress, with frequent intersections and lower speed limits typical of surface roads.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 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?
3/10
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 early in the drive near West Deer Valley Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 48m 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: near the start (West Deer Valley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Willcox is a small town in Cochise County, Southeast Arizona, and a convenient gateway to Chiricahua National Monument and other scenic sights in the region.
Top landmarks
•Willcox Women's Club — women's club in Willcox, United States of America
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 23 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Deer Valley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles (I 17 / Black Canyon Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Willcox, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
