Fortuna Foothills to Tucson is 227.7 miles and takes about 3 hours 59 minutes via Blue Star Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward drive. You'll mostly navigate surface roads, making it a practical choice for a single-day excursion. Plan for a relaxed pace, as the route is designed for efficiency rather than extensive sightseeing.
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
113.8 miles from Fortuna Foothills, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Blue Star Memorial Highway
163.3 mi
2h 45m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi
55m
North Freeway
3.6 mi
4m
West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
6m
South Foothills Boulevard
0.9 mi
1m
Phoenix Bypass Route
0.4 mi
<1m
West Congress Street
0.3 mi
<1m
East 40th Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 163.3 mi, about 2h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fortuna Foothills, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on South Sheryl Drive
0.1 mi·31 sec·South Sheryl Drive
2
At end of road, turn left onto East 40th Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·East 40th Street
3
Turn left onto South Foothills Boulevard
0.9 mi·1 min·South Foothills Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
5
Merge onto I 8
163 mi·2 hr 45 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·38 sec
Exit 178AToward I 10 East: Tucson
7
Continue on Phoenix Bypass Route
0.4 mi·27 sec·Phoenix Bypass Route
Exit 178AToward 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 258Toward Congress Street, Broadway BoulevardUse 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
Consider departing in the morning to maximize daylight, especially since this is a single-day trip. With only one recommended stop and a total duration under four hours, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $43, and plan your refueling accordingly. The Blue Star Memorial Highway is the longest segment, so ensure you're comfortable with that stretch before setting out.
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 113.8 miles from Fortuna Foothills, AZ, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 163.3 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 50 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 113.8 miles or 1h 57m 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 11m
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 Fortuna Foothills, 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 Fortuna Foothills, AZ
This is one driving day of about 227.7 miles and 3h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Fortuna Foothills, 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 163.3 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
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 224 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East 40th Street
At end of road, turn left onto East 40th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|South Foothills Boulevard
Turn left onto South Foothills Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
6
164.8 mi into trip|~2h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 178A
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
8
224 mi into trip|~3h 50m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.86 one way
$91.73 round trip
$5.12/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.43
$48.65
$97.30
premium
$5.67
$50.86
$101.73
diesel
$6.28
$56.26
$112.52
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 79.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.3
0
$23.91
$10.93
Efficient EV
56.9
0
$19.92
$9.11
EV Truck/SUV
91.1
1
$31.88
$14.57
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Fortuna Foothills, AZ
Late night
in Fortuna Foothills on Friday
Local time
4:38 AM
MST
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Late night
in Tucson on Friday
Local time
4:38 AM
MST
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Clear
SE 5 mph6% 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
1 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 59m 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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
$25
near mile 227.7
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...
15 mi from route
~38 min detour
Free
near mile 164.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is primarily surface roads, with only about 2% on highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 163.3 miles on the Blue Star Memorial Highway. Expect to transition from highway driving to surface roads for the majority of your trip. You'll likely notice a more urban feel as you approach Tucson, with denser exits and merging traffic.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 163.3 mi on Blue Star Memorial 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 around 0.1 miles in near East 40th Street.
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 59m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 40th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (South Foothills Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.
Top landmarks
•Pima Air & Space Museum — aerospace museum in Tucson, Arizona, USA
•Arizona State Museum — museum in Arizona, United States
•Tucson station — Amtrak station in Tucson, Arizona
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 163.3 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 20 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: at 0.1 miles (East 40th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (South Foothills Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point.
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 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Tucson, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
