Sacaton Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Gilbert, AZ to Pirtleville, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 27m
Distance
225.5 mi
363 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$45
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 14m
★
6 AM
4h 28m
8 AM
4h 55m
10 AM
4h 37m
12 PM
4h 34m
3 PM
4h 38m
5 PM
4h 53m
8 PM
4h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Pirtleville, AZ
Zsolt Pujsz
Trip Overview
Gilbert, AZ to Pirtleville, AZ is 225.5 miles and takes about 4h 27m via Casa Grande-Tucson Highway and AZ 80, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, taking you from one part of Arizona to another. You'll be covering a good amount of ground, so plan for a solid few hours on the road. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on highways, making it a convenient option for a single-day excursion. Consider this route if you're looking for a direct path across southern Arizona.
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
112.7 miles from Gilbert, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 8m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.6 mi | 55m |
| Tucson-Benson Highway | 41.4 mi | 43m |
| AZ 80 | 32.2 mi | 43m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 23.5 mi | 23m |
| State Route 90 | 16.5 mi | 19m |
| Whetstone TI-Junction SR 80 Highway | 13.3 mi | 16m |
| North Gilbert Road | 9.3 mi | 15m |
| Huachuca Boulevard | 9.1 mi | 10m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilbert, AZ and Pirtleville, AZ.
1
Start on this road
203 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto North Elm Street
244 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Elm Street
3
Turn left onto East Cullumber Avenue
436 ft
·
24 sec
·
East Cullumber Avenue
4
Turn left onto North Gilbert Road
9.3 mi
·
15 min
·
North Gilbert Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto East Riggs Road
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
East Riggs Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto AZ 87
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on AZ 587
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
AZ 587
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
9
Merge onto I 10
24 mi
·
23 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
55 mi
·
55 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 10
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 10
41 mi
·
43 min
·
Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 302
Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
14
Turn right onto AZ 90
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South State Highway 90
15
Continue on AZ 90
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Huachuca Boulevard
16
Continue on AZ 90
12 mi
·
14 min
·
State Route 90
17
Continue on AZ 90
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Huachuca Boulevard
18
Continue on AZ 90
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
State Route 90
19
Turn left onto AZ 90
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
State Route 90 Bypass
20
Turn left onto AZ 90
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Whetstone TI-Junction SR 80 Highway
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on AZ 90
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
State Route 90
22
Continue on AZ 90
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Whetstone TI-Junction SR 80 Highway
23
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 80; US 80 Hist
10 mi
·
16 min
·
AZ 80; US 80 Hist
24
Enter roundabout onto AZ 80
518 ft
·
6 sec
·
AZ 80
25
Continue on AZ 80
22 mi
·
27 min
·
AZ 80
26
Turn left onto North Douglas Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Douglas Avenue
27
Turn left onto West Pirtle Avenue
461 ft
·
25 sec
·
West Pirtle Avenue
28
Turn left
290 ft
·
21 sec
29
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 27m estimated drive time, leaving Gilbert, AZ in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and allow for a relaxed pace. With only one recommended stop and a fuel budget around $42, this is a manageable one-day trip. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move onto AZ 80, where services might be more spread out. The Casa Grande-Tucson Highway offers a substantial segment of highway driving, so enjoy that stretch before you encounter more varied road conditions later in the route.
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 112.7 miles from Gilbert, AZ, or about 2h 8m 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 50 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 112.7 miles or 2h 8m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pirtleville, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Gilbert, 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 Gilbert, AZ
This is one driving day of about 225.5 miles and 4h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Gilbert, 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.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
113 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 50 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 112.7 miles from Gilbert, 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.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Sacaton Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Xpress Fuel Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Pride Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
1 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.8 mi from route
Villago Park
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
First break
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Casa Grande, Arizona
Hours: 5 am–11 pm
+15204218600
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 145.4 — 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 Cullumber Avenue
Turn left onto East Cullumber Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Gilbert Road
Turn left onto North Gilbert Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
9.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
East Riggs Road
Turn right onto East Riggs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
19.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Merge onto I 10 / Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
145.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 42m in
Take the exit toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 302
Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.42 one way
$90.84 round trip
$5.12/gal
25.4 MPG avg
79 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.43 | $48.18 | $96.36 |
| premium | $5.67 | $50.37 | $100.75 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $55.72 | $111.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 67.7 | 0 | $23.68 | $10.82 |
| Efficient EV | 56.4 | 0 | $19.73 | $9.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 90.2 | 1 | $31.57 | $14.43 |
Gas CO2
79 kg
EV CO2
26 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.
Origin
Gilbert, AZ
Late night in Gilbert on Wednesday
Local time
4:58 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
ESE 5 mph
9% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Pirtleville, AZ
Late night in Pirtleville on Wednesday
Local time
4:58 AM
MST
Current temp
81°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 2 to 10 mph
54% chance
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
7 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 27m 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.
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 116.6
Caution: Vehicle Break-Ins
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...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 31.1
View on nps.gov
Coronado National Memorial
National Memorial
It was a journey of conquest filled with exploration, wonder - and cruelty. Inspired by tales of vast cities of gold, 339 European soldiers and over a thousand Aztec allies embarked on an epic journey...
14 mi from route
~36 min detour
Free
near mile 178.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, with 35% of the drive on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 54.6 miles on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. After that, you'll transition to surface roads as you continue on AZ 80. Expect a change in pace as you move from faster highway speeds to more local road conditions.
35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 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?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Cullumber Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 27m drive. You will face about 15 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 Cullumber Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Gilbert Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
4,775 ft
1,216 ft
Total Climb
3,558 ft
Total Descent
821 ft
Highest Point
4,775 ft
~193.3 mi in
Elevation Range
3,558 ft
Notable High Points
4,775 ft at ~193.3 miles
+310 ft prominence
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.
On the drive from Gilbert, AZ to Pirtleville, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Sierra Vista along the way.
Sierra Vista
145.4 mi in
|
~2h 42m
About the Cities
Starting in Gilbert, AZ
Full guide →Gilbert is in the southeast valley of the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona. With a population of 270,000 (2021 est.) it is the largest town in the US. people. Once a railway town and the "Hay Capital of the World", Gilbert is now a diverse suburban center, retaining its agricultural and railroad history and celebrating its "small town" feel.
Arriving in Pirtleville, AZ
Full guide →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 4h 27m. Total distance: 225.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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 16 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 Cullumber Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Gilbert Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Saguaro National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Coronado National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Pirtleville, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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