Sacaton Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Gilbert, AZ to Tucson, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 5m
Distance
105.3 mi
169 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
12 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 56m
★
6 AM
2h 5m
8 AM
2h 23m
10 AM
2h 11m
12 PM
2h 10m
3 PM
2h 12m
5 PM
2h 22m
8 PM
2h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilbert, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 105.3-mile drive from Gilbert, AZ to Tucson, AZ is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 5 minutes. You'll primarily travel on roads like Casa Grande-Tucson Highway and Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, with only about 9% of the journey on highways, suggesting a more local feel. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $21. Given the relatively short distance and duration, it's a straightforward journey through the Desert Southwest region, making it ideal for a quick transition between these two Arizona cities without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.6 miles from Gilbert, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.6 mi | 55m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 23.5 mi | 23m |
| North Gilbert Road | 9.3 mi | 15m |
| AZ 587 | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| North Freeway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| East Riggs Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| West Broadway Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| South Arizona Avenue | 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 Gilbert, AZ and Tucson, 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
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 258
Toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto North Freeway Road
159 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Freeway Road
14
Turn left onto West Congress Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
West Congress Street
15
Continue on West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
West Broadway Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Country Club Road
17
Arrive at destination
North Country Club Road
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour, 105.3-mile journey, you have the flexibility to leave whenever suits your schedule, as it's well within a single day's travel time. Pacing stops isn't critical due to the short duration, but you might want to factor in a brief pause if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as the longest stretch without major services could be up to 54.6 miles on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The estimated fuel cost of $21 is quite reasonable, so budgeting for gas should be simple.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 52.6 miles from Gilbert, AZ, or about 1h 5m 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 23 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.6 miles or 1h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 40m
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 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 105.3 miles and 2h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Gilbert, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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
53 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 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 52.6 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.
Flying J 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
Rest Area
1.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.5 mi from route
Villago Park
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Early in the drive, short detour
Early stretch
2.3 mi from route
~6 min detour
Casa Grande, Arizona
Hours: 5 am–11 pm
+15204218600
Visit websiteArizona History Museum
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Tucson, Arizona
Hours: 10 am–3 pm
+15206285774
Visit websiteValley of the Moon
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~9 min detour
Home stretch
3.7 mi from route
~9 min detour
Tucson, Arizona
+15203231331
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 101.6 — 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.
8
101.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 56m 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
$20.98 one way
$41.95 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
37 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $22.20 | $44.40 |
| premium | $5.59 | $23.18 | $46.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.25 | $46.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
12 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Gilbert Crossing - Tesla Supercharger
Gilbert, AZ
Tesla
16 DCFC
The Pavilions - Tesla Supercharger
Mesa, AZ
Tesla
16 DCFC
Hamstra Square
Chandler, AZ
Tesla
16 DCFC
Mesa Grand Shopping Center - Tesla Supercharger
Mesa, AZ
Tesla
12 DCFC
Walmart EV Charging
Mesa, AZ
WALMART
8 DCFC
WinCo Foods - Gilbert
Gilbert, AZ
eVgo Network
4 DCFC
Kroger Frys 62 (Mesa, AZ)
Mesa, AZ
Electrify America
4 DCFC
Walmart 5186 Gilbert AZ (Gilbert, AZ)
Gilbert, AZ
Electrify America
4 DCFC
Tesla: 4
Electrify America: 3
eVgo Network: 2
Non-Networked: 2
WALMART: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 31.6 | 0 | $11.06 | $5.05 |
| Efficient EV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.21 | $4.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 42.1 | 0 | $14.74 | $6.74 |
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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.
Origin
Gilbert, AZ
Late night in Gilbert on Tuesday
Local time
2:09 AM
MST
Current temp
65°F
Partly Cloudy
SSE 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 10:32AM PDT until April 21 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Late night in Tucson on Tuesday
Local time
2:09 AM
MST
Current temp
83°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
18 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 5m 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 105.3
Park Closure: Red Hills Visitor Center (TMD) theater closed for repairs
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...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 36.3
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, rather than a continuous highway experience. With only a 9% highway share, much of your time will be spent navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 54.6 miles on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. This profile suggests a drive that might involve more frequent changes in speed and direction as you transition between different road types and potentially through populated areas before reaching your destination.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 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
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 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 2h 5m drive. You will face about 8 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.
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 Tucson, AZ
Full guide →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.
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 2h 5m. Total distance: 105.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Straightforward navigation.
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, 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 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 Tucson, 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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