Origin
Oro Valley, AZ
Night in Oro Valley on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oro Valley, AZ to Mesa, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 7m
Distance
103.3 mi
166 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 59m
★
6 AM
2h 8m
8 AM
2h 26m
10 AM
2h 14m
12 PM
2h 12m
3 PM
2h 15m
5 PM
2h 25m
8 PM
2h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oro Valley, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Mesa, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 103.3-mile drive from Oro Valley, AZ to Mesa, AZ takes approximately 2 hours and 7 minutes and is best suited for a single day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, including the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway and Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, with a smaller portion on South Arizona Avenue. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $21. Given its manageable distance and duration, this route offers a straightforward way to travel between two points within the Desert Southwest region of Arizona. It’s a practical choice for those looking for an efficient drive without needing to break it up.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.7 miles from Oro Valley, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 46.3 mi | 46m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 24.1 mi | 24m |
| South Arizona Avenue | 11 mi | 19m |
| AZ 587 | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| South Country Club Drive | 4 mi | 7m |
| West Magee Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| West Cortaro Farms Road | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| North Oracle Road | 2.9 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 46.3 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oro Valley, AZ and Mesa, AZ.
1
Start on West Oro Place
249 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Oro Place
2
Turn left onto North Valle del Oro Drive
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
North Valle del Oro Drive
3
Turn right onto West Greenock Drive
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
West Greenock Drive
4
Turn right onto AZ 77; US 80 Hist
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
North Oracle Road
5
Turn right onto West Magee Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West Magee Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on West Cortaro Farms Road
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
West Cortaro Farms Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto North Casa Grande Highway
176 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Casa Grande Highway
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 246
Toward I 10 West
9
Merge onto I 10
46 mi
·
46 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
24 mi
·
24 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 175
Toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto AZ 587
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
AZ 587
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Continue on AZ 87
11 mi
·
19 min
·
South Arizona Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on AZ 87
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
South Country Club Drive
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto West University Drive
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West University Drive
16
Arrive at destination
East University Drive
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour, 7-minute drive, consider leaving in the morning to take advantage of cooler temperatures and ample daylight. While there are no designated stops mentioned, you'll want to be mindful of fuel, especially before embarking on the longest stretch of 46.3 miles. The $21 fuel cost suggests a relatively efficient trip, but it's always wise to start with a full tank. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility in departure time, but planning around potential local traffic patterns on roads like South Arizona Avenue could make your journey smoother.
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 51.7 miles from Oro Valley, AZ, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 46.3 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 23 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.7 miles or 1h 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mesa, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oro 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 Oro Valley, AZ
This is one driving day of about 103.3 miles and 2h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Oro Valley, 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 46.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
52 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 51.7 miles from Oro Valley, 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 0 and 81.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Valle del Oro Drive
Turn left onto North Valle del Oro Drive
Navigation decision point
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
West Magee Road
Turn right onto West Magee Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
10.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Merge onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
81.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 30m in
Take the exit toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 175
Toward AZ 587 North: Chandler, Gilbert
6
81.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 30m in
|
AZ 587
Turn left onto AZ 587
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.58 one way
$41.16 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
36 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $21.78 | $43.56 |
| premium | $5.59 | $22.74 | $45.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $22.81 | $45.61 |
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: 36.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 31 | 0 | $10.85 | $4.96 |
| Efficient EV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.04 | $4.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 41.3 | 0 | $14.46 | $6.61 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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.
Destination
Mesa, AZ
Night in Mesa on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
93°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
36 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 7m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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 64.1
View on nps.gov
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...
16 mi from route
~41 min detour
$25
near mile 3.6
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 for most of this 103.3-mile route, as only about 6% is on highways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on roads like the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, which features the longest uninterrupted stretch of 46.3 miles. The road character is less about high-speed cruising and more about navigating through communities and varying speed limits. This type of drive often means a more engaged experience behind the wheel, keeping you attuned to the changing surroundings as you progress from town to town.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46.3 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 early in the drive near North Valle del Oro Drive.
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 7m drive. You will face about 10 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 (North Valle del Oro Drive): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (West Magee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
On the drive from Oro Valley, AZ to Mesa, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Gilbert along the way.
Gilbert
81.2 mi in
|
~1h 30m
About the Cities
Arriving in Mesa, AZ
Full guide →Mesa, population 518,000 (2019), is in Maricopa County. It is Arizona's third-largest city, and is part of the Greater Phoenix urban complex.
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 7m. Total distance: 103.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46.3 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: near the start (North Valle del Oro Drive): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (West Magee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Saguaro National Park. 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 Mesa, 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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