Sacaton Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Peoria, AZ to Arivaca Junction, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 1m
Distance
162.2 mi
261 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$33
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 50m
★
6 AM
3h 1m
8 AM
3h 24m
10 AM
3h 9m
12 PM
3h 7m
3 PM
3h 10m
5 PM
3h 23m
8 PM
2h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Peoria, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Arivaca Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This 162.2-mile drive from Peoria, AZ, to Arivaca Junction, AZ, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours and 1 minute to complete. You'll primarily be on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, and Nogales–Tucson Highway. With an estimated fuel cost of $32, this route offers a straightforward journey through the Desert Southwest region. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a more local and less highway-intensive experience. One stop is recommended along the way, making it a convenient option for a quick getaway or a leg of a longer adventure.
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
81.1 miles from Peoria, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 33m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.6 mi | 55m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 37.8 mi | 38m |
| Nogales–Tucson Highway | 33 mi | 37m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 16.3 mi | 18m |
| Grand Avenue | 9.3 mi | 16m |
| North Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Black Canyon Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| US 60 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Peoria, AZ and Arivaca Junction, AZ.
1
Start on North 83rd Avenue
128 ft
·
8 sec
·
North 83rd Avenue
2
Turn right onto US 60
9.3 mi
·
16 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit onto US 60
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 60
Toward 27th Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 60
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Thomas Road
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
Turn right onto US 60
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Black Canyon Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 17 South
7
Merge onto I 17; US 60
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Black Canyon Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 17; US 60
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
38 mi
·
38 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
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 260
Toward I 19 South: Nogales
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 19
33 mi
·
37 min
·
Nogales–Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward Arivaca Road
15
Turn right onto West Arivaca Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
West Arivaca Road
16
Continue on West Arivaca Road
424 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Arivaca Road
17
Arrive at destination
West Arivaca Road
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of just over 3 hours, this 162.2-mile trip offers flexibility. You can depart anytime, but starting in the morning will give you ample daylight and time for your single recommended stop. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 54.6-mile stretch on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, as services might be more spread out. The estimated fuel cost is $32, so plan accordingly. Paying attention to the frequent turns is key to a smooth drive on this 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 81.1 miles from Peoria, AZ, or about 1h 33m 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 36 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.1 miles or 1h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arivaca Junction, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Peoria, 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 Peoria, AZ
This is one driving day of about 162.2 miles and 3h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Peoria, 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
81 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 81.1 miles from Peoria, 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
Canoa Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Canoa Rest Area
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
Love's Travel Stop
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
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.6 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.9 mi from route
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Arizona
4.3
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the start, right off the route
First break
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
Tempe, Arizona
Hours: 11 am–5 pm
+14805657081
Visit websiteTitan Missile Museum
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.8 mi from route
~4 min detour
Green Valley, Arizona
Hours: 9:45 am–5 pm
+15209341863
Visit websiteEnchanted Island Amusement Park
4.3
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the start, short detour
First break
1.6 mi from route
~4 min detour
Phoenix, Arizona
Hours: 11 am–4 pm
+16022541200
Visit websiteArizona History Museum
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, short detour
Final third
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Tucson, Arizona
Hours: 10 am–3 pm
+15206285774
Visit websiteVillago Park
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
Early stretch
2.5 mi from route
~6 min detour
Casa Grande, Arizona
Hours: 5 am–11 pm
+15204218600
Visit websiteArizona Science Center
3.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the start, short detour
First break
2.5 mi from route
~6 min detour
Phoenix, Arizona
Hours: 10:30 am–4 pm
+16027162000
Visit websiteTempe Festival of the Arts
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
First break
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Tempe, Arizona
+14803556060
Visit websiteTempe Town Lake
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~9 min detour
First break
3.6 mi from route
~9 min detour
Tempe, Arizona
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 128.2 — 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
|
US 60 / Grand Avenue
Turn right onto US 60 / Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 60 / West Thomas Road
Turn left onto US 60 / West Thomas Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / slight left lanes.
5
10.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Turn right onto US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway
Navigation decision point
5
10.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 17 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 17 South
7
128.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 22m in
Take the exit toward I 19 South: Nogales
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 260
Toward I 19 South: Nogales
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.12 one way
$66.25 round trip
$5.19/gal
25.4 MPG avg
57 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.52 | $35.24 | $70.47 |
| premium | $5.72 | $36.52 | $73.04 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $34.16 | $68.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 48.7 | 0 | $17.03 | $7.79 |
| Efficient EV | 40.6 | 0 | $14.19 | $6.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 64.9 | 0 | $22.71 | $10.38 |
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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.
Origin
Peoria, AZ
Afternoon in Peoria on Wednesday
Local time
3:17 PM
MST
Current temp
94°F
Sunny
WSW 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Arivaca Junction, AZ
Afternoon in Arivaca Junction on Wednesday
Local time
3:17 PM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Sunny
WSW 12 mph
0% 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
4 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 1m 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.
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 61.5
View on nps.gov
Tumacácori National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Tumacácori sits at a cultural crossroads in the Santa Cruz River valley. Here O’odham, Yaqui, and Apache people met and mingled with European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, settlers, and soldiers...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
$10
near mile 162.2
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...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
$25
near mile 128.6
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 this 162.2-mile journey. While 16% of the route involves highway driving, the overall feel is more about navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 54.6 miles along the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. This suggests a drive that will require your attention with frequent adjustments rather than long periods of cruising on a single major interstate. The road's personality will likely shift as you transition between different local and highway segments.
Only 16% 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?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 60 / Grand Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 162.2 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 60 / Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
3,070 ft
1,060 ft
Total Climb
2,017 ft
Total Descent
87 ft
Highest Point
3,070 ft
~162.2 mi in
Elevation Range
2,011 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Peoria, AZ
Full guide →Peoria is a city inside of Phoenix, Arizona. Many visitors come to the area during the spring to see their favorite professional baseball team during Spring Training in the Cactus League.
Top landmarks
- • Central School — school building in Peoria, Arizona
Arriving in Arivaca Junction, 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 3h 1m. Total distance: 162.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (16%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 — 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: near the start (US 60 / Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.9 miles (US 60 / West Thomas Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (US 60 / North Black Canyon Highway): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park and Saguaro National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Arivaca Junction, 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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