If you are planning to head from Queen Creek to Tucson, expect a straightforward journey covering approximately 96.7 miles. The trip typically takes around 1 hour and 53 minutes of drive time, making it a perfectly manageable day trip that does not require an overnight stay. Since both cities are located within the Desert Southwest, you will remain in the same geographic region for the duration of the trek. Budgeting about $19 for fuel should comfortably cover your needs for this excursion. While the trip is relatively short, staying focused is key as you navigate the local roads that link these two Arizona communities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.6 miles from Queen Creek, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi
55m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
23.5 mi
23m
East Riggs Road
12 mi
19m
AZ 587
6.1 mi
9m
North Freeway
3.6 mi
4m
West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
6m
South Ellsworth Road
1.4 mi
2m
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 Queen Creek, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on East Ocotillo Road
380 ft·35 sec·East Ocotillo Road
2
Turn uturn onto East Ocotillo Road
0.3 mi·32 sec·East Ocotillo Road
3
Turn left onto South Ellsworth Loop Road
0.7 mi·1 min·South Ellsworth Loop Road
4
Continue on South Ellsworth Road
1.4 mi·2 min·South Ellsworth Road
5
Turn right onto East Riggs Road
12 mi·19 min·East Riggs Road
Use the right 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 258Toward Congress Street, Broadway BoulevardUse 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
Since this is a quick 1-hour and 53-minute drive, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. Because there are no scheduled stops required for this 96.7-mile journey, you can easily complete the drive in one go without worrying about long-distance fatigue. Keep in mind that the turn-heavy nature of these local roads means you should stay alert at every intersection rather than settling into a cruise-control mindset. To make the most of your trip, verify your route through South Ellsworth Road before you head out, as local navigation will be your primary guide from start to finish.
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 53.6 miles from Queen Creek, AZ, or about 1h 7m 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 24 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.6 miles or 1h 7m 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 42m
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 Queen Creek, 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 Queen Creek, AZ
This is one driving day of about 107.2 miles and 2h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Queen Creek, 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.
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 103.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East Ocotillo Road
Turn uturn onto East Ocotillo Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
2.4 mi into trip|~4m in|East Riggs Road
Turn right onto East Riggs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
14.4 mi into trip|~24m in|AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Turn left onto AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
21.8 mi into trip|~35m 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
103.5 mi into trip|~1h 58m 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
$21.36 one way
$42.71 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$22.60
$45.20
premium
$5.59
$23.60
$47.19
diesel
$5.61
$23.67
$47.34
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: 37.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.2
0
$11.26
$5.15
Efficient EV
26.8
0
$9.38
$4.29
EV Truck/SUV
42.9
0
$15.01
$6.86
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Queen Creek, AZ
Late night
in Queen Creek on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Late night
in Tucson on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
MST
Current temp
54°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
5 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
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will rely on local arteries like East Ocotillo Road, South Ellsworth Loop Road, and South Ellsworth Road to make your way toward your destination. Because the path is composed entirely of local roads, you should prepare for a more hands-on driving experience that requires consistent attention to turns and neighborhood traffic. The lack of long, uninterrupted highway stretches means the pace remains steady and rhythmic throughout the duration of your trip.
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?
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 Ocotillo Road.
Driving Effort3/10
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 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 Ocotillo Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.4 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
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.
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 Ocotillo Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 2.4 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (AZ 87 / South Arizona Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tucson, AZ before heading back.
