Origin
Rowood, AZ
Late night in Rowood on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
MST
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rowood, AZ to San Luis, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
63.7 mi
102 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rowood, AZ
Mark Stebnicki
San Luis, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This 63.7-mile drive from Rowood, AZ to San Luis, AZ, will take you about 1 hour and 23 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You'll be navigating primarily on the North Tucson-Ajo Highway and Indian Route 15, with a 23% share of highway driving. With an estimated fuel cost of $13, this is an economical journey through the Desert Southwest. The overall feel is that of a turn-heavy local drive, so be prepared for frequent changes in direction as you head south. Given its manageable length and duration, no overnight stops are necessary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Tucson-Ajo Highway | 39.1 mi | 47m |
| Indian Route 15 | 13.6 mi | 18m |
| Tucson-Ajo Highway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Indian Route 51 | 1.1 mi | 4m |
| Gila Bend-Lukeville Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Sonoita Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Tucson-Ajo Highway
— 39.1 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rowood, AZ and San Luis, AZ.
1
Start on AZ 85
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Tucson-Ajo Highway
2
Continue on AZ 85
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Gila Bend-Lukeville Highway
3
Continue on AZ 85
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Tucson-Ajo Highway
4
Continue on AZ 85
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Sonoita Highway
5
Turn left onto AZ 86
39 mi
·
47 min
·
North Tucson-Ajo Highway
6
Turn left onto BIA 15
14 mi
·
18 min
·
Indian Route 15
7
Turn right onto IR 51
1.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Indian Route 51
8
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 9.8 and 62.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
9.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
AZ 86 / North Tucson-Ajo Highway
Turn left onto AZ 86 / North Tucson-Ajo Highway
Navigation decision point
4
49 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
BIA 15 / Indian Route 15
Turn left onto BIA 15 / Indian Route 15
Navigation decision point
3
62.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
IR 51 / Indian Route 51
Turn right onto IR 51 / Indian Route 51
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.69 one way
$25.38 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $13.43 | $26.86 |
| premium | $5.59 | $14.02 | $28.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.06 | $28.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.57 | $2.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.5 | 0 | $8.92 | $4.08 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
San Luis, AZ
Late night in San Luis on Sunday
Local time
3:33 AM
MST
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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
1h 23m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, which is not a high-speed interstate cruise. While 23% of the journey is on highways, much of it involves local roads with more frequent turns. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 39.1 miles on the North Tucson-Ajo Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel. The road will likely change character as you progress from the northern starting point to the southern destination, transitioning between different types of roadways. This drive is best characterized by its varied road conditions and frequent navigation adjustments.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.1 mi on North Tucson-Ajo Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 9.8 miles in near AZ 86 / North Tucson-Ajo Highway.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Rowood, AZ to San Luis, AZ is easy. At 1h 23m with 23% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.8 miles (AZ 86 / North Tucson-Ajo Highway): Navigation decision point; at 49 miles (BIA 15 / Indian Route 15): Navigation decision point; at 62.5 miles (IR 51 / Indian Route 51): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 63.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (23%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.1 miles on North Tucson-Ajo Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.8 miles (AZ 86 / North Tucson-Ajo Highway): Navigation decision point; at 49 miles (BIA 15 / Indian Route 15): Navigation decision point; at 62.5 miles (IR 51 / Indian Route 51): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Organ Pipe Cactus 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 San Luis, 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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