Traveling the 148.1 miles from Sahuarita to Goodyear is a straightforward journey through the heart of the Desert Southwest. You can expect to spend approximately 2 hours and 46 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. Your path connects these two Arizona communities primarily via the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, and the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway. Budgeting around $29 for fuel should comfortably cover your transit costs for this one-way excursion. Because the drive is relatively short and contained within the same region, you won't need to worry about splitting the trip into multiple days. It’s a practical, no-nonsense route that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
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
74.1 miles from Sahuarita, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.5 mi
55m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
38.1 mi
38m
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
19.6 mi
22m
Nogales–Tucson Highway
16 mi
19m
West Buckeye Road
8.9 mi
13m
South Freeway
5.4 mi
6m
East Sahuarita Road
1.8 mi
3m
East Western Avenue
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.5 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sahuarita, AZ and Goodyear, AZ.
1
Start on East Sahuarita Road
1.8 mi·3 min·East Sahuarita Road
2
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 19 North: Tucson
3
Merge onto I 19
16 mi·19 min·Nogales–Tucson Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
5
Merge onto I 10
5.4 mi·6 min·South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 10
3.7 mi·4 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
51 mi·51 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·14 sec
Exit 161A-BToward AZ 202 LoopUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi·1 min
Exit 161AToward AZ 202 Loop WestUse the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
20 mi·22 min·Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 76Toward Buckeye RoadUse the slight right lane.
13
Continue on South 59th Avenue
0.1 mi·11 sec·South 59th Avenue
14
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
8.9 mi·13 min·West Buckeye Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
15
Turn slight right
363 ft·13 sec
Toward South Dysart Road
16
Turn straight onto South Dysart Road
300 ft·9 sec·South Dysart Road
17
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
1.0 mi·1 min·East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto South Litchfield Road
396 ft·44 sec·South Litchfield Road
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on South Litchfield Road
337 ft·7 sec·South Litchfield Road
20
Arrive at destination
South Litchfield Road
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively quick trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. You only need to account for one planned stop to keep your pace comfortable and manage your energy levels. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge during the longer 54.5-mile stretch, as it represents the bulk of your driving time before you reach the busier freeway sections near Goodyear. If you want to avoid the heaviest traffic, try to time your transit to miss peak commuting hours on the Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway. Keeping your single stop brief will ensure you reach your destination without feeling rushed.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74.1 miles from Sahuarita, AZ, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 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 33 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74.1 miles or 1h 21m 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 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Goodyear, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sahuarita, 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 Sahuarita, AZ
This is one driving day of about 148.1 miles and 2h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Sahuarita, 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 54.5 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 137.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in|I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway
Merge onto I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
27.9 mi into trip|~34m in|I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
116.7 mi into trip|~2h 4m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
8
116.9 mi into trip|~2h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 202 Loop West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
7
137.6 mi into trip|~2h 29m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.50 one way
$59.01 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg52 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$31.22
$62.45
premium
$5.59
$32.60
$65.20
diesel
$5.61
$32.70
$65.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.4
0
$15.55
$7.11
Efficient EV
37
0
$12.96
$5.92
EV Truck/SUV
59.2
0
$20.73
$9.48
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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.
Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Sahuarita, AZ
Evening
in Sahuarita on Saturday
Local time
7:49 PM
MST
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Goodyear, AZ
Evening
in Goodyear on Saturday
Local time
7:49 PM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Partly Cloudy
WSW 5 to 10 mph3% chanceLive 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
2 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 46m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged rather than lulling you into highway hypnosis. Only about 17% of the journey consists of main highway driving, meaning you will spend a significant portion of your time navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 54.5-mile segment along the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. As you transition from the southern desert landscape toward the Phoenix metropolitan area, the road's personality shifts from open stretches to more technical, localized maneuvering. Stay alert, as the variety in road types requires consistent attention compared to a standard interstate cruise.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.5 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 148.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 116.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,706 ft965 ft
Total Climb
0 ft
Total Descent
1,741 ft
Highest Point
2,706 ft
Elevation Range
1,741 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 46m. Total distance: 148.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.5 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Goodyear, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (I 19 / Nogales–Tucson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 116.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Goodyear, AZ before heading back.
