San Tan Valley to Douglas is 212 miles and takes about 4h 31m via Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, Tucson-Benson Highway, and AZ 80, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, primarily traversing Arizona. Expect a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a straightforward, single-day excursion. The route is relatively short, offering flexibility for when you depart and how you choose to pace your stops.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
106 miles from San Tan Valley, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
42.7 mi
43m
Tucson-Benson Highway
41.4 mi
43m
AZ 80
33.1 mi
45m
State Route 90
16.5 mi
19m
Whetstone TI-Junction SR 80 Highway
13.3 mi
16m
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
10.7 mi
15m
Huachuca Boulevard
9.1 mi
10m
East Hunt Highway
8.7 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 42.7 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Tan Valley, AZ and Douglas, AZ.
1
Start on East Skyline Drive
1.0 mi·2 min·East Skyline Drive
2
Turn right onto North Sierra Vista Drive
2.0 mi·6 min·North Sierra Vista Drive
3
Turn right onto East Bella Vista Road
2.0 mi·5 min·East Bella Vista Road
4
Turn left onto North Gantzel Road
1.2 mi·2 min·North Gantzel Road
5
Turn left onto East Hunt Highway
8.7 mi·13 min·East Hunt Highway
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto North Attaway Road
3.0 mi·5 min·North Attaway Road
7
Turn right onto AZ 287
2.9 mi·4 min·Florence-Coolidge Highway
8
Turn left onto AZ 87; AZ 287
8.6 mi·14 min·North Arizona Boulevard
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on AZ 87
11 mi·15 min·Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
10
Turn left
0.8 mi·1 min
11
Merge onto I 10
43 mi·43 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 10
6.1 mi·6 min·North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
41 mi·43 min·Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 302Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
15
Turn right onto AZ 90
1.2 mi·1 min·South State Highway 90
16
Continue on AZ 90
9.1 mi·10 min·Huachuca Boulevard
17
Continue on AZ 90
12 mi·14 min·State Route 90
18
Continue on AZ 90
2.2 mi·3 min·North Huachuca Boulevard
19
Continue on AZ 90
3.0 mi·3 min·State Route 90
20
Turn left onto AZ 90
4.4 mi·6 min·State Route 90 Bypass
21
Turn left onto AZ 90
1.5 mi·2 min·Whetstone TI-Junction SR 80 Highway
Use the left lane.
22
Continue on AZ 90
1.6 mi·2 min·State Route 90
23
Continue on AZ 90
12 mi·14 min·Whetstone TI-Junction SR 80 Highway
24
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 80; US 80 Hist
10 mi·16 min·AZ 80; US 80 Hist
25
Enter roundabout onto AZ 80
518 ft·6 sec·AZ 80
26
Continue on AZ 80
23 mi·28 min·AZ 80
27
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
0.5 mi·1 min·East 10th Street
28
Arrive at destination
East 10th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 31m estimated drive time, leaving in the morning is ideal to allow for a relaxed pace. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the longest stretch without a break is over 42 miles. The AZ 80 segment will likely feel more rural as you approach Douglas. Plan for your fuel stop before you hit longer stretches of less populated areas.
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 106 miles from San Tan Valley, AZ, or about 2h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 42.7 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 47 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 106 miles or 2h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Douglas, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Tan 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 San Tan Valley, AZ
This is one driving day of about 212 miles and 4h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from San Tan Valley, 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 42.7 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 131.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3 mi into trip|~8m in|East Bella Vista Road
Turn right onto East Bella Vista Road
Navigation decision point
6
6.2 mi into trip|~15m in|East Hunt Highway
Turn left onto East Hunt Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
20.9 mi into trip|~38m in|AZ 87; AZ 287 / North Arizona Boulevard
Turn left onto AZ 87; AZ 287 / North Arizona Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
41 mi into trip|~1h 11m 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.
6
131.1 mi into trip|~2h 44m in
Take the exit toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 302
Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.70 one way
$85.40 round trip
$5.12/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.43
$45.30
$90.59
premium
$5.67
$47.36
$94.72
diesel
$6.28
$52.38
$104.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 74.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.6
0
$22.26
$10.18
Efficient EV
53
0
$18.55
$8.48
EV Truck/SUV
84.8
1
$29.68
$13.57
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
San Tan Valley, AZ
Evening
in San Tan Valley on Wednesday
Local time
7:59 PM
MST
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 5 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Douglas, AZ
Evening
in Douglas on Wednesday
Local time
7:59 PM
MST
Current temp
82°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 3 to 10 mph51% 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
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
4h 31m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
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...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
$25
near mile 102.3
It was a journey of conquest filled with exploration, wonder - and cruelty. Inspired by tales of vast cities of gold, 339 European soldiers and over a thousand Aztec allies embarked on an epic journey...
15 mi from route
~36 min detour
Free
near mile 168.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 40% of this 212-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter 42.7 miles of continuous driving on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway before transitioning to surface roads. The profile is mixed highway and surface, meaning you'll experience periods of higher-speed cruising followed by more local road travel. Pay attention as you move between these road types.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.7 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near East Bella Vista Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 31m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (East Bella Vista Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (East Hunt Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles (AZ 87; AZ 287 / North Arizona Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,163 ft1,442 ft
Total Climb
3,850 ft
Total Descent
1,363 ft
Highest Point
5,163 ft
~181.7 mi in
Elevation Range
3,721 ft
Notable High Points
4,452 ft at ~136.3 miles+63 ft prominence
5,163 ft at ~181.7 miles+840 ft prominence
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 San Tan Valley, AZ to Douglas, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Sierra Vista along the way.
Douglas is a town in Cochise County, Southeast Arizona. While known primarily as a gateway to Mexico, its small downtown core has a few well-preserved examples of early 20th-century architecture. The town is also noted as the temporary residence of Thornton Wilder, who wrote most of his classic 1967 novel The Eighth Day while based here.
Top landmarks
•Douglas Municipal Airport — airport
•Grand Theatre — theater in Douglas, Arizona, United States
•El Paso and Southwestern Railroad YMCA — building in Arizona, United States
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.7 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 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: at 3 miles (East Bella Vista Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (East Hunt Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles (AZ 87; AZ 287 / North Arizona Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Douglas, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
