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Trip from Sierra Vista, AZ to Tucson, 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 25m

Distance

71.7 mi

115 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 19m ★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Download GPX
Downtown Sierra Vista, AZ, AZ

Sierra Vista, AZ

Leslie del Moral

city in and county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States

Tucson, AZ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning 71.7 miles across the Desert Southwest, this trip from Sierra Vista to Tucson is a straightforward journey typically taking about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You should budget approximately $14 for fuel to complete the trip. Utilizing a combination of State Route 90, Huachuca Boulevard, and the Tucson-Benson Highway, you will find this path offers an efficient connection between these two Southern Arizona hubs. It serves as a practical, no-fuss route for travelers looking to navigate the region quickly.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tucson-Benson Highway 36.4 mi 37m
State Route 90 15 mi 17m
Huachuca Boulevard 9 mi 10m
South Huachuca Boulevard 2.2 mi 3m
South Alvernon Way 2.1 mi 3m
South Country Club Road 1.6 mi 3m
Buffalo Soldier Trail 1.5 mi 2m
South State Highway 90 1.3 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Tucson-Benson Highway — 36.4 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sierra Vista, AZ and Tucson, AZ.

1

Start on this road

59 ft · 6 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto West Fry Boulevard

0.2 mi · 24 sec · West Fry Boulevard
3

Turn right onto Buffalo Soldier Trail

1.5 mi · 2 min · Buffalo Soldier Trail
4

Continue on AZ 90

3.0 mi · 3 min · State Route 90
5

Continue on AZ 90

2.2 mi · 3 min · South Huachuca Boulevard
6

Continue on AZ 90

12 mi · 13 min · State Route 90
7

Continue on AZ 90

9.0 mi · 10 min · Huachuca Boulevard
8

Continue on AZ 90

1.3 mi · 2 min · South State Highway 90
9

Turn left

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 10, Tuscon, South Tuscon
10

Merge onto I 10

36 mi · 37 min · Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 265 Toward Alvernon Way North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn straight onto South Alvernon Way

1.3 mi · 1 min · South Alvernon Way
Use the left lane.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto South Alvernon Way

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Alvernon Way
Toward Alvernon Way
14

Turn left

0.2 mi · 23 sec
15

Turn straight onto AZ 210

1.0 mi · 1 min · East Barraza Aviation Highway
16

Turn right onto South Country Club Road

1.6 mi · 3 min · South Country Club Road
17

Continue on North Country Club Road

91 ft · 2 sec · North Country Club Road
Use the left lane.
18

Arrive at destination

North Country Club Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Vail, AZ, AZ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Vail, AZ

36 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.

Popular next leg

Vail, AZ to Tucson, AZ

20.9 mi · 27m

Pacing Suggestions

Huachuca City, AZ

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mescal, AZ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from Sierra Vista, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 68 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Fry Boulevard

Turn right onto West Fry Boulevard

Navigation decision point

6
29.1 mi into trip | ~36m in

Turn left toward I 10, Tuscon, South Tuscon

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 10, Tuscon, South Tuscon
5
29.7 mi into trip | ~37m in | I 10 / Tucson-Benson Highway

Merge onto I 10 / Tucson-Benson Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
66.1 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in

Take the exit toward Alvernon Way North

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 265 Toward Alvernon Way North
5
68 mi into trip | ~1h 18m in | South Alvernon Way

Keep slight right at fork onto South Alvernon Way toward Alvernon Way

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Alvernon Way

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.28 one way

$28.57 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $15.12 $30.23
premium $5.59 $15.78 $31.56
diesel $5.61 $15.83 $31.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$14

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.5 0 $7.53 $3.44
Efficient EV 17.9 0 $6.27 $2.87
EV Truck/SUV 28.7 0 $10.04 $4.59

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026

Origin

Sierra Vista, AZ

Late night in Sierra Vista on Sunday

Local time

4:57 AM

MST

Current temp

72°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 22 to 25 mph 19% chance Live forecast

Blowing Dust Advisory

Blowing Dust Advisory issued April 13 at 1:17PM MST until April 13 at 7:00PM MST by NWS Tucson AZ

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 7:45PM MST until April 13 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Flagstaff AZ

Destination

Tucson, AZ

Late night in Tucson on Sunday

Local time

4:57 AM

MST

Current temp

54°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

18 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 25m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience as you transition between various road types. Only 23% of your journey involves highway driving, so be prepared for a more hands-on experience rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Your longest uninterrupted segment occurs on the Tucson-Benson Highway, which stretches for 36.4 miles. As you move away from Sierra Vista, the character of the road shifts from local boulevard navigation to the more sustained pace of the highway. Staying alert is essential, as the frequent turns require more focus than a typical high-speed freeway trek.

Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.4 mi on Tucson-Benson 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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Fry Boulevard.

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 71.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 (West Fry Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 29.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.7 miles (I 10 / Tucson-Benson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Sierra Vista, AZ and Tucson, AZ, road signs point toward Tuscon and Alvernon Way North.

Tuscon

29.1 mi in | ~36m

Alvernon Way North

66.1 mi in | ~1h 15m

About the Cities

Starting in Sierra Vista, AZ

Full guide →

Sierra Vista (Spanish: Mountain View) is a city in Southeast Arizona and the commercial hub of the region, making it a convenient base from which to explore the area. It is perhaps best known for historic Fort Huachuca, established in 1877 during the Apache Wars. Although still an active U.S. Army military base, its two military museums and historic cemetery are open to the general public. The landscape around the city is typical for the Southwestern United States, and the nearby mountains and canyons can be explored on foot, by bike, or on horseback. Because it is a major stopover point on avian migration routes, the area is popular with avid birdwatchers and naturalists, and is known as the "Hummingbird Capital of America".

Arriving in Tucson, AZ

Full guide →

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.

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 1h 25m. Total distance: 71.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (23%). 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 36.4 miles on Tucson-Benson 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: near the start (West Fry Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 29.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.7 miles (I 10 / Tucson-Benson Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Memorial. 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 Tucson, 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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