Origin
Tucson, AZ
Evening in Tucson on Saturday
Local time
7:50 PM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tucson, AZ to Arivaca Junction, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
38.3 mi
62 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tucson, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Arivaca Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
This 38.3-mile journey from Tucson to Arivaca Junction, Arizona, takes about 48 minutes and is best suited as a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You'll navigate primarily on local roads, with the Nogales–Tucson Highway being a significant portion of the drive. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $8, this route offers a straightforward experience through the Desert Southwest region. Its turn-heavy nature suggests a more engaged driving style rather than a passive cruise. Consider this a quick hop within the state, perfect for those seeking a direct and uncomplicated travel segment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nogales–Tucson Highway | 33 mi | 37m |
| East 22nd Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| East Broadway Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Kino Parkway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Freeway Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Campbell Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Arivaca Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Country Club Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nogales–Tucson Highway
— 33 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tucson, AZ and Arivaca Junction, AZ.
1
Start on North Country Club Road
199 ft
·
32 sec
·
North Country Club Road
2
Continue on North Country Club Road
239 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Country Club Road
3
Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Broadway Boulevard
4
Turn left onto South Campbell Avenue
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
South Campbell Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on South Kino Parkway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Kino Parkway
6
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
7
Keep slight right at fork
278 ft
·
11 sec
8
Turn right onto East 22nd Street
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East 22nd Street
9
Turn left onto South Freeway Road
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
South Freeway Road
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 19 South: Nogales
11
Continue on I 19
33 mi
·
37 min
·
Nogales–Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward Arivaca Road
13
Turn right onto West Arivaca Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
West Arivaca Road
14
Continue on West Arivaca Road
424 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Arivaca Road
15
Arrive at destination
West Arivaca Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Tucson, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 37.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Broadway Boulevard
Turn right onto East Broadway Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
South Campbell Avenue
Turn left onto South Campbell Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
3.9 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
South Freeway Road
Turn left onto South Freeway Road
Navigation decision point
4
37.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Arivaca Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Arivaca Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.63 one way
$15.26 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.07 | $16.15 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.43 | $16.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Arivaca Junction, AZ
Evening in Arivaca Junction on Saturday
Local time
7:50 PM
MST
Current temp
48°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
6 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
48m 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 for this 38.3-mile trip. While only 33% of your journey will be on highways, the main roads like Nogales–Tucson Highway, East 22nd Street, and East Broadway Boulevard will keep you engaged. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 33 miles on the Nogales–Tucson Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before you encounter more local turns. This route prioritizes navigating through communities rather than open, high-speed stretches.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33 mi on Nogales–Tucson 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 around 0.1 miles in near East Broadway 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 38.3 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: at 0.1 miles (East Broadway Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (South Campbell Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting 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 48m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (3%). 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 33 miles on Nogales–Tucson 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 0.1 miles (East Broadway Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (South Campbell Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Saguaro National Park and Tumacácori National Historical Park. 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 Arivaca Junction, 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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