Spanning 237 miles across Arizona, this trek from Tucson to Holbrook typically takes about 5 hours and 11 minutes to complete. You will navigate via the Tucson-Globe Highway, the Globe-Show Low Highway, and finally the Show Low-Holbrook Highway. Because the entire journey consists of highway driving, it is manageable as a single-day trip if you prefer to reach your destination without an overnight stay. Expect to budget approximately $47 for fuel for the duration of the drive. Both your starting point in Tucson and your destination in Holbrook are situated within the Desert Southwest, ensuring a consistent regional atmosphere throughout your travel.
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
118.5 miles from Tucson, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 47m into the drive
.
Step-by-step road directions between Tucson, AZ and Holbrook, AZ.
1
Start on North Country Club Road
3.0 mi·6 min·North Country Club Road
2
Turn left onto East Fort Lowell Road
1.0 mi·1 min·East Fort Lowell Road
3
Turn right onto North Campbell Avenue
1.5 mi·3 min·North Campbell Avenue
4
Turn left onto East River Road
1.2 mi·2 min·East River Road
5
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
1.9 mi·3 min·North 1st Avenue
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto East Orange Grove Road
0.5 mi·51 sec·East Orange Grove Road
7
Continue on West Orange Grove Road
0.3 mi·41 sec·West Orange Grove Road
8
Turn right onto AZ 77; US 80 Hist
14 mi·21 min·North Oracle Road
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on AZ 77
16 mi·21 min·Tucson-Globe Highway
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on AZ 77
2.0 mi·2 min·American Avenue
11
Continue on AZ 77
61 mi·1 hr 22 min·Tucson-Globe Highway
12
At end of road, turn left onto US 70; AZ 77
0.9 mi·1 min·Globe-Lordsburg Highway
13
Continue on US 70; AZ 77
1.1 mi·1 min·East Ash Street
14
Take the exit onto AZ 77
239 ft·6 sec·AZ 77
Use the right lane.
15
Merge onto US 60; AZ 77
83 mi·1 hr 35 min·Globe-Show Low Highway
16
Continue on US 60; AZ 77
3.0 mi·6 min·West Deuce of Clubs
17
Turn left onto AZ 77
3.5 mi·4 min·North Penrod Road
18
Continue on AZ 77
11 mi·13 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
19
Continue on AZ 77
0.4 mi·52 sec·South Main Street
20
Continue on AZ 77
1.0 mi·2 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
21
Continue on AZ 77
2.4 mi·5 min·South Main Street
22
Continue on AZ 77
0.2 mi·11 sec·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
23
Continue on AZ 77
2.0 mi·2 min·Arizona State Highway 77
24
Continue on AZ 77
24 mi·28 min·Show Low-Holbrook Highway
25
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.5 mi·56 sec·Holbrook-Springerville Highway
26
Continue on US 180; AZ 77
0.2 mi·21 sec·Navajo Boulevard
27
Arrive at destination
I 40 Bus; AZ 77; US 66 Hist
Trip Plan
To keep your 5-hour drive comfortable, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refuel. Since the route requires navigating several highway transitions, double-check your navigation before heading out to ensure you stay on the correct path through the turn-heavy sections. Leaving early in the morning is your best strategy to avoid fatigue, especially given the technical nature of the road. With a total fuel cost of $47, keep an eye on your tank during the long 83.4-mile stretch, as services can be spaced out. Use the flexibility of this one-day route to pace yourself, ensuring you arrive in Holbrook refreshed rather than rushed.
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 118.5 miles from Tucson, AZ, or about 2h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.4 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 52 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 118.5 miles or 2h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Holbrook, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tucson, 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 Tucson, AZ
This is one driving day of about 237 miles and 5h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Tucson, 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 Globe-Show Low Highway for about 83.4 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 104.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3 mi into trip|~6m in|East Fort Lowell Road
Turn left onto East Fort Lowell Road
Navigation decision point
4
4 mi into trip|~8m in|North Campbell Avenue
Turn right onto North Campbell Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
6.7 mi into trip|~14m in|North 1st Avenue
Turn right onto North 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.4 mi into trip|~19m in|AZ 77; US 80 Hist / North Oracle Road
Turn right onto AZ 77; US 80 Hist / North Oracle Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
104.2 mi into trip|~2h 30m in|AZ 77
Take the exit onto AZ 77
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.21 one way
$94.43 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg83 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$49.97
$99.93
premium
$5.59
$52.17
$104.34
diesel
$5.61
$52.33
$104.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 82.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71.1
0
$24.88
$11.38
Efficient EV
59.3
0
$20.74
$9.48
EV Truck/SUV
94.8
1
$33.18
$15.17
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 15, 2026
Origin
Tucson, AZ
Night
in Tucson on Saturday
Local time
9:23 PM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Holbrook, AZ
Night
in Holbrook on Saturday
Local time
9:23 PM
MST
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live 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
22 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
5h 11m 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.
Saguaro National Park
National Park
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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
$25
Park Closure: Red Hills Visitor Center (TMD) theater closed for repairs
A landscape where deep time lies fully on display, Petrified Forest National Park blends colorful badlands, vast grasslands, and one of the world’s largest and most vivid collections of petrified wood...
Located within the northern range of the Sonoran Desert lie two cliff dwellings that were occupied from 1300-1450 CE (common era). They represent a vibrant culture consisting of local and immigrant gr...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$10
near mile 114.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience that diverges from standard interstate travel. Since 100% of your route is comprised of highways, you will stay on designated routes for the duration of the trip, though the terrain demands your full attention. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is an 83.4-mile segment along the Globe-Show Low Highway. As you transition between the three primary roads, you will notice the road's personality shift from the initial desert climbs toward the more winding, technical sections of the local highway network.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 83.4 mi on Globe-Show Low Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near East Fort Lowell Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 11m drive. You will face about 9 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 Fort Lowell Road): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (North Campbell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Holbrook is a town on Route 66 in the Mogollon Rim in Eastern Arizona, once known as the "town too rough for women and churches." The town makes a convenient base for visiting Petrified Forest National Park.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 83.4 miles on Globe-Show Low Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 3 miles (East Fort Lowell Road): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (North Campbell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (North 1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Saguaro National Park, Petrified Forest National Park and Tonto National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Holbrook, AZ before the return drive.
