This 241.5-mile journey from Tucson to Yuma, Arizona, is best tackled in a single day, taking approximately 4 hours and 14 minutes. You'll navigate primarily via the Blue Star Memorial Highway, Phoenix Bypass Route, and Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, with a 100% highway share. Expect a fuel cost around $48 for this trip across the Desert Southwest. While it's a manageable drive for one day, you might consider a brief stop to break up the longest stretch. This route offers a straightforward passage through the arid landscapes of Arizona.
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
120.8 miles from Tucson, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Blue Star Memorial Highway
118.9 mi
2h 2m
Phoenix Bypass Route
58.9 mi
58m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.5 mi
55m
East Speedway Boulevard
3.3 mi
7m
North Freeway
2.5 mi
2m
Harold C Giss Parkway
1 mi
1m
North Country Club Road
1 mi
2m
South 4th Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 118.9 mi, about 2h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tucson, AZ and Yuma, AZ.
1
Start on North Country Club Road
1.0 mi·2 min·North Country Club Road
2
Turn left onto East Speedway Boulevard
3.3 mi·7 min·East Speedway Boulevard
3
Turn right onto North Freeway Road
415 ft·7 sec·North Freeway Road
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward I 10 West
5
Merge onto I 10
2.5 mi·2 min·North 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
Take the exit
0.4 mi·35 sec
Exit 199Toward I 8 West: San Diego
9
Continue on I 8
59 mi·58 min·Phoenix Bypass Route
10
Continue on I 8
119 mi·2 hr 2 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward Giss Parkway
12
Keep slight left at fork
189 ft·4 sec
13
Enter roundabout onto Harold C Giss Parkway
251 ft·4 sec·Harold C Giss Parkway
14
Continue on Harold C Giss Parkway
0.6 mi·1 min·Harold C Giss Parkway
15
Enter roundabout onto Harold C Giss Parkway
120 ft·2 sec·Harold C Giss Parkway
16
Continue on Harold C Giss Parkway
0.3 mi·36 sec·Harold C Giss Parkway
17
Turn right onto I 8 BUS; US 80 Hist
0.3 mi·35 sec·South 4th Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
I 8 BUS
Trip Plan
For this one-day drive of 241.5 miles, an early morning departure from Tucson is recommended to maximize daylight and avoid potential afternoon heat. With a duration of just over 4 hours, you can comfortably complete the trip without needing an overnight stay. Plan for one stop to refuel and stretch your legs, perhaps midway through the longest stretch on the Blue Star Memorial Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as services can be spaced out across the Desert Southwest. The estimated fuel cost is $48, so budget accordingly.
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 120.8 miles from Tucson, AZ, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.9 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 53 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 120.8 miles or 2h 8m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Yuma, 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 241.5 miles and 4h 14m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 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 Blue Star Memorial Highway for about 118.9 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.8 and 240.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.8 mi into trip|~10m in|I 10 / North Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / North Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.1 mi into trip|~18m 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.
5
61.8 mi into trip|~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 8 West: San Diego
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 199
Toward I 8 West: San Diego
5
240.2 mi into trip|~4h 11m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
240.3 mi into trip|~4h 11m in|Harold C Giss Parkway
Enter roundabout onto Harold C Giss Parkway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.11 one way
$96.22 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg85 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$50.91
$101.83
premium
$5.59
$53.16
$106.32
diesel
$5.61
$53.32
$106.64
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 84.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
72.5
0
$25.36
$11.59
Efficient EV
60.4
0
$21.13
$9.66
EV Truck/SUV
96.6
1
$33.81
$15.46
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% 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
Evening
in Tucson on Saturday
Local time
7:46 PM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Yuma, AZ
Evening
in Yuma on Saturday
Local time
7:46 PM
MST
Current temp
87°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
33 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
4h 14m 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
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...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
Free
near mile 58.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The drive from Tucson to Yuma presents a turn-heavy local feel, despite its highway share. You'll experience a mix of driving dynamics as you move along the Blue Star Memorial Highway, Phoenix Bypass Route, and Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch measures 118.9 miles on the Blue Star Memorial Highway, offering a sustained period of driving. This route isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; be prepared for more varied road conditions and potential turns as you progress toward Yuma.
Only 1% 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: 118.9 mi on Blue Star Memorial 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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.8 miles in near I 10 / North Freeway.
Driving Effort5/10
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 241.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 4.8 miles (I 10 / North Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 14m. Total distance: 241.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). 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 118.9 miles on Blue Star Memorial 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.
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 4.8 miles (I 10 / North Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Saguaro National Park and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Yuma, AZ, but most travelers stay overnight.
