Sacaton Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Tucson Estates, AZ to Glendale, AZ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 29m
Distance
132.4 mi
213 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
16 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 19m
★
6 AM
2h 29m
8 AM
2h 50m
10 AM
2h 37m
12 PM
2h 35m
3 PM
2h 38m
5 PM
2h 49m
8 PM
2h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tucson Estates, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Glendale, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Tucson Estates to Glendale covers 132.4 miles, a journey that typically takes about 2 hours and 29 minutes. Because this trip stays within the Desert Southwest, you will navigate familiar arid terrain as you head north. It is a straightforward route that works perfectly as a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. With a fuel budget of approximately $26, it is an affordable way to reach the Phoenix metropolitan area. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit, this drive provides a practical path between the two regions.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
66.2 miles from Tucson Estates, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande-Tucson Highway | 54.5 mi | 55m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 38.1 mi | 38m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 12 mi | 13m |
| Grand Avenue | 7.1 mi | 12m |
| Papago Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| South Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| West Ajo Highway | 4 mi | 5m |
| South Kinney Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.5 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tucson Estates, AZ and Glendale, AZ.
1
Start on this road
234 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
140 ft
·
12 sec
3
Turn left onto South Western Way Circle
104 ft
·
5 sec
·
South Western Way Circle
4
Turn right onto West Western Way
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
West Western Way
5
Turn left onto South Kinney Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
South Kinney Road
6
Turn left onto AZ 86
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
West Ajo Highway
7
Continue on AZ 86
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Ajo Way
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
9
Merge onto I 19
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Nogales–Tucson Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
11
Merge onto I 10
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 10
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
51 mi
·
51 min
·
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 10
38 mi
·
38 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 10
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
19
Continue on I 10
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 143C
Toward 19th Avenue, Grand Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto North 19th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North 19th Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
22
Turn slight left onto Grand Avenue
7.1 mi
·
12 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left / slight left lanes.
23
Arrive at destination
US 60
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip with no mandatory stops, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around local traffic patterns. Aim to leave during off-peak hours to avoid the congestion often found on the Maricopa Freeway as you approach the Glendale area. Keep in mind that your fuel costs will hover around $26, so filling up before you leave Tucson Estates can help you avoid higher prices near the city center. Because the drive is a turn-heavy local route, double-check your GPS navigation before you start to ensure you are comfortable with the specific highway transitions. Taking advantage of the direct nature of this route allows you to maximize your time once you arrive.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 66.2 miles from Tucson Estates, AZ, or about 1h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.5 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 29 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.2 miles or 1h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Glendale, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tucson Estates, 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 Estates, AZ
This is one driving day of about 132.4 miles and 2h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Tucson Estates, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 54.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
66 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 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 66.2 miles from Tucson Estates, 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.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Sacaton Rest Area
0 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pride Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Xpress Fuel Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.6 mi from route
Service Plaza
1 mi from route
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Arizona
4.3
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
Tempe, Arizona
Hours: 11 am–5 pm
+14805657081
Visit websiteArizona Science Center
3.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
Phoenix, Arizona
Hours: 10:30 am–4 pm
+16027162000
Visit websiteEnchanted Island Amusement Park
4.3
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.7 mi from route
~4 min detour
Phoenix, Arizona
Hours: 11 am–4 pm
+16022541200
Visit websiteDorrance DOME
4.1
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
1 mi from route
~2 min detour
Phoenix, Arizona
Hours: 10:30 am–4 pm
Visit websiteArizona History Museum
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
First break
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
Tucson, Arizona
Hours: 10 am–3 pm
+15206285774
Visit websiteTempe Festival of the Arts
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
3.2 mi from route
~8 min detour
Tempe, Arizona
+14803556060
Visit websiteTempe Town Lake
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~9 min detour
Home stretch
3.8 mi from route
~9 min detour
Tempe, Arizona
Amusement Park Rides RandRrides(Phoenix Park & Swap)
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, ~10 min detour
Home stretch
3.8 mi from route
~10 min detour
Phoenix, Arizona
Hours: Closed
+14809958653
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 17.8 and 125.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
17.8 mi into trip
|
~25m 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.
6
118.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 9m in
|
I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
120.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 11m in
|
I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
124.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 16m in
Take the exit toward 19th Avenue, Grand Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 143C
Toward 19th Avenue, Grand Avenue
6
125.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 16m in
|
North 19th Avenue
Turn right onto North 19th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.38 one way
$52.75 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
46 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $27.91 | $55.83 |
| premium | $5.59 | $29.14 | $58.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.23 | $58.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
16 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Starbucks - Tesla Supercharger
Tucson, AZ
Tesla
12 DCFC
Environmental and General Services
Tucson, AZ
Blink Network
4 DCFC
FasCharge 4614 Fast Market Valero Tucson Drexel Rd
Tucson, AZ
RED_E
2 DCFC
Porsche - Tucson
Tucson, AZ
Non-Networked
2 DCFC
FasCharge 4611 Fast Market Valero Tucson Prince Rd
Tucson, AZ
RED_E
2 DCFC
Holmes Tuttle Ford
Tucson, AZ
FORD_CHARGE
2 DCFC
Tucson Subaru
Tucson, AZ
Blink Network
2 DCFC
GPM INVESTMENTS 4612 DC1
Tucson, AZ
ChargePoint Network
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Network: 7
RED_E: 2
Blink Network: 2
Non-Networked: 2
FORD_CHARGE: 1
Tesla: 1
IN_CHARGE: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39.7 | 0 | $13.90 | $6.36 |
| Efficient EV | 33.1 | 0 | $11.58 | $5.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53 | 0 | $18.54 | $8.47 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% 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.
Origin
Tucson Estates, AZ
Late night in Tucson Estates on Tuesday
Local time
1:14 AM
MST
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Glendale, AZ
Late night in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
1:14 AM
MST
Current temp
67°F
Partly Cloudy
S 0 to 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 10:32AM PDT until April 21 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
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
16 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
2h 29m 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.
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...
11 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 77.6
View on nps.gov
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...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
$25
near mile 9.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mix of driving conditions on this route, which relies heavily on the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway, and the Maricopa Freeway. While only 17% of the trip is on the highway, these sections are crucial for maintaining your pace. You will encounter a turn-heavy local drive that demands your focus, particularly as you navigate the transitions between these thoroughfares. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will face is 54.5 miles along the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway, allowing for a steady rhythm before the road shifts character. Prepare for a transition from quieter local roads to the more demanding traffic patterns found near your destination.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.5 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.8 miles in near I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 132.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.8 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 118.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 120.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Glendale, AZ
Full guide →Glendale is one of the largest suburbs in the metropolitan Phoenix area, and is rapidly growing as a media/entertainment center in the Valley of the Sun. It was home to over 250,000 people in 2019.
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 2h 29m. Total distance: 132.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.5 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Glendale, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 17.8 miles (I 10 / Casa Grande-Tucson Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 118.7 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 120.6 miles (I 10 / Papago Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and Saguaro National 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 Glendale, 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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