Yuma to Sierra Vista is 311.3 miles and takes about 5h 28m via Blue Star Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Arizona's Desert Southwest region, offering a straightforward trip between two points. Expect mostly surface roads once you leave the limited highway segments, making it a good option if you prefer a more grounded travel experience. With a recommended one-day duration, this route is manageable for most drivers.
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
155.7 miles from Yuma, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Blue Star Memorial Highway
177.9 mi
3h 2m
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi
55m
Tucson-Benson Highway
41.4 mi
43m
State Route 90
14.9 mi
17m
Huachuca Boulevard
9.1 mi
10m
North Freeway
6.1 mi
6m
North Huachuca Boulevard
2.2 mi
3m
South State Highway 90
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Blue Star Memorial Highway
— 177.9 mi, about 3h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, AZ and Sierra Vista, AZ.
1
Start on I 8 BUS
0.3 mi·22 sec·North 4th Avenue
2
Continue on I 8 BUS
0.1 mi·16 sec·Winterhaven Drive
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
4
Merge onto I 8
0.2 mi·12 sec·Kumeyaay Highway
5
Continue on I 8
178 mi·3 hr 2 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·38 sec
Exit 178AToward I 10 East: Tucson
7
Continue on Phoenix Bypass Route
0.4 mi·27 sec·Phoenix Bypass Route
Exit 178AToward I 10 East: Tucson
8
Continue on I 10
55 mi·55 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
6.1 mi·6 min·North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 10
41 mi·43 min·Tucson-Benson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 302Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
12
Turn right onto AZ 90
1.2 mi·1 min·South State Highway 90
13
Continue on AZ 90
9.1 mi·10 min·Huachuca Boulevard
14
Continue on AZ 90
12 mi·14 min·State Route 90
15
Continue on AZ 90
2.2 mi·3 min·North Huachuca Boulevard
16
Continue on AZ 90
3.0 mi·3 min·State Route 90
17
Continue on Buffalo Soldier Trail
0.4 mi·35 sec·Buffalo Soldier Trail
18
Continue on Buffalo Solder Trail
0.8 mi·1 min·Buffalo Solder Trail
19
Turn straight onto Buffalo Soldier Trail
0.3 mi·39 sec·Buffalo Soldier Trail
20
Turn left onto West Fry Boulevard
380 ft·9 sec·West Fry Boulevard
21
Continue on West Fry Boulevard
0.1 mi·19 sec·West Fry Boulevard
22
Turn left
59 ft·4 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 28m estimated drive time, leaving Yuma in the morning will allow you to reach Sierra Vista with plenty of daylight. The route includes one recommended stop, so plan for that break along the way. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 177.9-mile segment on the Blue Star Memorial Highway, as services might be less frequent on the surface road portions. The overall $62 fuel cost is a good estimate for budgeting this single-day trip.
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 155.7 miles from Yuma, AZ, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 177.9 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 68 miles or 1h 10m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 155.7 miles or 2h 40m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sierra Vista, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yuma, 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 Yuma, AZ
This is one driving day of about 311.3 miles and 5h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Yuma, 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 177.9 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 311.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway
Merge onto I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
178.7 mi into trip|~3h 4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: Tucson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 178A
Toward I 10 East: Tucson
6
281.7 mi into trip|~4h 51m in
Take the exit toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 302
Toward AZ 90 East: Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista
4
311.2 mi into trip|~5h 28m in|West Fry Boulevard
Turn left onto West Fry Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
311.3 mi into trip|~5h 28m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$62.01 one way
$124.03 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg109 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$65.63
$131.26
premium
$5.59
$68.52
$137.05
diesel
$5.61
$68.73
$137.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$87–$112
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 108.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
93.4
1
$32.69
$14.94
Efficient EV
77.8
0
$27.24
$12.45
EV Truck/SUV
124.5
1
$43.58
$19.92
Gas CO2
109 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 20, 2026
Origin
Yuma, AZ
Late night
in Yuma on Tuesday
Local time
3:24 AM
MST
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Sierra Vista, AZ
Late night
in Sierra Vista on Tuesday
Local time
3:24 AM
MST
Current temp
74°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
15 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 28m 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...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
$25
near mile 246.9
Park Closure: Red Hills Visitor Center (TMD) theater closed for repairs
It was a journey of conquest filled with exploration, wonder - and cruelty. Inspired by tales of vast cities of gold, 339 European soldiers and over a thousand Aztec allies embarked on an epic journey...
14 mi from route
~36 min detour
Free
near mile 311.3
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
~39 min detour
Free
near mile 182.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features only a 7% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest stretch on the Blue Star Memorial Highway covers 177.9 miles before you transition to other main roads like the Casa Grande-Tucson Highway and Tucson-Benson Highway. Be prepared for more frequent intersections and varied speed limits as you move away from highway travel.
Only 7% 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: 177.9 mi on Blue Star Memorial 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 0.6 miles in near I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway.
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 28m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 178.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 281.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yuma is the largest city and county seat of Yuma County, Arizona. It is in the southwest corner of the state, across the Colorado River from California and near two Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora.
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".
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 177.9 miles on Blue Star Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 26 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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. There are 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (I 8 / Kumeyaay Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 178.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 281.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Saguaro National Park, Coronado National Memorial and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Sierra Vista, AZ before the return drive.
