How far is Cottonwood, AZ from Tucson, AZ?

The driving distance from Cottonwood, AZ to Tucson, AZ is about 368.7 miles (593.4 km), with a travel time of about 06h 54m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 272.6 miles (438.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 49m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
368.74 mi
06h 54m
Flight
272.58 mi
438.68 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cottonwood.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
272.58 mi
Kilometers
438.68 km
Flight Time
00h 32m

Driving Distance

Road route
368.74 mi
Kilometers
593.43 km
Drive Time
06h 54m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 54m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Tucson
Sun, Apr 19, 2:55 AM MST
Return by in Cottonwood
Sun, Apr 19, 10:50 AM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cottonwood
2026-04-18T21:00
Arrive Tucson
Sun, Apr 19, 3:55 AM MDT
Route Timing
06h 54m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
11:55 AM to 1:25 PM MST

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:10 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Cottonwood
8:00 PM MDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Pinetop-Lakeside
AZ

Small town in Navajo County

From Cottonwood
178.3 mi
03h 27m
To Tucson
190.5 mi
03h 27m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
58°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 7:00 AM MDT
Wind
10 mph NE
Destination
88°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM MST
Wind
2 to 7 mph ENE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cottonwood and Tucson.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cottonwood and Tucson.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    962 ft · 42 sec

  2. 2

    Continue straight

    152 m · 24 sec

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Navajo Route 4

    1.5 km · 2 min · Navajo Route 4

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Navajo Route 25

    5.6 mi · 14 min · Navajo Route 25

  5. 5

    Turn slight left onto Navajo Routes 25 and 251

    1749 ft · 48 sec · Navajo Routes 25 and 251

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Navajo Route 25

    18.6 mi · 45 min · Navajo Route 25

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Arizona State Highway 264

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Arizona State Highway 264

  8. 8

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    54 m · 2 sec

  9. 9

    Exit the roundabout

    5.9 mi · 7 min

  10. 10

    Turn right

    37.8 mi · 56 min

  11. 11

    Take the ramp right

    1385 ft · 34 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

    45.7 mi · 46 min · Purple Heart Trail

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward I 40 Business, AZ 77 South, AZ 377 South, US 180 East: Show Low, Heber

    1930 ft · 50 sec

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Navajo Boulevard

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Navajo Boulevard

  15. 15

    Continue on Holbrook-Springerville Highway

    2841 ft · 57 sec · Holbrook-Springerville Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Show Low-Holbrook Highway

    24.5 mi · 28 min · Show Low-Holbrook Highway

  17. 17

    Continue on Arizona State Highway 77

    2 mi · 3 min · Arizona State Highway 77

  18. 18

    Continue on Show Low-Holbrook Highway

    900 ft · 14 sec · Show Low-Holbrook Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on North Main Street

    2.4 mi · 5 min · North Main Street

  20. 20

    Continue on Show Low-Holbrook Highway

    1 mi · 2 min · Show Low-Holbrook Highway

  21. 21

    Continue on South Main Street

    2176 ft · 53 sec · South Main Street

  22. 22

    Continue on Show Low-Holbrook Highway

    11.4 mi · 13 min · Show Low-Holbrook Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on North Penrod Road

    3.5 mi · 4 min · North Penrod Road

  24. 24

    Turn right onto East Deuce of Clubs

    3 mi · 7 min · East Deuce of Clubs

  25. 25

    Continue on Globe-Show Low Highway

    83.5 mi · 1 hr 36 min · Globe-Show Low Highway

  26. 26

    Turn sharp left onto East Ash Street

    1.2 mi · 2 min · East Ash Street

  27. 27

    Continue on Globe-Lordsburg Highway

    1.3 km · 1 min · Globe-Lordsburg Highway

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on Tucson-Globe Highway

    61 mi · 1 hr 22 min · Tucson-Globe Highway

  29. 29

    Continue on American Avenue

    2 mi · 3 min · American Avenue

  30. 30

    Continue on Tucson-Globe Highway

    15.8 mi · 22 min · Tucson-Globe Highway

  31. 31

    Continue on North Oracle Road

    14 mi · 22 min · North Oracle Road

  32. 32

    Turn left onto West Orange Grove Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · West Orange Grove Road

  33. 33

    Turn right onto North 1st Avenue

    1.9 mi · 3 min · North 1st Avenue

  34. 34

    Turn left onto East River Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · East River Road

  35. 35

    Turn right onto North Campbell Avenue

    1.5 mi · 4 min · North Campbell Avenue

  36. 36

    Turn left onto East Fort Lowell Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · East Fort Lowell Road

  37. 37

    Turn right onto North Country Club Road

    3 mi · 7 min · North Country Club Road

  38. 38

    Continue on North Country Club Road

    56 m · 15 sec · North Country Club Road

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Country Club Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Cottonwood and Tucson.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
39 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Globe-Show Low Highway
83.5 mi · 23%
Tucson-Globe Highway
76.8 mi · 21%
Purple Heart Trail
45.7 mi · 12%
Show Low-Holbrook Highway
37.1 mi · 10%
Navajo Route 25
24.2 mi · 7%
North Oracle Road
14 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Globe-Show Low Highway

Continue on Globe-Show Low Highway

83.5 mi · 01h 36m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 54m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+96.1 mi
272.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Pinetop-Lakeside
03h 27m from Cottonwood
Leave By
10:10 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Cottonwood and Sunny near Tucson.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cottonwood to Tucson?

The road trip is about 368.7 miles (593.4 km) and usually takes 06h 54m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Pinetop-Lakeside is a useful midpoint, sitting about 178.3 miles from Cottonwood and 190.5 miles from Tucson.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 272.6 miles (438.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 96.1 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $64.41 one way or $128.83 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 115.6 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Cottonwood and Tucson, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Cottonwood and Sunny near Tucson.

Stop Ideas Near Pinetop-Lakeside

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Pinetop-Lakeside, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Pinetop-Lakeside.

RAIL

Winslow

118 mi away
501 East Second Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cottonwood and Tucson. Straight-line distance: 272.58 mi (438.68 km).

Cottonwood

#1 Cottonwood

City in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States

Population12,762
Coordinates36.0730600, -109.8923400
Altitude1850
CountryUnited States
Tucson

#2 Tucson

The second most populous city in Arizona and the center of the Tucson metropolitan area.

Population553,571
Coordinates32.2217400, -110.9264800
Altitude759
CountryUnited States
Start: (-109.892378, 36.073021)
End: North Country Club Road (-110.926548, 32.221738)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 593 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 17m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 13m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 08m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 36m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.01 gal
49.25 L · about $64.41
Round trip
$128.83
26.02 gal · 98.5 L
Estimated CO2
115.6 kg one way
Round trip: 231.2 kg / 510 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $64.41 $128.83
Mid-grade $5.34 $69.45 $138.89
Premium $5.57 $72.41 $144.83
Diesel $6.37 $82.82 $165.64

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Arizona · Apr 19, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Cottonwood, AZ and Tucson, AZ. The current time in Cottonwood is 21:00:22, although it is 20:00:22 in Tucson.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.