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Phoenix to Chiricahua National Park road trip: best stops

The drive from Phoenix to Chiricahua National Park takes about 3 hr 25 min (southeast of Phoenix), by real roads from ZIP 85004. Along the way we found 53 stops within a short detour: 9 coffee shops, 7 ice cream and treats, 21 places to eat and 1 viewpoints.

The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from Phoenix) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.

Plan this trip All day trips from Phoenix

Where you are going: Chiricahua National Park 3 hr 25 min from Phoenix

Chiricahua National Park

Photo: Pretzelpaws, CC BY-SA 3.0

National park

Chiricahua National Park

Drive Bonita Canyon up to Massai Point and look out over a forest of stone spires, then hike down among them on the Echo Canyon trail. America's newest national park (October 2026).

  • Half day
  • Year-round; best spring and fall; snow and ice possible November to April
  • Free (no entrance fee)

Heads-up: Vehicles over 24 ft can't drive past the campground, and the nearest gas and food are 30-40 miles away. The hiker shuttle isn't running, and dogs are allowed only on the lower trails, not at Massai Point or Echo Canyon.

Official site

Map of the stops between Phoenix and Chiricahua National Park

Open the interactive map

First third Middle third Last third Chiricahua National Park

First stretch 6 stops

  1. Dutch Bros. Coffee Coffee shop · Casa Grande
    About 43 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Th 05:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 05:00-23:00; Su 05:00-22:00
  2. Hideout Steakhouse & BBQ Restaurant · Arizola
    About 43 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  3. Iron Skillet Quick bite · Toltec
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  4. The Lookout Viewpoint · Arizona City
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 13 min
  5. Subway Sandwich place · Wymola
    About 1 hr 3 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  6. Rooster Cogburn’s Ostrich Ranch Attraction · Picacho
    About 1 hr 4 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website

Middle of the drive 15 stops

  1. Dairy Queen Ice cream counter-service · Marana
    About 1 hr 24 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  2. Boba Cucue Coffee shop · Tortolita
    About 1 hr 25 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  3. Screamery Ice cream · Marana
    About 1 hr 25 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Th,Su 12:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-22:00 Website
  4. Filiberto's Mexican counter-service · Tortolita
    About 1 hr 25 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  5. Rio Grande Steel Sided Caboose 01433 Historic site · Tucson
    About 1 hr 31 min into the drive · detour about 3 min Website
  6. Gadsden-Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum Museum · Tucson
    About 1 hr 31 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Sep-May Su 13:00-17:00 Website
  7. Tanna's Botannas Factory / Bodega Candy shop · Tucson
    About 1 hr 33 min into the drive · detour about 8 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 16:30-21:30 Website
  8. OKASHI Coffee shop · Tucson
    About 1 hr 35 min into the drive · detour about 5 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Fr-Su 09:00-14:00 Website
  9. Decibel Coffee Works Coffee shop · Tucson
    About 1 hr 36 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 07:00-14:00
  10. Beaut Burger Burger place · Tucson
    About 1 hr 36 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 11:30-20:30
  11. Candy Loco Candy shop · South Tucson
    About 1 hr 38 min into the drive · detour about 5 min
  12. Lin's Grand Buffet Restaurant · Tucson
    About 1 hr 38 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 11:00-21:30
  13. Dutch Bros. Coffee Coffee shop · Tucson
    About 1 hr 39 min into the drive · detour about 5 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 05:00-23:00
  14. Donut Wheel Donut restaurant · Tucson
    About 1 hr 39 min into the drive · detour about 5 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 06:00-20:00
  15. Cold Stone Creamery Ice cream · Vail
    About 1 hr 50 min into the drive · detour about 9 min

Last stretch 4 stops

  1. The Thing? Museum · Johnson
    About 2 hr 29 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  2. Bakester’s Pastries Coffee shop · Willcox
    About 2 hr 46 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Tu-Fr 06:00-17:00; Sa 07:00-15:00
  3. Rex Allen Museum Museum · Willcox
    About 2 hr 46 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Sa 10:00-16:00 Website
  4. Chiricahua Regional Museum & Research Center Museum · Willcox
    About 2 hr 46 min into the drive · detour about 2 min

Questions about the drive from Phoenix to Chiricahua National Park

How long is the drive from Phoenix to Chiricahua National Park?

About 3 hr 25 min by road, heading southeast from the middle of ZIP 85004. Traffic and weather change that.

What are the best stops on the way from Phoenix to Chiricahua National Park?

Good ones to start with: Dutch Bros. Coffee (Casa Grande), Hideout Steakhouse & BBQ (Arizola), Iron Skillet (Toltec), The Lookout (Arizona City) and Subway (Wymola). The page lists 25 in all, in driving order.

Where can I get coffee or a bakery stop between Phoenix and Chiricahua National Park?

Dutch Bros. Coffee in Casa Grande, Boba Cucue in Tortolita, OKASHI in Tucson and Decibel Coffee Works in Tucson. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.

Where can I eat on the way to Chiricahua National Park?

Hideout Steakhouse & BBQ in Arizola, Iron Skillet in Toltec, Subway in Wymola and Filiberto's in Tortolita.

Are there viewpoints or quick sights on the way?

The Lookout in Arizona City, Rooster Cogburn’s Ostrich Ranch in Picacho, Rio Grande Steel Sided Caboose 01433 in Tucson and Gadsden-Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum in Tucson.

More about Phoenix and Chiricahua National Park

Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.

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