Origin
Catalina, AZ
Afternoon in Catalina on Thursday
Local time
12:49 PM
MST
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 46m
Distance
102.2 mi
165 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 39m
★
6 AM
1h 46m
8 AM
2h 2m
10 AM
1h 52m
12 PM
1h 50m
3 PM
1h 53m
5 PM
2h 1m
8 PM
1h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Catalina, AZ
Allie
Tempe Junction, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 102.2 miles and takes about 1h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Elkins Road, Edwin Road, Eagle Crest Ranch Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
51.1 miles from Catalina, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 102.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 46m drive with frequent turns across 102.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Elkins Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is easy. At 1h 46m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Elkins Road | — | — |
| Edwin Road | — | — |
| Eagle Crest Ranch Boulevard | — | — |
| Tucson-Globe Highway | — | — |
| State Route 79 | — | — |
| Pinal Pioneer Parkway | — | — |
| South Pinal Parkway Avenue | — | — |
| the route | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Elkins Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Catalina, AZ and Tempe Junction, AZ.
1
Start on East Pinto Place
492 ft
·
27 sec
·
East Pinto Place
2
Turn left onto North Elkins Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Elkins Road
3
At the end of the road, turn left onto Edwin Road
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Edwin Road
4
Turn left onto Eagle Crest Ranch Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Eagle Crest Ranch Boulevard
5
Turn right onto Tucson-Globe Highway
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Tucson-Globe Highway
6
Turn left onto State Route 79
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
State Route 79
7
Continue on Pinal Pioneer Parkway
36 mi
·
41 min
·
Pinal Pioneer Parkway
8
Continue on South Pinal Parkway Avenue
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
South Pinal Parkway Avenue
9
Turn left
0.6 mi
·
1 min
10
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route
118 ft
·
2 sec
·
the route
11
Exit the roundabout
407 ft
·
7 sec
12
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Florence-Coolidge Highway
259 ft
·
5 sec
·
Florence-Coolidge Highway
13
Exit the roundabout onto Florence-Coolidge Highway
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Florence-Coolidge Highway
14
Continue on Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Junction I-10-Mesa Highway
15
Turn left onto Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
16
At the end of the road, turn left onto Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
518 ft
·
10 sec
·
Casa Grande-I-10-Coolidge Highway
17
Take the ramp right toward I 10 West: Phoenix
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 10 West: Phoenix
18
Merge slight left onto Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
23 mi
·
23 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
19
Continue on Maricopa Freeway
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
20
Take the exit slight right toward Baseline Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Baseline Road
21
Turn right onto West Baseline Road
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
West Baseline Road
22
Turn left onto South Priest Drive
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Priest Drive
23
Turn right onto West Broadway Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway Road
24
Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Roosevelt Street
25
At the end of the road, turn right onto West 13th Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
West 13th Street
26
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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 51.1 miles from Catalina, AZ, or about 53m into the drive.
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 22 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.1 miles or 53m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe Junction, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Catalina, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Catalina, AZ
This is one driving day of about 102.2 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Catalina, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 51.1 mi from Catalina, AZ · 53m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
51 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 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 51.1 miles from Catalina, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tempe Junction, AZ
The final approach into Tempe Junction, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.36 one way
$40.72 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
36 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $21.55 | $43.09 |
| premium | $5.59 | $22.50 | $44.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $22.56 | $45.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 30.7 | 0 | $10.73 | $4.91 |
| Efficient EV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.94 | $4.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 40.9 | 0 | $14.31 | $6.54 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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.
Destination
Tempe Junction, AZ
Afternoon in Tempe Junction on Thursday
Local time
12:49 PM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
89°F
Florence, AZ
51 mi in
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
4 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
1h 46m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ covers 102.2 miles and takes about 1h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Elkins Road, Edwin Road, Eagle Crest Ranch Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51.1 miles from Catalina, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.36 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is easy. At 1h 46m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Catalina, AZ to Tempe Junction, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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