Origin
Citrus Park, AZ
Morning in Citrus Park on Wednesday
Local time
11:00 AM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Citrus Park, AZ to Tempe, AZ
Data updated 5 hours ago
Drive Time
51m
Distance
40.5 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Citrus Park, AZ
Cosmin Gavris
Tempe, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Citrus Park, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 40.5 miles and takes about 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Papago Freeway, Red Mountain Freeway, Bob Stump Memorial Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.8 miles on Papago Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.07 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.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
20.2 miles from Citrus Park, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 25m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 51m highway drive covering 40.5 miles, with most of the trip on Papago Freeway and Red Mountain Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 20.8 miles on Papago Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Papago Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 20.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Papago Freeway and Red Mountain Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.1 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 40.5 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 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.2 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.3 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
7.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 104A
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
8
30.2 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
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 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
6
30.3 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
8
30.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
Red Mountain Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway toward AZ 202 Loop East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
7
38.5 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward McClintock Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8
Toward McClintock Drive
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Papago Freeway | 20.8 mi | 24m |
| Red Mountain Freeway | 8.3 mi | 10m |
| Bob Stump Memorial Parkway | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| South McClintock Drive | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| West Northern Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Ehrenberg-Phoenix Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Citrus Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Papago Freeway
— 20.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Citrus Park, AZ and Tempe, AZ.
1
Start on North Citrus Road
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Citrus Road
2
Turn right onto West Northern Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Northern Avenue
3
Take the ramp
397 ft
·
10 sec
Toward AZ 303 Loop South
4
Turn right
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward AZ 303 Loop South: Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
5
Merge onto AZ 303 Loop
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Bob Stump Memorial Parkway
6
Take the exit
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Exit 104A
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on Ehrenberg-Phoenix Highway
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Ehrenberg-Phoenix Highway
Exit 104A
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
8
Merge onto I 10
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
10
Continue on I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147
Toward AZ 51 North, AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
13
Keep slight left at fork onto Red Mountain Freeway
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Red Mountain Freeway
Exit 147A
Toward AZ 202 Loop East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 8
Toward McClintock Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto South McClintock Drive
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
South McClintock Drive
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto US 80 Hist
60 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Apache Boulevard
Use the right lane.
17
Arrive at destination
US 80 Hist
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 20.2 miles from Citrus Park, AZ, or about 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 20.8 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 40.5 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 20.2 miles or 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tempe, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Citrus Park, 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 Citrus Park, AZ
This is one driving day of about 40.5 miles and 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Citrus Park, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Papago Freeway for about 20.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.2 mi from Citrus Park, AZ · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.2 miles from Citrus Park, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tempe, AZ
The final approach into Tempe, AZ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Tempe, AZ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.07 one way
$16.14 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $8.54 | $17.08 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.91 | $17.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.94 | $17.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$8
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$33–$58
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.25 | $1.94 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.54 | $1.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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, AZ
Morning in Tempe on Wednesday
Local time
11:00 AM
MST
Current temp
93°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
51m 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 Citrus Park, AZ to Tempe, AZ covers 40.5 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Papago Freeway, Red Mountain Freeway, Bob Stump Memorial Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.2 miles from Citrus Park, AZ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.07 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 40.5 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.2 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.3 miles (Red Mountain Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Citrus Park, AZ to Tempe, AZ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Tempe, AZ
Explore more options from Citrus Park, AZ or browse trips ending in Tempe, AZ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse AZ road trips.
Explore maps for Citrus Park, AZ or Tempe, AZ on MapSof.net.